New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Pioneering British Hip-Hop crew The Sindecut, featuring founding member DJ Fingers and New York-based Geordie singer-songwriter Ijeoma, kick off 2025 with their brand-new single, "Keeping Me Up"- a testament to restless nights and late-night inspiration - out now.
Building on the momentum of their 2023 debut album 'Late' and the 2024 EP 'Early', the duo continue their two-decade-long collaborative journey, showcasing their ability to balance innovation with nostalgia. Reflecting on their progress, DJ Fingers shares, "Ever since signing to Tru Thoughts, I've been developing new tracks with Ijeoma for future releases. 'Keeping Me Up' is a hint of the direction we are going creatively." Ijeoma elaborates on the inspiration behind the single: "Ever had a noisy neighbour? It's about one and the thoughts that creep up on you when you're tired and can't sleep. I started writing 'Keeping Me Up' during one of those nights when my brain was in overdrive."
The pair's creative process is a testament to their seamless long-distance collaboration. With DJ Fingers based in London and Ijeoma in New York, they craft their music by sharing ideas back and forth. The track features an unexpected twist, flipping into an entirely new sonic space by the end. "I love how the beats sound like someone banging on the wall," Ijeoma shares, underscoring the playful yet relatable theme.
The Sindecut and Ijeoma's previous releases 'Early' and 'Late' have garnered widespread support from various tastemakers. The track 'Lucky' gained support from BobaFatt (Soho Radio), Don Letts (BBC 6Music) and Deb Grant (BBC 6Music), who admitted to "falling a little bit in love" with it upon discovery. Meanwhile, Mr. Scruff highlighted lead single 'Different' on Bandcamp Weekly. Toshio Matsuura (Tokyo Moon) showed love for 'Better Than Never' and Jyoty (Rinse FM) praised 'Change' as a standout, saying, "It just caught my attention and my heart." This release comes after the success of "Stand Tall", celebrated by figures like
Craig Charles.
London hip-hop collective The Sindecut are credited as one of the pioneers of the UK hip-hop scene, releasing the acclaimed 'Changing The Scenery' album in 1990 on Virgin Records (which was sampled by The
Prodigy in "We Are The Ruffest" from the remix album of their classic 'The
Prodigy Experience'). The Sindecut were one of the first UK hip-hop groups to sign to a major label - fusing their sound with soul and reggae.
DJ Fingers is hailed as one of the first turntablists in the UK and featured in the iconic 1997 'Bad Meaning Good' BBC documentary about UK hip-hop culture. A self-described Breakbeat DJ for MCs, he understands his role and link to the Sound
System tradition. Influenced by the likes of Grandmaster Flash, Kool Herc, Grand Mixer DST, DJ Whizz Kid and DJ
Jazzy Jay - Fingers' fundamental mantra is the running theme of "Knowledge of Self", which he always strives to push conceptually through his many projects.
Ijeoma, a powerhouse of creativity, started her musical journey layering vocal harmonies on cassette tapes before stepping onto open mic stages in Newcastle and London, where her path first crossed with DJ Fingers. Beyond her vocal talents, Ijeoma brings her design expertise to the table, crafting the duo's visual identity. Together, they merge their individual histories and influences to create music that feels both nostalgic and cutting-edge.
