Aurgasm

French soul // German funk

Sensual but tough, French chanteuse Caroline Lacaze’s sings from the heart on her debut ‘En Route’. After moving to Hamburg to write and sing her own music, she hooked up with Germany’s finest in Funk; The Mighty Mocambo’s aka The Mocambo Electric Sound Orchestra. She unifies a French style with mod revival; singing from the coeur about love, passion, anger and sadness. A full pocket of stories with lo-fi production that comes off as an honest homage to the seventies. Brash and bright, play this out loud to boost your day.

Gritty romance in Nouvelle Chanson
Caroline Lacaze – L’Etrange
Caroline Lacaze – Toujours Lui
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Bollywood // Funk

Everything about Melbourne outfit The Bombay Royale screams over the top, too much guilty pleasure. A crazy mash-up of genres you would find in a Tarantino soundtrack propells the Hindi and Bengali vocals. Synth sounds on the border of hypnotism and cheese, mexican trumpets battling tabla rhythms, surf guitars flowing into cinematic string arrangements, all completed with a dash of hammond soul. This genre-defying joyride should never work but is evidently forged with such a love of music that it sounds awesome.

Hitting you in the guts like a vindaloo of funk.
The Bombay Royale – Monkey Fight Snake
The Bombay Royale – Sote Sote Adhi Raat
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raw funk // soul

Some people say funk is all about the drum breaks. Mike Bandoni IS drum breaks. Funkshone is built up from behind the drum kit with heavy hitting snares, a whirlwind of hi-hats and a kick drum so fat it shakes your booty for you. On their second album 2, Bandoni and partner in crime Nino Auricchio go from cinematic funk to full on screaming soul no holds barred. Funkshone dishes it all out with raw energy and endless attitude.

Banging grooves, exploding soul.
Funkshone – It Ain’t Never Gonna Work
Funkshone – Soul Survivor, Pt. 1
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Retro // Soul // Funk

The Soul Snatchers are a retro funk/soul band from the Netherlands, who are built around rhythm section and producers Ton v/d Kolk (Bass) and Phil Martin (Drums). The two are also responsible for other funky outfits like AIFF (Afro Influenced Funk Federation) and Laura Vane and the Vipertones. Ton and Phil are dedicated to bringing back the vintage soul sound known from the sixties and seventies. The Soul Snatchers have an emphasis on the funkier side, lush with syncopated drums and punchy horns and mostly vocalised by Jimi Bell Martin and Curtis T. The contemplative slow groover ‘Who I Am’ is included above from their second LP Scratch My Itch. ‘Good Foot Down’ and ‘I Can’t Stand It’, two uptempo tracks from their first LP Sniffin and Snatchin, pull you to the dancefloor and are a clear nod to the master himself: James Brown.

Dutch funk with a strong groove.
The Soul Snatchers – Good Foot Down (feat. Curtis T.)
The Soul Snatchers – I Can’t Stand It (feat. Jimi Bell Martin)
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Funk // Beats // Soul

Lovers of beats and soulful production should not be a stranger to Adam Gibbons. Often compared to DJ Shadow’s early sound, this funky dude is a frequently asked remixer who also produces for acts like The Diplomats of Solid Sound and Frootful. Lack Of Afro rolls original samples into played instruments, making any song he touches feel vibrant and organic, stirred up with deep bass and heavy drums.

Lovingly produced soulful grooves.
Lack of Afro – A Time For (feat. Wayne Giddens) (from This Time)
Lack of Afro – Roderigo (from Press On)

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dance-funk // latin funk

Los Amigos Invisibles, possibly Venezuela’s greatest musical export, has been active for more than a decade. The band’s latest release, Not So Commercial (2011) offers remastered b-sides and alternate versions from previous recording sessions, following the successful, critically acclaimed and Grammy winning record Commercial (2009). This quick 25 minutes EP, however, offers some tasty “leftovers” for your next party. From funky-disco to reggae stylings and smooth acid groove, this EP will please your ears and move your feet.

Explosive, danceable grooves in the tropical heat.
Los Amigos Invisibles – G-String
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Funk // Soul // Jazz

The Haggis Horns operate as a quite successful horn section, garnering praise from a wide range of recording artists, like Mark Ronson (“The best f***ing horn section in the World!”), Amy Winehouse & The New Mastersounds. Besides recording and touring with said artists (and many more), they also function as a full band. A little while ago their second LP Keep on Movin‘ saw the light of day on First Word Records. The vocals on this album are by Nia Saw aka Lucinda Slim, who also sings on “The Cockroach Grind”. “The Bump”, from their first LP titled Hot Damn!, shows the band can hold its own in vocal and instrumental jams alike.

Funkier than a musquito’s tweeter and then some.
The Haggis Horns – Cockroach Grind (feat. Nia Saw)
The Haggis Horns – The Bump
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afrobeat // tropical funk

Summer is the time for everything to slow down. While many of you are enjoying the warmth and summer festivals, cold beverages and roof parties, Saravah Soul will provide you with that kind of perfect Afro-meets-Brazilian vibe for the ultimate summer soundtrack. In their recently released album Cultura Impura (2010), Saravah Soul blends together West African melodies, 60’s funk and Brazilian rhythms. Their richly intense compositions are build around horn arrangements, vibrant bass, Pifano (bamboo flutes) and Berimbau, interweaving with hypnotic choruses.

From Afrobeat to carnival in Rio.
Saravah Soul – Alforria
Saravah Soul – Funk De Umbigada
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funk // soul

The Bamboos are probably the finest funk band of the era. Sometimes infused with serious female vocal talent like Alice Russell, but often rocking a solid instrumental groove that needs no adornment, they got you covered; whether you’re a dancer or a head-nodder. Australian-based but signed to the UK’s Tru-Thoughts: their new single is firey hot. True story: this track has had my mom dancing daily since she heard it! Feel this.

A hook you cannot refuse.
The Bamboos – On The Sly

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video art // electro funk

More and more, I’ve noticed I’m absorbing great music via video; the Carl Sagan ‘A Glorious Dawn’ video is an addictive example. VJ’s are demanded for parties, Processing and OpenFrameworks are making it easier to create, and now video appears to be the preferred medium for delivering audio online. Above, Ethan deftly blends oscilloscope visuals with light paint and timelapse, while underneath burbles some glitchy and fuzzy funk. Thanks to my friends at Echonest for the tip.

A funk and Rhodes lover’s wet dream.

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