POSTS TAGGED : Funk

Hot Mustard – ‘Window Seat’

Hot Mustard are instrumental funky psych soul loving duo composed of artist/producer and guitarist Jack Powell and bassist Nick Carusos, together with trumpeter Jordan Mclean (Antibalas) and Dave “Smoota” Smith (TV On The Radio) on trombone; theirs in an eclectic mash-up of smooth beats and full-bodied horn sounds.

Drawing influence from mid/late 1960’s and early 1970’s funk and soul, the building blocks of first generation boom bap hip-hop, Hot Mustard will bring their debut album, Mother Sauce, into the world next month -and ahead of which, they are sharing seductive single ‘Window Seat’. It is a super smooth jam that saunters through the sunburned haze with a groove-heavy bassline and languid drum beat. Plucky guitars twang and chime amid the sun-kissed shimmering which is all topped off triumphantly by brilliantly warm all-brass horns. An undeniably hypnotic groover, it’s chilled sun-kissed vibes and seductive swagger will leave an indelible mark on ones soul.

Fresh yet familiar, ‘Window Seat’ offers a perfect view of what to expect from their debut album, and plenty of reasons to get excited.

Listen to ‘Window Seat’ below and keep an eye out for the album coming on September 3.

123 Mixtape – ‘Cloud Into River’

123 Mixtape is both the pseudonym of Producer/Mixer/Engineer, Brett Shaw and conveniently, the name of the project.

Shaw is better known for his work with Foals and Florence and the Machine among others but being at a loose end with no one else to record during lockdown, Shaw set out on a simple mission; make some music he’d like to listen to and share with friends. The fruits of his labour is 123 Mixtape which is released on August 24 and preceded by sublime single ‘Cloud Into River’. All recorded on old funky tape machines at 123 studios, ‘Cloud Into River’ oozes with coolness as it swaggers along a super seductive and irresistible groove. The funky bassline plumbs the depths of soul as soft beats ripple beneath the rich swells of brass and grandiose strings sweep by with an orchestral air and touch of pure class.

Listen to ‘Cloud Into River’ below, it is quite simply stunning!

Khruangbin – ‘So We Won’t Forget’

Texan trio Khruangbin – Laura Lee Ochoa (bass), Mark Speer (guitar), and Donald “DJ” Johnson (drums) – are peerless sonic sorcerers who borrow from a world of influences.

There’s is a colourful coming together of different sound, genres, cultures and era; there is funk, soul and hip hop, some Latin, Middle Eastern and Asian influences and a whole lot of beautiful psychedelia.

Having only recently been converted to their neo-psychedelic ways – more specifically their stunning 2018 record Con Todo El Mundo – it is exciting to discover Khruangbin have a new album Mordechai, primed for June 26. Ahead of the new record, the trio have shared ‘So We Won’t Forget’.It is a super smooth jam that saunters through the sunburned haze as jangly guitar intertwines with a funky bass line and jazzy rhythms, while Ochoa’s breezy vocals elevate us to next level dreaminess. ‘So We Won’t Forget’ is an undeniably beautiful track filled with hazy psych vibes, seductive grooves and dreamy, escapist allure.

You can listen to ‘So We Won’t Forget’ below, and while you’re at it, check out Con Todo El Mundo – you won’t be disappointed.

The Urban Renewal Project – ‘Shake Those Hips’

The Urban Renewal Project is a sixteen-piece hip-hop collective (yes, sixteen!) based in Los Angeles.

Their sound can be loosely defined as hip-hop, but in reality their sound seamlessly blurs the boundaries between soul, funk, jazz, and hip-hop – utilising the old adage of power in numbers, they boast a big band horn section, singers and three MCs among their ranks. And like that, strutting its funky wares is new single ‘Shake Those Hips’, offering us an opportunity to fully realise the complete, irresistible power of the ensemble’s vibrant sound.

This is slick, grooving and funky slice of infectious hip hop; ‘Shake Those Hips’ is insanely catchy, extremely addictive and pretty brilliant. It is a syrupy brew; big, brassy and funk-fuelled hip-hop. Swaggering along with an irresistible groove, huge blasts of brass, infectious bars from three MCs and more horns than a randy goat – we’re treated to a fun-filled barrel-roll through positive vibes just begging to be danced to.

This is one of the most thrilling singes of 2019 thus far and one sure to leave an indelible mark on your soul.

‘Shake Those Hips’ is the lead single from their forthcoming EP titled Love Glory Duty Death, expected later in 2019. Listen to the single below:

Night Auditor – ‘No Vacancy’

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Night Auditor is the brainchild of Los Angeles native, Omar Jamal; a multi-instrumentalist and poet at the heart of this funky genre-hopping musical endeavour.

Now based in Brazil with the rest of the Night Auditor troupe, the collective is gearing up to release a new LP called Soul Junk. Ahead of its forthcoming arrival later this year, ‘No Vacancy’ is the first single lifted from the aforementioned album. It is an effortlessly cool and timeless funk/soul delight with all the hallmarks of a modern classic. Whisking together a deliciously seductive brew of strutting funky swagger, soulful vocals, stabs of bass/guitar and to-die-for organ work, with an underlying pop sensibility and a touch of the psychedelic, we’re left with a stunning masterclass in soulful funk. So, so good – which certainly bodes well for the forthcoming LP.

For now, check out the stunning ‘No Vacancy’ below:

The Floozies – ‘Cosmic Rays’ feat. Ryan Zoidis

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Comprised of brothers Matt Hill (producer/guitarst) and Mark Hill (drums), The Floozies are not short on ideas or self-confidence.

Self-described as the “undisputed kings of electro funk”, it is the duo’s luminescent new single ‘Cosmic Rays’ ads credence to this lofty claim. Lifted from their forthcoming album, Better 4 U, ‘Cosmic Rays’ features Lettuce saxophonist Ryan Zoidis and it is a bright, colourful explosion of fun and ideas. Perfect for summer with its ridiculously sunny disposition, it is bursting with vitality, big beats, samples and funky licks rendering it pretty damn irresistible. Oh, and the stunning sax is just the icing on the cake. Fun, funky and cheesy (in a good way) and you know what, sometimes that is just what’s needed.

Listen to ‘Cosmic Rays’ feat. Ryan Zoidis below.

Bad Sounds Share Bright & Brassy New Single ‘Wages’

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Despite their self-deprecating handle, Bad Sounds bring the party vibes with deliciously catchy and funky, kaleidoscopic pop.

Much like the Bath 5-piece’s previous single, ‘Avalanche’, ‘Wages’ is insanely catchy, extremely addictive and pretty brilliant. Occupying a similarly luminescent space on the landscape as The Go! Team at their best, ‘Wages’ is a syrupy brew of big, brassy disco-funk, hip-hop and fun fun fun. Fusing bright pop hooks, fuzzy guitars, high-pitched harmonies, with an irresistible groove, sing-a-long lyrics and more horns than a randy goat – we’re treated to a fun-filled barrel-roll through the genres and decades. Impressively, ‘Wages’ joins ‘Avalanche’ as two of the most thrilling, fun-filled and addictive singles of 2016, and sure to leave an indelible mark on your soul. Not bad for a band starting out, no?

You can listen to the bright and brassy ‘Wages’ below and it is out now. It does not disappoint!

2015 According to Seth Mowshowitz from Fold

One of my proudest achievements on the blog this year, or any year for that matter, is the release of GruffWuff; a 19 track compilation of new, previously unreleased and exclusive recordings from some of my very favourite acts over the past 5 years of blogging.

It was a truly fantastic way to mark 5 years of BarryGruff and I am incredibly grateful to everyone involved and the overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic response. As 2015 draws to a close, I have enlisted help from people who made the compilation what it was, to chat about their favourite moments and sounds from year, and up next is Seth Mowshowitz, from Fold.

Leeds based Trip Hop / Breakbeat / Hip-Hop outfit Fold have the propensity for producing the magnificent. The inventive and experimental quartet pride themselves on live production, ceating incredible music while blending their enviable creativity with a social consciousness. In a similar sort of vein to Public Service Broadcasting, spoken word samples are set to real drums, bass, guitar and a blend of triggered samples, together they combine for an utterly stunning sound of funk, groove, urgency and cool. Long-standing BarryGruff favourites, Fold are one of the most unique and exciting acts around.

Before we take a look at his 2015 sound selections, you should check out Fold’s superb self-titled debut album, and their GruffWuff inclusion, ‘That’s It’ – of which you can download here for FREE.

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2015 According to Disconcerting P

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One of my proudest achievements on the blog this year, or any year for that matter, is the release of GruffWuff; a 19 track compilation of new, previously unreleased and exclusive recordings from some of my very favourite acts over the past 5 years of blogging.

It was a truly fantastic way to mark 5 years of BarryGruff and I am incredibly grateful to everyone involved and the overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic response. As 2015 draws to a close, I have enlisted help from people who made the compilation what it was, to chat about their favourite moments and sounds from year, and up first is Padraig McCauley of Disconcerting P.

McCauley has impressed as much as any Irish artist over the past few years – prolific, passionate and prodigious – McCauley’s already amassed a pretty impressive back catalogue. As a songwriter, singer and performer, he entertains us through a vast range of extensive influences and genre splicing styles, carefully crafted into soothing, dreamy and jaunty americana/country tinged jams. It’s been said many times, but how someone with an abundance of talent and dearth of great tunes can remain in the shadows for so long, is a bloody mystery.

Before we take a look at his 2015 sound selections, you should check out his wonderful Shakin EP, and Disconcerting P’s GruffWuff inclusion, ‘Treated You Rough’ – of which you can download here for FREE.

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Cornershop – ‘Pinpoint (Feat. Accü)’

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There are many, many reasons to love Cornershop, aside from the endearing charm, one of the biggest has to be that you never really know what they will serve up next.

While the quality is never in question, the journey thus far has taken us to all sorts of musical destinations, everything from indie, punk, funk, electronica and disco and dub. Cornershop’s latest single ‘Pinpoint’ is no less of a musical globetrotter. “Think Chic meet St Etienne,” reads Cornershop’s description of ‘Pinpoint’, and it’s not far off. Featuring vocals from Cardiff-based Accü, aka Angharad from Trwbador, it’s a summery slice of warped funky disco. ‘Pinpoint’ is certainly a groover, driven by an effervescent ’70s funk bass and accompanied by parps of horns, an abundance of tambourine, some subtle tones and of course, Accü’s pristine vocals. Peculiar and surprising (in a good way obviously) as usual but most importantly, as delectable as ever.

You can listen to ‘Pinpoint’/‘The Titi Shaker’ below, and it’s out on July 17th, through Ample Play. Rumour has it, Cornershop are working on a new album too. Happy days indeed.