POSTS TAGGED : Funk

Introducing: JOAN

11330021_842747072468492_2575495276077717998_n

Fun filled, beautiful, bold and fetching – JOAN is a genre hopping pop ensemble from Brooklyn.

Formed in late 2014 by Nick Farago and Hank Mittnacht, the pair quickly added numbers to their “family”, even a cursory glance at the will tell you the adding to their numbers quicker than rabbits. Aside from multiplying at a ferocious pace, this troupe have a canny knack for a genre blending tune. To say that their self-titled debut is an eclectic affair, would be putting it mildly. It’s a genre hopping delight channelling parts pop, funk, Motown, post-punk, folk, psych and some rather French sounding electro-pop. It is seamlessly weaved together with an intoxicating blend of fun, fearlessness and boundless love of music. ‘Greenwich Dives’ is a smooth, slick, pop song that splashed subtle funk undertones with synths, while ‘Magic Bus’ sounds a lot like Ian Dury and the Blockheads meets The Velvet Underground and ‘Miami Night’ rolls the neon lit club and French electro vibes into a dreamy, summery and irresistible pop song. That’s all but a flavour of the tasty treats strewn throughout their debut, all in all, it’s a fine collection of jams.

There are some choice cuts from their self-titled debut to savour below, or you can stream/download it from here.

Fold – ‘Two Past Midnight’

Fold - Two Past Midnight - ARTWORK

Leeds based Trip Hop / Breakbeat / Hip-Hop outfit Fold have the propensity for the magnificent, producing incredible music blending their enviable creativity with a social consciousness.

Following on from last year’s sensationally good ‘Oil-Powered Machine / Detroit Red’, Fold have announced the release of a new single, ‘Two Past Midnight’, penned in for a May 4th release. Fold’s interest in social justice is no secret and we’ve become accustomed to the band using vocal samples from speeches to convey messages, and ‘Two Past Midnight’ is in keeping with this trend. The new single pays tribute to Fannie Lou Hamer, a civil rights activist who advocated for the right to vote for black Americans and was instrumental in passing the 1965 US Voting Rights Act.

‘Two Past Midnight’ is a powerful fusion of beats and politics, as they sample Fannie Lou Hamer’s famous 1969 speech in Berkeley California to deliver a funky, cool and groovy tune that feels mightily dangerous (it reminds me of how a younger me felt, hearing Public Enemy or Immortal Technique for the first time – that’s a good feeling). The single spreads the message, if we needed to be reminded, that the scourge of racism still exists and is still an issue throughout the world. This is the sound of a band with a message, one that needs to be spread and with the music to match, while providing a timely reminder of their musical prowess and the power of music. It also raises that question again; why have musicians and artists so little to say nowadays? ‘Two Past Midnight’ comes backed with B-side ‘Don’t Kid Yourself Baby’, which is pure, unadulterated funk and will be released on May 4th. You can pre-order it now from Bandcamp.

You can listen to both it, & the B-side below, along with Fold’s GruffWuff inclusion, ‘That’s It’ – of which you can download here for FREE.