Funk | Soul 437 Items

Originally released in 2014. Ikebe Shakedown’s powerful instrumental soul takes “big unison horns, slinky bass lines, tight little guitar licks—and blends them with tasty grooves culled from '70s-style horn-driven funk (WNYC Soundcheck).” The Brooklyn-based collective is set to follow up their well-received self-titled debut album with the heavier, more mature sound of their second full-length Stone By Stone. The self-produced album was recorded at the famed “House of Soul” Daptone Studios in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Notes bassist Vince Chiarito, "Thinking of all the great music that has come out of the Daptone Studio really pushed us to refine our songs and grow as a band. It was really inspiring to record there." The band adds that, “Stone By Stone is a much more layered and arranged album. The self-titled debut captured the raw energy of us playing live and the new record is much more of a studio effort. Psychedelic textures weave in and out of the grooves while the horn section offers an explosive response. The songs are heavy and danceable and show our moodier, more melodic side.” The seven-piece band—named after a favorite Nigerian boogie record and pronounced “ee-KAY-bay”—formed in 2008 and has developed a mighty horn section anchored by tight, deep-pocketed grooves. Following 2009’s debut EP Hard Steppin', the band released their self-titled debut full-length LP on Ubiquity Records in 2011 that Okayplayer called “an adventurous trip through time” and “one of the best releases of the year.” Their music has also been featured on a number of television shows and commercials including HBO's Eastbound and Down, Mini Cooper and Vans.

Year Of The Witch was born in transit. In the interest of self-sufficiency, HXXS - aka Jeannie Colleene and Gavin Neves - initially recorded their debut album during a six month tour spent living out of their van. When inspiration struck (and it did so often), they'd record in parking lots, hotel rooms, laundromats - anywhere they happened to pull over. What emerged from these pit stops, strangely enough, was an album about moving forward. As with much of the art created in the wake of the 2016 presidential election, Year Of The Witch sizzles with the fresh sting of political anguish. Instead of firing off platitudes about a nation divided, however, Neves and Colleene choose to look inward at how this divide affects familial relationships. On "Hard To Tell," the duo sing, `it runs in the family, and they spread it all over, like forest to fire'. Like the California wildfires that were a fixture of their childhood - Neves is from San Jose and Colleene hails from Bakersfield - beliefs are inherited passively, and have equal capacity for destruction. And while the political climate of the time is a palpable force, the album remains anchored, always, in the personal. "I'm not asking for sympathy," they sing - with the help of TV On The Radio's Kyp Malone - "cut loose these ties." Year Of The Witch finds HXXS rifling through the ashes, working to salvage the roots.The concept of rebirth isn't just a theme on the album, however, it's also part of the process that created it. Back in 2017, after their initial roadside recordings were complete, the hard drive containing them was stolen. HXXS were forced to re-record the entire LP on a time crunch, largely from memory. But necessity bred invention, and this loss created a sense of sonic urgency that only strengthens the tracks. The result is a sonic roadmap to resilience: electronic noise punk for the fake news generation. Built on haunting loops and frantic, insistent vocals, YOTW navigates uneasiness with razor-sharp precision. There is anger, to be sure, bu...

Holy Hive, the group that coined the genre Folk/Soul, comes out swinging with this monster of a two-sider. The A side "Oh I Miss Her So" is pulled from their recently released Harping EP: a drop dead gorgeous tune of love and longing, featuring the harping of Mary Lattimore. The tune serves as a testament to The Hive's gift for songwriting and arrangement, taking the listener on a ride from the first notes of Paul's falsetto to the outro featuring Dave Guy's (The Roots) gorgeous trumpet solo. The B Side is The Hive's crushing cover of Sunny & The Sunliners' classic "If I Could See You Now". Homer's world renown drumming provides an instant dance floor backbone to the tune while Paul's signature vocals add a welcome twist giving the original version a proper run for its money. This cover is pulled from the forthcoming Big Crown Records label compilation "Dear Sunny" a collection of Sunny covers done by the roster of Big Crown artists.

Big Crown Records is proud to present the first single from Holy Hive's forthcoming debut full length Float Back To You.The A side "Hypnosis" is an up number from The Hive that catches the listener from the first notes of Paul's guitar. A good vibe tune inspired by the price you pay to stay out late at night and enjoy your life knowing you have work in the morning. Homer and Paul once again play up the fruitful relationship of oxpecker and rhino with Steinweiss' infamous in the pocket drumming that Spring's vocals float over. Harp and synth flourishes pepper the arrangement and the uber-catchy chorus makes this one a staple in their live set.The B side, "Broom" is a musing on the nature of seeing one's true love for the first time. Holy Hive have taken this tried and true subject and infused it with their signature soul-folk sound to create this gem of a b-side. Paul Spring's honesty shines through as he sings with his beautiful falsetto about his real life love at first-sight experience. Joe Harrison brings the tasteful bass and supporting guitar accents while Homer Steinweiss lays down one of his signature grooves. The drum break at the top features a rare and much sought after drum machine known by some as the "zim-gar". Also, Holy Hive is proud to welcome Leon Michels as the guest saxophonist on the this tune. It was all recorded at the Diamond Mine Studios with Jens Jungkurth as the engineer.

Twenty years ago the duo HIL ST SOUL released a groundbreaking debut album SOUL ORGANIC.
Zambian-born vocalist Hilary Mwelwa and producer/musician/songwriter Victor
Redwood-Sawyerr (VRS) had been working away in a North London studio creating a unique blend of neo soul, jazz and R&B that had critics on both sides of the Atlantic in raptures.

The first full length album and cassette release on Outrun, Sundae is a mini modern funk odyssey by Scotland’s High Park Funk, one in which we visit many of his standout modern funk and boogie gems. From the introductory Sundae, the lights are dimmed for a special listening experience—and we get what we are promised. Bright and gleaming cuts like Tell Me How You Feel and Kounting Stars, the Kleeer-esque My Melody, and the sloppy spoonful of funk served on Grandad, are what make this stripped-down, funkafied album a lovely addition to a growing funk tape collection. This is a album for lovers of glassy, beautiful chords, stanky bass lines, scintillating synth leads, and of course, glorious doo-wop talkbox ditties.