Black Sumo - Clarity (2026) [Hi-Res]

First Word Records presents "Clarity," an instrumental album by Black Sumo, the alter ego of artist KRTS (Kurtis Hairston). The project originated in Berlin during the pandemic as a means of navigating personal and social upheavals, including financial instability and reflections on the immigrant experience. Musically, the work marks a return to the artist's creative roots, blending raw 90s-style jazzy boom bap with lo-fi aesthetics and shoegaze elements. Initially shelved, the material was revisited five years later, allowing the creator to release it with a newfound sense of internal clarity and acceptance of his past experiences.

Tracklist:
1-1 Black Sumo - How It Came To Be [1:00]
1-2 Black Sumo - Rehearsal [2:58]
1-3 Black Sumo - Gray Bikes Grey Skies [2:50]
1-4 Black Sumo - Silent Stones [3:02]
1-5 Black Sumo - They'll Always Be There (Interlude) [0:46]
1-6 Black Sumo - See You Around [3:20]
1-7 Black Sumo - Cameras [2:12]
1-8 Black Sumo - Too Soon [3:29]
1-9 Black Sumo - I Made You Up [3:56]
1-10 Black Sumo - That Is True (Interlude) [0:18]
1-11 Black Sumo - Drown You Out [2:12]
1-12 Black Sumo - Unmatch [4:36]