Browsing Tag

funk

Hatty Keane – Big soul groove at ‘Club 69’

Posted on 17 May 2021

‘This one goes out to the Fashionistas’….and oh, yes. It most certainly does. With a gloriously old-school drum machine pattern and the most sublime disco-soul groove, ‘Club 69’ instantly transports you back to the height of the 1970’s dance era. Think big hairstyles, big beats, and a big, mirror-ball lit dancefloor; Donna Summer, Anita Ward, Thelma Houston, and Gloria Gaynor are all here in spades. Funky wah-wah guitar, retro-as-anything synth strings, and a bass that literally forces you to dance, Keane really has hit every note – both vocally and metaphorically – absolutely perfectly. There is some serious soul power in her voice, and for sure the track is artfully arranged and put together, but overall – and most importantly – this is one seriously fun record. Get up, get down, and get to ‘Club 69’.

Check out ‘Club 69’ on Spotify; follow Hatty Keane on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Perry Michael Allen brings us jazzy old-school groove with ‘Just Like That’

Posted on 2 May 2021

If a career working as a producer, song-writer, arranger, and session man for the likes of Albert King, the Memphis Horns, Wilson Pickett, Boz Skaggs, and Al Green (yep. Read that list again) amongst others isn’t enough for you, let’s add in works on multiple RIAA Certified Gold and Platinum albums, a highly coveted Memphis Blues Foundation ‘Blue Note’ Award, and music licensing to multiple films and TV shows (including ‘House’, ‘C.S.I.’, ‘JAG’, Ally McBeal’, ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Munich’, and ‘Mickey Blue Eyes’), and tutoring at the prestigious Berklee College Of Music. That’s one heck of a resume all in itself, except that now, as if by magic, Allen brings us ‘Just Like That’. A mix of Jazz-inspired motifs set over Hip Hop beats and breaks, with – of course – a huge Memphis-inspired feel.

We’ve got old-school TR-808 style electro beats and punching, hard-driven bass, sitting behind some chilled, grooving hip hop-styled vocals, a little funky syncopated guitar fill here and there, and a beautiful piano riff that reprises the Mission Impossible ‘tension’ music, hinting but never quite being a straight lift. The drums and guitar build through the track, until we get proper Stax-style horn fills, a little sax riff here, a clarinet there, building up the track until…too soon…and it’s over. It’s a killer track, all smooth-groove, funky without being over-the-top in that laid-back Al Green/Marvin Gaye kind of way, with a definite jazzy feel but a hugely modern vibe from the beautifully sung, soulful vocal and those Hip-Hop beats. It’s quite simply excellent.

Check out the video for ‘Just Like That’ on YouTube; follow Perry Michael Allen at the Clubhouse on Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Harry And The Hootenannies and ‘The Scam That Never Ends (Part 1)’

Posted on 26 April 2021
https://soundcloud.com/harry-and-the-hootenannies/the-scam-that-never-ends-part-1

Harry Braswell, Ben Wescott, and Nick Woehrle – aka Harry and the Hootenannies – are all University of South Carolina graduates who met in a bagel shop and – long story short – put together a trio that’s been variously likened to Primus, the Grateful Dead, Rush, and Led Zeppelin. There’s certainly a proggy, psychie, rocky sort of feel to ‘The Scam That Never Ends’, but there’s some serious funk groove too, courtesy of some proper five-string bass grind and jazzy, folk-inspired drums.

‘The Scam That Never Ends’ is upbeat, bouncy, wacky, zany, and disjointed in a totally good way; there’s elements of Fantomas, early Faith No More, and Mr. Bungle in there too, with elements of ska and psychedelia amidst the funk-rock chaos. It’s all damn good fun, with an impressive amount of musical virtuosity and time-signature-changing noise-making (especially for a three piece) on offer here.

You can hear ‘The Scam That Never Ends (Part 1) on SoundCloud. Follow Harry and the Hootenannies on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Pat Girondi & The Orphan’s Dream – soul-funk-pop with new single ‘I Did My Best’

Posted on 21 April 2021

70’s Motown, funk, soul, and tinges of early 80’s pop-rock combine on ‘I Did My Best’, the second single from Pat Girondi & The Orphan’s Dream’s fifth album ‘Orphan’s Return’. There’s obvious links to Chic, The Temptations, KC and the Sunshine Band, or the Gap Band, but there’s also that oh-so-cool-again 80’s groove – Scritti Politti, Blow Monkeys, or Curiosity Killed The Cat – that makes it sound totally on point and up-to-date.

Pat Girondi is originally from the South Side of Chicago, and – aside from being an Italian-American singer-songwriter – is also the founder of a Gene Therapy company; the five albums recorded so far by the Orphan’s Dream focus around – as the name suggests – orphan diseases, and around Pat’s fight to cure Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease. In ‘I Did My Best’, Girondi tells the story of injustice within the healthcare system, and of over-prescribing and mis-representing patient’s best interests. It’s also a killer little soul/funk/pop tune in its own right, and while the subject matter is serious that doesn’t stop ‘I Did My Best’ being utter fun.

You can hear ‘I Did My Best’, and the rest of the ‘Orphan’s Return’ album, on Spotify. Check out Pat Girondi & The Orphan’s Dream here.

Review by Alex Holmes

Biz-ARD invites you to get into ‘The Vibe’ with his dopamine-boosting alt-pop playlist staple.

Posted on 19 April 2021

If there is an up and coming pop artist worth paying attention to in 2021, it’s Liverpool-born high-vibe alchemist Biz-ARD. His latest single is a stylish funk-filled invitation to shake off the apathy and to ‘step in the vibe’. You’ll be putty in his hands before the first verse runs through.

With choppy guitars akin to the ones in Bowie’s Let’s Dance paired with Biz-ARD’s indie and post-punk tendencies, The Vibe is accessible from the first hit while still unravelling as a brand-new sonic experience. Mostly because you’ve never encountered an artist like Biz-ZARD before.

To truly appreciate The Vibe, you’ll need to check out the official video that documents Biz-ARD’s greenscreen-enabled globe-hopping and vibe sharing. It is available to view via YouTube.

The Vibe is also available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Award-winning composer Diesel Keys has released his latest single, ‘What I’m After’, featuring Josie Soden.

Posted on 16 April 2021
What I'm After by Diesel Keys

Award-winning Yorkshire-based songwriter and composer Diesel Keys is set to scoop up more accolades after releasing his latest jazzy piano pop single, ‘What I’m After’, featuring vocals from Josie Soden.

There’s a grandiose air to the ballad that unravels with intensity while avoiding falling into the realms of theatrical novelty. Josie Soden’s sensual and soulful vocals were the perfect choice to compliment the neo-classic keys that glide through crescendos and sparsely intimate progressions. With the infusion of the horn section, you’ll get to swim amongst the tonal warmth that only Jazz can offer.

It’s a stunning release that sets plenty of anticipation for Diesel Key’s future endeavours and releases.

What I’m After is available to stream and purchase via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bluebass brings the feel-good factor with their funk-riddled track, ‘Never Give Up on Your Dreams’

Posted on 13 April 2021

Blackpool-based singer-songwriter and producer Bluebass fed the influence of his hometown into his latest feel-good track, ‘Never Give Up on Your Dreams’. Blackpool isn’t all illuminations and rabid hen parties; it also has an ever-lasting tie to the Northern Soul and Jazz Funk scene which rose from the town’s working-class roots.

With their latest release, Bluebass embraced the old school before contorting familiar grooves into catchy contemporary rhythms that would go down a storm on a dancefloor. Their upraising mix of RnB, pop, funk and soul pulls together to offer all of the aural euphoria that you could ask for.

Never Give Up on Your Dreams is now available to stream via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

That Sweet Craving: LA’s PYXIE lights up the nights adventures with the catchy indie-pop/rap track ‘Flattery’

Posted on 11 April 2021

As she busts a cheeky move on the tempting dance floor after work, PYXIE tells us what she likes on the fresh new body-moving single called ‘Flattery‘.

PYXIE is an original puzzle-solving indie pop/hip-hop artist from sunny Los Angeles, who loves the creation of those magical words and its many forms that fascinates the hungry mind, as she enchantingly evolves into her own brand of unique music that is wonderfully ever-evolving.

With her lovable penchant for learning new things each day with such alluring innocence, she flow in between the rap, funk and RnB genres the most, morphing them together depending on where her imaginative juices take her to that particular day.

This is the story about loving it when you hear those smooth words from a former stranger, your mind suddenly races and you love the rush each time. You only want it honest though, as that is what you are truly after and nothing less.

‘Flattery‘ from LA wordsmith PYXIE is a fearless song from a criminally underrated indie singer/rapper, who puts in her best work yet with a display of pulsating lyrics combined with her confident vocals, that will make the shyest of us blush with excitement.

Hear this rising talent on Soundcloud and see more of her adventures on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

MDMelo keeps us euphoric with their latest single ‘DON’T STOP DANCING’ featuring Francis

Posted on 11 April 2021

MDMelo served up a solid slice of funk and disco with ‘DON’T STOP DANCING’, just one of the tracks to feature in their ‘In the Moment’ EP.

By bringing in the smooth vocal timbre of Francis, the single unfolded as a convincingly heartfelt mash of RnB, Soul and Funk. Grooves don’t come much more danceable than the ones that you’ll find in this glossy euphoria dripping sanity-saver.

MDMelo’s lyrical advice is worth heeding. Imagine how much dancefloor awkwardness it will save when clubs finally open. Until then, keep the artist and producer on your radar – you owe it to your serotonin levels.

You can check out the official video which premiered on March 6th via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Kama Tala has unleashed their Caribbean funk-soaked jangle-pop single, ‘Honore’

Posted on 6 April 2021

If you could imagine what it would sound like if the Smiths was a Caribbean pop outfit, you will be able to get an idea of the jangly magnetism contained in Kama Tala’s recently released single, ‘Honore’.

The Chicago-hailing artist crosses borders and merges everything from soul to rock to pop to jazz in their sun-soaked tracks, but that’s not the most notable facet of Kama Tala’s talent.

The ingenuity largely stems from the seamless melding of the genres while never detracting from the accessibility of his sound. But the true distinction comes through their heartfelt vocal delivery. In a time when physical communities are inaccessible and social media has become a minefield of toxicity, tracks such as Honore are utterly priceless for the way they reach out to you and offer freshly orchestrated positive connection.

Honore is available to stream via SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast