Deep Funk — All Formats  

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)".

A heavy record with a heavy pedigree – a smoking set of funky instrumentals, all recorded directly to tape! The trio has a hard-burning sound that takes us back to the Prestige records jazz funk sound of the early 70s – the sort of groove you might have heard from Leon Spencer or Melvin Sparks – with Mike Flanigin on sweet Hammond, Jake Langley on smoking guitar, and Kyle Thompson driving the whole thing with some mighty fierce drums! The CD version has a few great cover versions on top of the solid Dupree originals – and the titles include "The Turtle", "Malibu Classic", "KC", "Moto Guzzi", "Leon's Thing", a great take on the Bacharach/David classic "Close To You", Tina Brooks' "David The King", Horace Silver's "Cookin' At The Continental" and more, 10 tracks on the CD.

A heavy record with a heavy pedigree – a smoking set of funky instrumentals, all recorded directly to tape, then pressed directly on heavy colored wax! The trio has a hard-burning sound that takes us back to the Prestige records jazz funk sound of the early 70s – the sort of groove you might have heard from Leon Spencer or Melvin Sparks – with Mike Flanigin on sweet Hammond, Jake Langley on smoking guitar, and Kyle Thompson driving the whole thing with some mighty fierce drums! Titles are mostly originals – and include "The Turtle", "Malibu Classic", "KC", "Moto Guzzi", and "Leon's Thing". 6 killer tracks on the vinyl version.

Massive music from the Record Kicks label – 21 tracks that have never been issued on CD before, including some rare singles, b-sides, and even a few cuts exclusive to the collection! If you know the Record Kicks name, you know that the label's a key outlet for contemporary deep funk and mod soul grooves – sounds that are steeped in the best influences of the 60s and 70s, but played by the cream of the crop of the global underground – including great funky groups on both sides of the Atlantic! With all the cuts on the collection, the set's one hell of a bargain – especially when you figure that it's got these cuts you won't find anywhere else: "Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover" by The Hawk, "Waiting For Reforms" by Gizelle Smith, "Zebra 3" by The Link Quartet, "Scaramunga (Lack of Afro 7" edit)" by Ray Harris & The Fusion Experience, "With Time" by Katzuma, "Changes (funk edit)" by Milano Jazz Dance Combo, and "Irrompibles Hi Fi" by Crabs Corporation. Other cuts include "Get On Up" by Ray Lugo Les Express, "Soul Train" by Soul Fanatics, "Italian Spiderman Theme" by Enzo Bontempi, "Battle Of Yoker" by Privates Hammond Orchestra, "Nervous (Kenny Dope bonus beat rmx)" by New Mastersounds, "See & Don't See" by Dojo Cuts, "Red Flames" by The Underbelly, and "Air I Breathe" by Floyd Lawson & The Hearts Of Stone.

Do you need a dollar? You just might get one with this stellar and soulful single by Aloe Blacc – rawly produced, memorably composed, and one of the finer underground soul singles of 2010! "I Need A Dollar" may sound familiar – it's the theme song to How To Make It In America on HBO – but that aside, it's a winning single and a sign of the great things to come on Aloe's Good Things LP. He takes a socially conscious tack on the A-side that serves the sound wonderfully. Co-produced and by Jeff Dynamite and Truth & Soul player Leon Michels – the latter providing tight horn arrangements. The flip "Take Me Back" is a more measured funky soul number that's just as excellent.

Amazing sounds from one of the best funky combos anywhere – ever! Antibalas have certainly risen to fame in the years since we first heard their Afro-styled grooves – working famously in the Fela musical, and reaching generations of ears with their own brilliant records. Yet throughout it all, they've always stayed true to their sound – and, if anything, are even sharper, tighter, and funkier than before – all extremely adept not only at playing their instruments, but at hitting the right sort of sound to cut through all the BS that was holding back funky Afro grooves for years! Part of that sound comes from superb Daptone production by Gabriel Roth – who really knows how to keep things lean and mean and full of energy. But the core credit really goes to the group – who never cease to amaze us here – and continually come up with fresh sounds on their keyboards and horns – and inventive rhythms to match! Titles include "Dirty Money", "The Rat Catcher", "Ari Degbe", "Ibeji", "Sare Kon Kon", and "Him Belly No Go Sweet".

The most outwardly political album to date from Antibalas – and quite possibly the funkiest one too! The set's got the group really grooving hard in their 70s Afro Funk-inspired vein – jamming at a level that would make Fela Kuti blush – working together with a fierce array of percussion, horns, keyboards, and guitars to jam up a groove that stretches back to the best days of the African-styled funk of the classic years. The whole thing's wonderful – every bit as essential for any fan of 70s Fela as it is for the current deep funk underground of which Antibalas are a part – and if you had any fear that their move to a semi-major label would hurt them, rest assured that they sound better than ever! Titles include "Big Man", "Obanla'e", "Elephant", "Sister", "Pay Back Africa", and "Who Is This America Dem Speak Of Today?"

Not Afrobeat, but Astrobeat – a unique hybrid of older funk modes and contemporary cosmic touches – all served up beautifully by Ariya! The album definitely echoes older modes from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – particularly the chugging rhythms and tightly vamping instrumentation that you might know from the work of Fela or Tony Allen – but there's also some more 21st Century elements on the keyboards, which have a crackling bit of electricity that goes beyond the usual electric piano used back in the day – and which really helps give the record a different feel. Don't get us wrong – because nothing here is too slick, overproduced, or remix-heavy – the music is definitely Afro Funk at the core, just inflected in some really sweet ways – and served up mostly instrumental, on cuts that include "Blood In The Water", "Turncoat", "Future Ancestors", "New Frontiers", "Towards Other Worlds", and "Old Ground".

The seventh album from prolific modern funky soul gurus The Baker Brothers – a tight, thunderous mix of vocals and instrumentals that range from rawly raucous numbers to sly little groovers! The group really is a well oiled engine at this point – after a good decade or so of activity. Time To Testify is up there with their best material – a record with a nice, live feel and excellent instrumentation for the group! Chris Pedley on bass and piano, Paul Young on sax and flute, Geoff Lai on guitar and lead vox, Rich Baker on drums & percussion, Ted Carrasco on drums and percussion, and Sott Baylis on trumpet, Rhodes, Hammond, clavinet and Moog. Includes "Make Your Move", "Painting Pictures", "Once I Had A Friend", "Patience", "Feeding Freddie", "Pieces Of The Puzzle", "Hang Loose", "The Bottom Rung", "The Young Patter", "Snap Back", "Head South", "Genki Strut" and more. 16 tracks on the CD version.

A great step forward for The Bamboos – still as funky as ever, but in a much greater range of styles than before! The core deep funk sound we've always loved is still burning away at the bottom – thanks to the ever-trusty grooves of Lance Ferguson and crew – but this time around, there's also a host of guests who really seem to shape the overall feel of the record – Aloe Blacc, Megan Washington, Klye Auldist, Daniel Merriweather, Bobby Flynn, and Ella Thompson – each bringing in their own great flavors, and creating a depth of sound that's mighty nice! Most of these guests are vocalists, but their shifting styles seems to spur the instrumentation onto new heights too – adapting to suit the mood, yet never in a way that's too frenetic to keep the album from being unified overall. Titles include "Where Does The Time Go", "What I Know", "I Got Burned", "Cut Me Down", "Midnight", "Medicine Man", "Window", and "Hello Stranger".

A surprisingly great little set – one that definitely lives up to the retro feel of the cover, and which has a soulful sound we really didn't expect! The trio are more of a soul act than a girl group pop outfit – and they get some sharp backing here by a quartet of funk-steeped players who really help keep just the right sound for the record – a mode that has plenty of 60s soul touches in the instrumentation, which definitely seems to inspire the vocal performance as well! And even though the singers may look a bit stodgy on the front, they really know how to wail together – and really have a way of stretching out and soaring whenever one of them takes the lead. Titles include "Not Your Fool", "Another Notch On His Belt", "No Mater What You Do", "Make It For The Door", "Let Me Down Easy", "Hold On", and "Needle In A Haystack".

A surprisingly great little set – one that definitely lives up to the retro feel of the cover, and which has a soulful sound we really didn't expect! The trio are more of a soul act than a girl group pop outfit – and they get some sharp backing here by a quartet of funk-steeped players who really help keep just the right sound for the record – a mode that has plenty of 60s soul touches in the instrumentation, which definitely seems to inspire the vocal performance as well! And even though the singers may look a bit stodgy on the front, they really know how to wail together – and really have a way of stretching out and soaring whenever one of them takes the lead. Titles include "Not Your Fool", "Another Notch On His Belt", "No Mater What You Do", "Make It For The Door", "Let Me Down Easy", "Hold On", and "Needle In A Haystack".

The long awaited sides C & D in Madlib's incredible blend of Bombay soundtrack-styled funk, blunted Eastern beats, and all round stunning Middle Eastern accented hip hop instros! This time out Madlib, er, Beat Konducta is conducting beats, strings & things from India and/or otherwise East – but the way in which the beats bluntly thump is quintessential Madlib – you know it and love it from the first beat! 'Lib really breathes fresh life into this approach – going miles deeper than anyone out there doing the Bollywood-hip hop hybrid – coming up with a sound all his own. Amazing! "Get It Right", "More Rice", "Indian Bells", "Club Scene", "Duel", "Organ Stroll", "In The Cave", "Malfunction", "Victory", "Smoke Circle", "Raw Ground Wire", "New Bombay", "Shah Sound", "Another Getaway", and more.

A brilliant mix of live funk and lead MC work from Bnegao – and just the sort of unique criss-crossing of styles we'd never see up here in the US! The album's not really a hip hop record – despite the lead raps of Bnegao – and instead, it's kind of a funk record with spoken lyrics over the top – loads of tight drums, heavy horns, and riffing guitar – all topped with lyrics that are almost called/shouted over the top – a bit like Soil & Pimp Sessions from Japan, but with a distinctly Brazilian vibe overall. There's a great sort of warmth to the record, and the production really does a lot with the live instrumentation – giving it even more spark than you might expect. Titles include "Recao", "Vamoi", "Essa E Pra Tocar No Baile", "Subconsciente", "Bass Do Tambo", "Sintoniza La", "O Mundo", and "Proceder/Caminhar".

A solid duo instrumentals project from Georgia Anne Muldow and DJ Romes – working together as Blackhouse – and delivering one of the best records yet on the prolific Mello Music Group label! Georgia's a restless creative spirit, and true to form, the beats and production she delivers for Blackhouse are quite inspired. In some ways, it's a bit of a departure from her unique twist on dusty funk and soul beats that we've come to expect – and the crisp cuts of Lootpack DJ/producer Romes have a lot to do with that! Overall, the record is a trippy mix of leftfield hip hop and fonkie/spacey soul beatcraft – and a largely instrumental one – albeit with some hypnotically looped bits of vocals from Georgia and others. Titles include "Fonkie Journey", "Blackhouse", "Soundoff", "Somali", "Rap Hit", "G.R.O.O.V.E. Me", "Lectrivunkin", "Shana's Beat" and more.

A solid duo instrumentals project from Georgia Anne Muldow and DJ Romes – working together as Blackhouse – and delivering one of the best records yet on the prolific Mello Music Group label! Georgia's a restless creative spirit, and true to form, the beats and production she delivers for Blackhouse are quite inspired. In some ways, it's a bit of a departure from her unique twist on dusty funk and soul beats that we've come to expect – and the crisp cuts of Lootpack DJ/producer Romes have a lot to do with that! Overall, the record is a trippy mix of leftfield hip hop and fonkie/spacey soul beatcraft – and a largely instrumental one – albeit with some hypnotically looped bits of vocals from Georgia and others. Titles include "Fonkie Journey", "Blackhouse", "Soundoff", "Somali", "Rap Hit", "G.R.O.O.V.E. Me", "Lectrivunkin", "Shana's Beat" and more.

Damn amazing work from Charles Bradley – an instant soul classic for all generations, as you'll hear from the very first note! Not only are Bradley's vocals incredible – the kind of once-in-a-long-time approach he brought to his debut – but the backings and production are completely sublime too – magical music from the Menahan Street Band, who sound here like some lost combo from 60s Memphis, but without any of the hoke that reference might imply – instead that really unique approach that you'd only find on one of your few favorite vintage soul albums – maybe Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, or Jesse James on his 60s album for 20th Century! Yet the sound here isn't just vintage for vintage sake, either – as there's an intensity that's very present, contemporary, and urgent – a sound that doesn't die – and which just gets better and better with each new listen. Tremendous stuff – even from the Daptone universe we've been loving for years and years – with titles that include "Strictly Reserved For You", "You Put The Flame On It", "Dusty Blue", "Love Bug Blues", "Hurricane", "Through The Storm", "Confusion", and "Where Do We Go From Here".

Damn amazing work from Charles Bradley – an instant soul classic for all generations, as you'll hear from the very first note! Not only are Bradley's vocals incredible – the kind of once-in-a-long-time approach he brought to his debut – but the backings and production are completely sublime too – magical music from the Menahan Street Band, who sound here like some lost combo from 60s Memphis, but without any of the hoke that reference might imply – instead that really unique approach that you'd only find on one of your few favorite vintage soul albums – maybe Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, or Jesse James on his 60s album for 20th Century! Yet the sound here isn't just vintage for vintage sake, either – as there's an intensity that's very present, contemporary, and urgent – a sound that doesn't die – and which just gets better and better with each new listen. Tremendous stuff – even from the Daptone universe we've been loving for years and years – with titles that include "Strictly Reserved For You", "You Put The Flame On It", "Dusty Blue", "Love Bug Blues", "Hurricane", "Through The Storm", "Confusion", and "Where Do We Go From Here".

A great remake of "I'll Slip Away" – done by Charles Bradley in a style that's even more soulful than the Rodriguez original! The Menahan Street Band provide backings – and are funky, but laidback too – with this nice echoey guitar underneath Bradley's vocals, and a snapping rhythm part that grooves along, yet lets Charles firmly take the lead! The flipside features the original by Rodriguez – a bit moodier, and with a really dark and echoey quality!

Bang! This one starts like a mofo – hard drums rattling in a monster break, and really setting the scene for Charles stark and soulful lyrics. The tune rattles along with some super-tight guitar – riffing away next to the bass in a double-time groove that's immediately gripping – and recorded with a superb sound that really takes us back! "Twilight Eyes" is a weirder number – very bassy, and done in a scaling style that has a few nice jazzy inflections as well – almost a post-punk take on deep funk at times – but still hard to the core nonetheless!

Classic style funky soul from Daptone supergroup the Menahan Street Band – featuring members of the Dap-Kings, El Michels Affair, and Budos Band – and a killer guest vocal by Charles Bradley! "The Telephone Song" sounds like a lost soul nugget, from the gritty 70 style instrumentation to the old school telephone sound effect that kicks it off – with Charles's achingly soul vocals in full control. The flip side is essentially the instrumental version, titled as "Tired Of Fighting" as it appears on the Menahan Street Band's Make The Road By Walking. The very embodiment of the neo classic funky soul sound!

The first-ever full length set from Bronx River Parkway – a wonderful blend of Latin and funk styles that follows beautifully from their strong run of funky 45s! The groove here is sort of a deeper, dirtier take on the Fania sound of the 70s – almost a re-imagining of the late 60s Latin Soul vibe, pretending that it still held on strongly through the following decade – and picked up all sort of weird little twists, turns, and unusual instrumental elements! The group's ties to the El Michels Affair show strongly at points – no surprise, as Leon Michels is in both groups, and produced this set – but the sound is nicely different too, with a bit more of an east coast Latin vibe. Wonderful stuff overall – and proof that the right corners of the deep funk underground still know how to keep things fresh! Titles include "Song For Ray", "Agua Con Sal", "La Valla", "El Resbalon", "San Sebastian 152", "Me Toca", "Mi Corazon", "Para Los Rumberos", "Donde", and "Nora Se Ve".