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‘Unsung Irregular’ is the third full-length studio LP from Werkha and is comprised of 11 tracks showcasing his unique blend of jazzy breakbeat-tinged electronics and analogue aesthetics. It includes the singles 'S-Bend’, ‘Toast Rack’, and two collaborations: 'Everyday (feat. Ríoghnach Connolly)' and ‘Narrow In’ (feat. Daudi Matsiko) - a pair of revered artists with roots in folk music, complimenting the close connection to nature found throughout Werkha’s productions.
‘Unsung Irregular’ is a deeply considered and thematically rich project, exploring hidden disabilities and spotlighting the power of irregularities that often go unnoticed. More than a reflection on chronic pain, ‘Unsung Irregular’ is a celebration of movement, and the resilient power of music to transform discomfort into rhythm. Scoliosis has shaped his life in ways both visible and invisible, and the album traces those contours with unflinching honesty.
The process of healing is written into every detail: field recordings, processed vocal textures, geographical references. From the conspicuous architectural reference point of the title of ‘Toast Rack’, to tracks like ‘By Helm’ and ‘Weak Point’ which are linked not just by theme, but by sound design; echoing physical locations and personal milestones in Tom’s recovery.
The album also speaks to a wider community of people navigating their own hidden conditions and those carrying pain quietly. A record full of vivid storytelling, ‘Unsung Irregular’ reflects not only personal experience, but the value of creative practice as healing, connection, and self-definition.
“This album is about giving a voice to those fighting quiet battles daily... I hope that through my music I’ve created a space for people to feel like they can talk about their own irregularities…”
Werkha (aka Tom Leah) is a multi-instrumentalist born in Rusholme, Manchester. His previous releases on Worldwide Award-winning independent London-based label First Word Records include 'The Rigour' EP (2020), and the 'All Werk Is Play' LP (2022), carrying on from his initial output on the Brighton-based Tru Thoughts label. Alongside his own releases, he's collaborated and remixed with Quantic, A Certain Ratio, Marcos Valle, Eska, Chunky, Andrew Ashong and extensively with Keisha Thompson and Bryony Jarman-Pinto, to cite a few.
Werkha has done full band and solo performances across the UK and Europe, touring with the likes of Bonobo, Chet Faker, Rebecca Vasmant and Mr Scruff, and sharing billing with Crazy P, GoGo Penguin, Todd Terje, Lefto and MCDE, gracing stages at legendary venues like The Roundhouse, The Jazz Café and Manchester Cathedral, and various festivals including Glastonbury, SXSW, We Out Here, A Love Supreme and Latitude.
Additionally to playing live, Werkha is a formidable DJ, recently doing a mix for Selector Radio (British Council) and previously for the likes of Tom Ravenscroft & Afrodeutsche (BBC 6 Music), NTS, Primavera Sound and Reform Radio.
