Browsing Tag

funk

Sulking By The Swings: Cardiff’s Year of the Dog are okay with being the bad guys on the excellent ‘Arch Enemy’

Posted on 21 August 2021

After memorably appearing on Netflix’s hit comedy-drama Sex Education as the Swing Band, Year of the Dog return with their wonderfully catchy new single from this compelling outfit on ‘Arch Enemy‘.

Year of the Dog is an entertaining Cardiff, Wales-based six-piece brass-house soul band. With a lip-licking taste for the delicious rhythms of funk, ska, reggae and swing, this is a finely tuned outfit who certainly know that sweet spot in our hungry music-loving stomachs.

”Recorded at the famous Monnow Valley Studios (Oasis, Stone Roses, Black Sabbath) the single is a nod to their childhood days of listening to chugging rock bands like The Dandy Warhols and The Black Keys, fused with their current unmistakable brass-blasting punch and professional suave.” ~ Year of the Dog

With a supremely enjoyable funky fresh sound and gritty vocals mixed with such cleverly-penned lyrics – the spectacular mountain visuals adds so much to the setting – and has your head bouncing joyously to a wonderful track, from a band who will have you dancing around with their catchy style.

”Despite lockdown sweeping away their 2020 summer tour, the band have managed to keep themselves busy, earning a feature on BBC News ‘How To Be A Band In Lockdown’, and two interviews on BBC primetime radio.” ~ Year of the Dog

You feel the foot-tapping experience here and the skill level witnessed is of a world class standard from a well-respected group, who will surely start touring worldwide from 2022.

‘Arch Enemy‘ from the Cardiff, Wales-based brass-house act Year of the Dog, is a thrilling song that takes you back to those school days when you had a crush with someone who didn’t feel the same way. You then proceeded to be mortal enemies rather than friends, as you both lived different lives when you things could of actually been so different.

Performed with a real edge and hunger, this is a rather memorable track which will have you turning the volume up to the maximum.

See this new music video on YouTube and see more on their IG music channel.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

The Fortune Tellers show us the future of funk-rock with ‘Addicted to You’.

Posted on 19 August 2021

Funk, blues, indie and rock n roll all feed into the forcefully infectious single, Addicted to You, from the up and coming artist, The Fortune Tellers. The shimmering Gretschy guitar tones progress in slick grooves through the anthemic production that will be a hit with any fans of Blue Oyster Cult.

Monika’s rock vocals confront you with pure soul as they harmonise around the blues-rock instrumentals and choral backing vocals that allow Addicted to You to share reminiscence with a religious experience. Addicted to You is the title track from The Fortune Tellers’ debut album, released in July 2021.

The official music video for Addicted to You premiered on July 8th; you can check it out via YouTube.

Check out the album on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Kayla Lynn & the Change deliver a blissful jazz-funk fusion in ‘More Than Friends’

Posted on 19 August 2021
Kayla Lynn & the Change

Bassist, singer-songwriter and empowerment speaker Kayla Lynn has released her latest jazzy funk single, More Than Friends, with her band The Change; the rich harmonic tones paired with the fresh take on funk is an aural experience that you are unlikely to forget.

She has been making major waves in Asheville, NC’s funk scene with her blissfully textured sound and endlessly dynamic vocals that practically write success into the artist’s future. It is almost a paradox how More Than Friends simultaneously sends you back to the roots of soul and has the potential to definite the future of neo-soul. It’s a stellar release from a refreshingly exceptional artist.

Check out More Than Friends on apple music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Angelique – Trench: Soul-Laden Disco RnB

Posted on 11 August 2021

Through disco beats, old school soul vocals and RnB grooves, Angelique’s latest single, Trenches, defies genre constraints to offer a sensual sonic experience that fuses futurism with nostalgia.

The LA-born singer-songwriter’s classical training allows her vocal notes to hit with ease and carry plenty of sensual energy with them while her refusal to fit into the mould gives Trench a sense of authenticity, amplifying the eloquently arranged emotion. If you could imagine Daft Punk rhythms meeting Lauryn Hill’s luxe style, you’ll get an idea of what you are in for when hitting play on Trench. Her fusionist and expressionist style practically makes her the antithesis of plastic pop.

Trench is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

I Let You Slip Away: Chicago’s Babybrutha shows his respect for Paul Weller on ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’ (The Style Council cover)

Posted on 21 July 2021

Written by the legendary UK musician Paul Weller, Babybrutha reminds us of our often-selfish ways that need to be extinguished quickly before they ruin our lives on ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf‘ (The Style Council cover).

Babybrutha is a Chicago-based four-piece funk/rock/soul band founded by the lead vocalist and bassist Tim Lee. He makes that soulfully relevant type of music that strikes passionately into your heart, and has you thinking reflectively about your life.

”Paul Weller originally wrote this classic for The Style Council and it is the only cover on the album. Tim Lee has always been a fan of Weller’s and this is one of his favorite songs. The lyrics are the same but the arrangement is all Babybrutha.” ~ Babybrutha

This is the true story about wishing you could take back the moment you took that special soul for granted until they stopped answering your calls, as you think about your actions and vow to never let this happened again.

With a softly spoken vocal ability that shines through so peacefully, there is such a calming nature intertwined into this classic cover song which has you enjoying his terrific guitar-playing. This is a man who usually performs his own music and was so inspired by this true classic – that he felt was important to share this honest track – in this often-selfish world that needs to hear this message.

‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf‘ (The Style Council cover) from the Chicago-based multi-talented funk/rock/soul act Babybrutha, is a new release that sends a tribute to the incredibly skilled songwriter Paul Weller, while also showing his qualities with a peaceful display that will have your feet tapping along. This is a very introspective track which has you thinking so deeply, as you wish you could have some moments back to change what transpired before in your life.

See this new music video on YouTube and find out more on the the IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Techno Victim’s techno-funk hybrid, ‘Funk It’, is the ultimate EDM playlist staple.

Posted on 15 June 2021

If you like your techno on the darker side of the tonal palette, you’ll want to immerse yourselves in Techno Victim’s (AKA Christopher Rapkin) latest single Funk It. The international EDM artist and producer weaved organic funk grooves amongst the chilling bass-driven tones; despite the experimentalism, Funk It is as easy to slip into as any of Daft Punk’s iconic hits.

The textural contrast that the elements of funk bring through the choppy staccato guitar rhythms are nothing short of ingenious. They allow Funk It to unravel as an all-consuming feat of EDM in a way that is quickly becoming with synonymous with the enigmatic producer’s sound.

You can check out Funk It for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Don’t Freak Out have released their endearingly explicit jazz neo-soul pop single, ‘Shit Cars’

Posted on 15 June 2021

‘Shit Cars’ is the latest endearingly explicit neo-soul jazz-funk track by the off the cuff artist, Don’t Freak Out, who play with elements of RnB and hip hop to bring a sense of easy accessibility to their endlessly eccentric releases.

The extended-release keeps your synapses on full alert right up until the outro as it grooves its way through jazzy interludes, rap verses and choruses that make an obscure earworm out of Shit Cars.

With each member of Don’t Freak Out being a seasoned professional, they set themselves apart with the nuance of their sound just as much as they do through the uniqueness of it. Given that they quite literally paid ode to shit cars with their latest release, that says something.

Shit Cars is due for release on June 11th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get your nostalgia hit with Smooth Retsina Glow’s funk-pop jazz-fusion single, Memories Made

Posted on 4 June 2021

‘Memories Made’ is just one of the singles that alt-rock outfit, Smooth Retsina Glow, has toured the US with since making their debut in 2020; with international airplay and 60 shows under their belt, they’re well on their way to shedding their ‘up and coming’ status.

With enough funk to give Nile Rogers a run for his money and sticky-sweet pop sensibilities to the female vocals, Memories Made is a tranquil yet equally enlivening track. There are serious melodic grooves in the rhythm section but with the choppy staccato guitar chords, there’s plenty of upbeat energy pouring from the heart and soul of this nostalgia-inducing track.

You can check out the official video to Memories Made by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

A Little Crazy: The Fiddle Revolt impress again with the reflective ‘Garden of Eden’

Posted on 1 June 2021

As they dodge the sneaky snakes that threaten to bite them on the foot as they walk innocently around to forget this challenging time, The Fiddle Revolt keep their energies constant to remind calm despite the possible venom awaiting on ‘Garden of Eden‘.

The Fiddle Revolt is an experienced Akron, Ohio-based multi-dimensional rock, funk, soul, blues, RnB, pop and reggae band. They make that deeply created vibe that is a throwback to the good days, when the vibe was uplifting and full of only positive music with meaning.

”This song was written as a response to the current state of the world. Through the global pandemic, one very important fact was realized: you don’t get lost time back.” – The Fiddle Revolt

”The members first started playing together as the backing band for a country artist. The band grew tired of being stuck in one genre with one front man. Unable to convince the lead man to allow for more experimental use of their talents, and with their creativity being stifled, the five members decided to leave and form their own band.” – The Fiddle Revolt

‘Garden of Eden‘ from a band that certainly keep it real always and are called The Fiddle Revolt, is a terrific single that is full of catchy solos. strong vocals and raspy riffs, that makes you smile deep inside your tired soul. This is a single to throw on and enjoy –  despite the sad tone of losing time due to this disastrous and pesky pandemic – as its unpretentious is a welcome eye-warmer to filter good vibrations into your soul again.

Stream this groovy track on Spotify and see more via their IG adventures.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Falling For You: Peter J. Adamson watches the stars with a sparkle in his eyes on ‘Lady In My Mind’

Posted on 28 May 2021

As he calmly asks her to stay the night so they can listen to each others beating hearts whilst holding hands tightly, Peter J. Adamson is quite flawless on a slow-dance classic new single that will have you smiling cheekily on ‘Lady In My Mind‘.

Peter J. Adamson is a supremely confident and well-dressed RnB/funk/pop singer-songwriter and music producer from the UK. He has that inner swagger that you can’t teach and makes such body-sliding groovy music that everyone can relate to.

This is the romantic story about meeting someone that you feel so happy with — as you have just met but feel like there is an instant connection — which is so rare in this rather strange charger-locked world. You feel the fire burning through your warm vein-awakened body and your excited souls warm up real good. The lighter isn’t needed this time to heat things up, as you both fully get each others vibe.

Featuring top class vocals that are so smoothly shaved and crisply textured like a taste of your favorite beverage after a long day, this is a singer with real lungs on him. The lyrics are simple yet effective, this is a song that you embrace willingly and never feel the urge to skip, even for a second.

‘Lady In My Mind‘ from the UK-based RnB/funk/pop artist Peter J. Adamson, has your attention locked into their clear chemistry, as the shots flow and the happy hearts thirstily link together so sweetly. Sometimes life can really be so simple, if you go with the flow and let things happen naturally.

Listen to this new single on Spotify and see more news on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen