Deep Funk — All Formats  

Far reaching modern salsa and Latin grooves from Bio Ritmo – perhaps their best stuff yet! The group has been impressive all along, but they've progressively gotten better and better, really developing into one of the most exciting and least pigeonhole-able modern groups out there. The diverse elements flow naturally, which is really not an easy thing to pull off for a group that clearly cherishes Latin and Latin-American musical forbears very deeply. They brilliantly blend 70s salsa and Latin funk with a heavy, raw rhythmic and percussive underbelly, impassioned lead and group vocals, terse brass blasts, weird bits of keyboards and other unpredictable touches that firmly root them in the here and now. Titles include "La Verdad", "Dina's Mambo", "La Muralla", "Carnaval", "Majadero", "Verguenza", "Caravana Del Vejigante" and "Lola's Dilemma".

Brooklyn's CSC Funk Band delivers a solid little tribute to Gang Starr – contemporary funk instros inspired by DJ Premier's benchmark productions for that most legendary of duos! "A Little Weight" is inspired by "Who's Gonna Take The Weight", and it's a creative interpretation that's faithful to Premier's tightly-punctuation beatcraft, though the CSC brings plenty of their own adventurous style to the table. "A Little Planet" has a lot of psych funk elements – some rubbery guitars, oboe and synth grooves – though it still keeping a tight, drum-heavy backdrop.

A plenty cool split single – with great work on both sides! CSC Funk Band sound better than ever on "Catcher's Mitt" – a tune that has a nice sense of color in its main funky riff – almost a soundtracky level of funky expression! "Ogun" is on the flipside – a mighty nice number from the Grant Phabao Afrofunk Arkestra – rompingly tight, and with some great percussion and organ!

Fantastic sounds from one of our city's greatest groups of the past decade – the mighty Mucca Pazza, a darn funky band who are heavy on horns, but move with an incredibly lean groove! The label describes the group as "the marching band that thinks it's a rock band" – but we've always found these guys to be even more playful than that – not rock, but kind of a multi-instrumental "happening" – especially when they crop up at street performances – which are always as visually stimulating as they are musically groovy! This full album represents the group even better than we might have imagined – with a great focus on the harder-romping sound of their music. Titles include "Sexy Bull", "Marcia Anormale", "Boss Taurus", "Monster Tango", "Rabbits & Trees", "Last Days", "Sunday Showing (part 1)", and "Coolashell".

Modern funky Latin Soul from Spanglish Fly! "Think" is a cover of the old school R&B staple best remembered for the killer James Brown version from the early 60s – masterfully remodeled here as a fresh live Latin Soul with vocals by Erica Ramos and a great mix of Latin percussion and horns. "Let My People Bugalu" on the flip is just as great, a lively boogaloo from the NYC combo.

Heady sounds from Karthala 72 – a group with a very vintage sound – one that rings out with plenty of offbeat funky elements, African percussion, and maybe even a sense of bassline borrowed from Colombian music! The group have a wonderful criss-crossing of styles – and this full length set mixes electric and acoustic elements brilliantly – almost with a Konono approach at times, but with a groove that's much more expansive overall! The liner notes try to bill the record as an obscurity from the past, but it's our guess that these guys are contemporary – which is even more reason to love them. Titles include "Delores", "Diable Du Feu", "Marche De La Mort", "Bahari Farasi", "Armour Sombre", "Trop Fort", and "Le Vieux Chien Marcel".

The title's quite right on this one – because the group's heavy on dub, but also uses trombones as well – all in a mode that sometimes recalls the classic sound of Kingston, yet which also has some deep funk elements as well! Twin trombones stretch out beautifully – often quite rhythmic in their approach, and intertwined with tight basslines, echoey drums, and sweet guitar riffs too – and titles include "Trio Tro Tro", "Public Option (Prince Polo dub)", "Q Street (Subatomic Sound System rmx)", "Washingtonian", "Neolithic", and "We Will Begin Again (DJ Trainwreck rmx)".

Brooklyn boogaloo from Spanglish Fly – a joyous couple of numbers for their second funky 45 for Electric Cowbell – recorded at Truth & Soul! "Me Gusta Mi Bicicleta" – kind of a Latin party soul love letter to urban cyclists! Female lead vocals and chorus backup with killer percussion and cool horn arrangements. The groove changes halfway through, too – it's almost modern boogaloo suite unto itself. "The Po-Po" is another winner – sirens sound out of horns and percussion and some playful back & forth vox. We sure love what we've heard from this combo thus far!

Modern funky Latin Soul from Spanglish Fly! "Think" is a cover of the old school R&B staple best remembered for the killer James Brown version from the early 60s – masterfully remodeled here as a fresh live Latin Soul with vocals by Erica Ramos and a great mix of Latin percussion and horns. "Let My People Bugalu" on the flip is just as great, a lively boogaloo from the NYC combo.

A great third album from Staten Island instrumental funk titans The Budos Band – who've brought eclectic inspiration all along and have always colored from a much broader palette of styles than most of their peers – going even further this time out and delivering their best yet! The Daptone House Of Soul blueprint is a big part of the recipe, as it should be. Classic funky soul grit holds it all together and each cut has an unshakable groove, but with that in full effect, the group is free to explore. The Budos horns are as impeccable and communicative as ever, with brass that ranges from classic stateside funk and Afro influences. The percussion (bongos, clave, cowbell and more) is just as broadly thought out and tightly delivered, snakey bass lines, flute and the sometimes secret weapon on Budos Band III, the electric organ – which brings a bit of a garage psych/funk rock vibe. Truly exceptional work from the one of the best bands of their generation! Includes "Rite Of The Ancients", "Black Venom", "River Serpentine", "Unbroken, Unshaven", "Nature's Wrath", "Golden Dune's", "Budo's Dirge", "Raja Haje", "Crimson Skies", "Mark Of The Unnamed" and "Reppirt Yad" (a funked up Lennon/McCartney cover...read it backwards, kids).

A great third album from Staten Island instrumental funk titans The Budos Band – who've brought eclectic inspiration all along and have always colored from a much broader palette of styles than most of their peers – going even further this time out and delivering their best yet! The Daptone House Of Soul blueprint is a big part of the recipe, as it should be. Classic funky soul grit holds it all together and each cut has an unshakable groove, but with that in full effect, the group is free to explore. The Budos horns are as impeccable and communicative as ever, with brass that ranges from classic stateside funk and Afro influences. The percussion (bongos, clave, cowbell and more) is just as broadly thought out and tightly delivered, snakey bass lines, flute and the sometimes secret weapon on Budos Band III, the electric organ – which brings a bit of a garage psych/funk rock vibe. Truly exceptional work from the one of the best bands of their generation! Includes "Rite Of The Ancients", "Black Venom", "River Serpentine", "Unbroken, Unshaven", "Nature's Wrath", "Golden Dune's", "Budo's Dirge", "Raja Haje", "Crimson Skies", "Mark Of The Unnamed" and "Reppirt Yad" (a funked up Lennon/McCartney cover...read it backwards, kids).