In this week’s LITM Pop Picks, we see the beautiful funk themes, starting from retro South-European styles and African-American funk to more contemporary and experimental varieties.
Balto Parranda - Black Bloc Romance
Balto Parranda is a French Balkan rock band. Blending the charm of South-Eastern Europe with poetic French verses, their sound is culturally enriching. The group has just put out their latest EP, Black Bloc Romance. It is an eclectic mix of five tracks, each one reinforcing and engaging in the spirit of their predecessors. The title track is especially colorful. With orchestral trumpets singing into Latin dance beats, and tumbling energy of the vocals, the listener is drawn into the vigor and vitality of the theme. Listen Now!
Blackfoxy - African Beat
Joining in the beat-driven festivities of Balto Parranda is Blackfoxy with their debut single, ‘African Beat’. The band reaches into the roots of the African-American music culture, mixing funk, neo-soul, eccentric jazz and blues-pop to craft a theatrical production. Led by the beat, they cruise through spheres of choral vocals, funk grooves, and of course an ever turning beatwave. Listening to the track is like partaking is a celebration. The sonic design is infused with jubiliance. Vocal performances are free and flamboyant, melodies are lit with enthusiasm, and the beats resound with retro funk like you wouldn’t believe.
Toby TomTom - Black Swan
Toby TomTom is a multi-talented artist and singer-songwriter from the heart of Long Island. Unrestricted by the conventional contours of genres, he is an explorer. In his latest track, Black Swan, the artist creates an eclectic sonic pallet as he blends funk with hip-hop, soul, and jazz. We also see a lot of experimental elements, wayward and unpredictable in a way that conceptually drives the thematic significance to the forefront. And if you look at the soundscape, the shifting dynamics are an interesting play between textures, luminosity, darkness, rhythm, melody; led to each other by a progressed artistic intuition.
David Finck - Gentle Journey
Jazz and soul-pop artist and composer, David Finck is back with another release, ‘Gentle Journey’. It is released in collaboration with fellow artists, Catherine Russell and Andy Snitzer. This latest track blooms with neo-soul, R&B and a whole lot of jazz blues in a way that transports us to the romantic sonic sentimentality of the 70s and 80s. Catherine’s soulful inflections are adorned with tinsel funk and strident jazz accents. As the title suggests, it’s a gentle journey. With seamless transitions and smooth textures, the track presents like a sublime dream. Having worked with Grammy-winning pop and jazz performers like Rod Stewart, Natalie Cole, André Previn, and Elton John, Finck’s soundscapes are known for their sophisticated artistry and performances.
Draumr - Some Other Night
We conclude this week’s list with Draumr’s fantastic electro-pop single, Some Other Night. The banner is the solo project of French musician, producer, and director, Gabriel Cheurfa who loves to create music experiences that completely involves the listener with song, movement, and visual sonics. This track is a vibrant brand of electro-pop. With splashy synths, dance beats, and colorful vocals, the artist takes us on a journey that our body can’t shake off. It greatly involves the cerebral quotients and drives you to movement. The underscoring surreal sonics and potent wells of energy burst with luminosity at every turn in a way that is reminiscent of Daft Punk.
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