Browsing Tag

funk

Forest Funk exhilarated hip-hop in his funked-up reggae mash-up, Run It

Posted on 18 April 2023

Augsburg, Germany DJ and producer, Forrest Funk, stayed true to his moniker in his latest cross-genre mash-up of hip-hop, funk, and reggae, Run It. The stylishly energised amalgamated ensemble of funked-up progressions exhibits his unparalleled reverent approach to celebrating the diversity of the roots of urban sounds. Yet, perceptibly, there is plenty more to the producer’s modus operandi than keeping a fixed gaze on the past; he is bringing in the future of funk with his own authentically funked flair that is as moody as it is euphoric.

After touring the German gig circuit and rubbing shoulders while sharing stages with the likes of Jayl Funk, Lack Jemmon, Quincy Jointz, Dj Maxxx, Nobody’s Face, Djane Jo-C, XRated, Dj Sticky, Len Beam and many more, he’s turning his attention to enlivening the airwaves – there’s no denying that his approach is highly efficacious.

Run It was officially released on April 7; delve into the groove pockets on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Unstoppable: London rockers Compound Radius tries to find the peace within on Victim of our Minds

Posted on 23 March 2023

Gripping our hungry core with a ravenous soundtrack to wake up the neighbours, Compound Radius ravage innocent ears with something rather hardcore and slides all the worries away on Victim of our Minds.

Compound Radius is a London, UK-based indie rock band that smartly submerges funk, folk, soul, electronica, metal and world music into their hard-hitting creations.

‘‘Arnab Datta, aka Radius, is their lead singer, lead guitarist and composer whose songs are multilingual, English, Bengali, Hindi ,Sanskrit Afrikaans etc. His similarly multi-talented wife Aditi provides ideas and female vocals. On drums is the energetic Rajib Chakraborty and on bass the brilliant Dan Mackrill. Compound Radius have been gigging since September 2021 and played their first big show in July 2022.” ~ Compound Radius

Powering in with a weighty harmony with much might and significance, Compound Radius are that all-pro act who doesn’t care what anyone thinks. They impress from all angles on Victim of our Minds and shall take many breaths away with a dragon-like fire.

Victim of our Minds from London, UK-based indie rock band Compound Radius is a rather explosive track which might raise the temperature a tad higher than before. Actually, this will probably burn all plastic away and sends us into a wondrous universe which might slice the doubt out of millions on this thunderbolt.

Turn this up on SoundCloud.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Change My Fate: The Bleepy Things laments that harrowing remorse on Trouble

Posted on 10 March 2023

Healing from the sore sensation of being played like a guitar and the harsh sour feeling, The Bleepy Things have dropped a memorable single which will remind many of the 80s on their catchy new track Trouble.

The Bleepy Things is a Pittsburgh, PA-based indie funk-pop punk-rock band who loves nothing more than a noisy mosh pit causing carnage on the dance floor.

Busting through the broken door and sending the awaiting world a skyrocketing gem of note, The Bleepy Things show us that genuine underground grind on this rather excellent single. There is a rare edge here and a fantastic quality to sip on all night, we find a hugely reflective glow that so many of us will surely recall.

Trouble from Pittsburgh, PA-based indie funk-pop punk-rock band The Bleepy Things is a flourishing single and made for maximum impact. With vocally advanced melodies and so much power from solos of significance, this is one of those marvellous songs which sounds comprehensively timeless.

Hear this fine song on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Dance-pop rock star Max Matthew went in heavy on the 90s nostalgia in ‘Want 2B Wanted’

Posted on 21 February 2023

What Peter Andre was to the 90s, Max Matthew is to 2023 in his oceanic funk-popped debut hit, Want 2B Wanted. Rather than just getting you in the mood, the bluesy guitars will flood your soul as the salacious serenade effortlessly establishes Max Matthew as one to watch, hit the dance floor to, and fall in love to.

With his nostalgic for the 90s debut on the airwaves, they’re smoother than ever and primed to accommodate more hits from the future rock star of dance-pop. Keep him on your radar.

Want 2B Wanted hit the airwaves on February 13th, soak in the euphoria by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lyfe created a disco fever endemic with the euphoric soul in his latest funk-pop single, Tonight

Posted on 16 December 2022
Lyfe

For his latest single, Tonight, the up-and-coming artist, Lyfe, served a potent cocktail of pop, funk, disco, and soul. Rather than evoking nostalgia from one era, the artist, who is dominating more and more of the metaverse with every subsequent release, simultaneously took us to the 60s, 70s and 80s in a dizzying feat of sonic time travel.

While you time-hop through the funk-chopped guitars, glistening piano glissandos and heady four-to-the-floor beat, Lyfe creates collaborative alchemy with the celestially timbered backing vocalists who pour a profound level of euphoric soul into the feverish with disco track.

Each song from Lyfe’s 20-track debut album has its own virtual world in the Metaverse. Before the debut LP, Lyfe founded YXY ODY Studios to create a series of NFT drops and The Odyssey Metaverse. He also deployed one of the biggest virtual concerts yet, with over 40,000 attendees.

Watch this space because Lyfe is about to revolutionise it.

Tonight will officially release on December 16th. Check it out on his official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Have Mercy On Me: Lisa Ramey courageously emerges from the muddy waters on Certainly Lord

Posted on 13 December 2022

Floating through genres rather angelically and with much love, Lisa Ramey shall have many hearts in a spin with the brave release inspired by the courage shown by the late women’s rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer on Certainly Lord.

Lisa Ramey is a St. Louis-born and New York-based indie singer-songwriter who captures her roots so splendidly inside stunning RnB and funk.

”Fannie Lou Hamer was an American voting and women’s rights activist, community organizer, a leader in the civil rights movement and an incredibly powerful singer. Hamer’s story spoke to me and I’ll do all I can to give her words and message a second life to inspire a new generation and help keep her name spoken for generations to come. It’s what she deserves.” ~ Lisa Ramey

Absorbing our energies with a marvellous blend of incredible velocity, Lisa Ramey is absolutely thrilling inside this scintillating song which will swap many moods around. Enchanting our souls with something our body needed to heal with, we find a release to wash away all previous fears.

Certainly Lord from St. Louis-born and New York-based indie rock artist and member of Team Legend on Idols USA Lisa Ramey is unquestionably one of the more spellbinding songs ever to be heard. Sung with so much passionate gusto which shall inspire many ears, this is a rather special single that needs to be played loud.

Hear this fine single on Spotify. See more via the IG page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

MEVS sent a surge of funk-riding euphoria through the airwaves with his feel-good disco-pop anthem, Groovin’

Posted on 17 November 2022

Carving his own untrodden path back to the 70s, the Puerto Rican trailblazer, MEVS, unleashed the soul-stirring slice of euphoric funk-riding disco-pop, Groovin’.

While artists will tune in with envy of his capacity to release such a blazing debut, fans of funk, alt-RnB and authentic old-school soul will surrender to the danceable electricity in the progressively dynamic release, which paints across the brighter corners of the tonal spectrum.

Starting with the sultry rolling basslines in the smoky prelude before exploding into a riot of flavour with Nile Rodgers guitar chops and a strong brass section, immersing yourself in this intrinsically rhythmic earworm which uses ‘never give up, never give in’ as an enlivening reprise will always send a flood of dopamine through your synapses.

Groovin’ is the first single from MEVS’ debut album, Sentient Beings in the Streets, which is set to release in 2023. Even if you don’t stay tuned, something tells me his enlivening soul will be coming to a dance floor near you anyway.

Groovin’ is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Punk rap pioneers Mort City gave a lesson in funk, rhythm and groove in their single, Teacher Teacher

Posted on 15 October 2022

The US punk rap pioneers Mort City brought the riffy funk in their latest single, Teacher Teacher, which will school you in Afrobeat rhythms, Primus-Esque melodies, and Ty Segal-style fuzz.

The cheeky semi-spoken word verses easily gel with the off-kilter progressive guitars that always keep the tonal palate sunny while delving into groove pockets before bringing Tom Morello veracious licks. If there was ever a 21st-century equivalent to Frank Zappa, I’m pretty sure I’ve just experienced it.

The bi-coastal duo ticks every conceivable box in the realms of experimentalism, while keeping the centre of gravity the good vibes that effortlessly exude from Teacher Teacher, which is just one of the singles from their debut album, On The Scene, which dropped across all streaming platforms on October 7th.

Teacher Teacher is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

N.O.A & The Goodest Ones keep the spirit of multicultural soul alive in ‘Say Things’

Posted on 14 October 2022
N.O.A & The Goodest Ones

N.O.A & The Goodest Ones’ latest single, Say Things, is a melting pot of genre, style, and culture. Through the upliftingly smooth brass section, you will soak in nuances of jazz; through the rhythm section, you will find nods to funk and reggae, and the vocals transfuse some of the sweetest vocally-delivered catharsis you could care to drink in.

With the RnB harmonies gelling with the rap bars from Tray God Tha MC over the mellifluous flow of the melodies, Say Things is a conversation you will want to indulge in time and time again. The spirit of soul is well and truly alive through this timeless record. It is escapism music at its finest.

Say Things will officially release on October 14th. Check it out for yourselves on Spotify and connect with N.O.A & The Goodest Ones on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Funk-Rock supergroup Cash Machine have made their raunchily groove-deep debut with Promises

Posted on 27 September 2022

‘Promises’ is the debut feat of filthy prog funk rock from the supergroup Cash Machine, which comprises artists from several of Upstate SC’s most successful bands. Members of The Consumers, The Grateful Brothers and Buffalohead all converged to throw back to the raucous era of funk-rock in one of the grittiest time-hops you could sink into in 2022.

With the ragged vocal timbre of Joe Power raucously grating across the smoky groove pockets carved by guitarists Daniel Collins and Zach Thigpen, Promises oozes raunchy swagger that is slick enough to leave you hot under the collar.

Promises was unleashed on September 9th ahead of their debut self-titled album, which is set to release on October 14th. Funk-rock aficionados will want to head to Spotify to indulge and make radar room accordingly.

Review by Amelia Vandergast