Glastonbury 2016 - The Ones To Watch - T-18 Days: Khruangbin

This three piece from Texas eschew traditional down-home boogie for the esoteric delights of Thai funk and drifting, dream-like grooves, as in the video below.

As you can see, they're not short on talent (or, for 2 out of 3 of them, hair) and when their music find its groove it's a real treat.

Their album 'The Universe Smiles Upon You' was recently released on the Late Night Tales record label, which gives you some idea of the kind of vibe they create. There are a couple of chances to catch them on Sunday this year at Glastonbury - I'll probably see you at the Park first thing in the morning (before drifting over to Four Tet's early morning DJ set in the Stonebridge bar, which will follow this perfectly).

Track of the Day: 'Dapper (feat. Anderson Paak)' by Domo Genesis

There's some proper old school funk and soul vibes on this track. It's as smooth as a spliffed-up silk worm, Definitely some Kendrick vibes in here too, though a bit less jazzy, and the guitar solo at the end is just perfect.

Recommended music: 'The Universe Smiles Upon You' by Khruangbin

There's a gentle warmth and familiarity about this record that disguises it's originality. It sounds a little bit trip-hop, a little bit Acid Jazz, a little bit world music, a little bit psychedelic, but the intriguing fact is that it takes all of those influences and melds them into a new creature. In fact it turns out that their main influence is Thai funk and pop from the 60s and 70s, which is not something you can say about many bands.

There's an analogue feel to the recordings, and also a live atmosphere that makes me believe they did these recordings as near to live as they could in the barn in Texas they used as a studio.

Khruangbin (the name translates as Engine Fly from the Thai) were originally conceived as an instrumental act, and you have to get five tracks into the record before the first vocals appear on 'White Gloves'. This was the first thing I heard from them and it drew me in with its laid-back, Californian groove, congas and gentle, slightly mystified vocal.



More instrumentals follow, including the disco funk of 'People Everywhere (Still Alive)', which in an alternate universe is taken from the soundtrack to the Asian remake of Saturday Night Fever.


My one criticism of the record is that I really wish there'd been a few moments where they'd opened up and just let rip, allowing the guitars to soar and the tracks to take flight a bit more. There are a few bars towards the middle of 'August Twelve' where you think this is going to happen but then everything calms down again, which is a shame.


All in all though this is a record that invites you in and encourages you to sink into its welcoming arms, a benign smile upon its face, much like the universe itself.

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Recommended music: 'Inji' by LA Priest

I'm not sure why I never got round to reviewing this when I first bought it, but lately I've been playing it a lot and realised that it'll definitely make my end of year list, so it's worth putting a few thoughts down about it.

Effectively the solo début album from Sam Dust, late of Late of the Pier, this is a funky, souly, electro-disco record that original and eclectic enough to appeal to left-field hipsters but also, given the right radio play, could launch some smash pop hits on the world.The moment the smooth, laid back bass of opener 'Occasion' starts to slink out of your speakers you know you're in for a good time.



As the records proceed influences emerge from Prince to Rick James to Basement Jaxx to Connan Mockasin (who Dust has previously worked with). Throughout it all there's a sense of playfulness and a lightness of touch that points to the fact that he's completely into the music he's making now. The moody tracks are sultry rather than sulky, while the dancier tracks are funky rather than full-on.



It all adds up to a huge success artistically (and incidentally, a record that for more deserved to be nominated for the Mercury Prize than some of the dross that made the list). If LA Priest is delivering the sermon you should definitely be listening.



'Inji' is out now on Domino Records.

Track of the Day: 'The Lavishments of Light Looking' by Woke (Flying Lotus, Shabazz Palaces & Thundercat) feat. George Clinton

Available as part of this year's Adult Swim Singles releases, this trippy psych-funk smorgasbord of delights is very much equal to the sum of its parts. It kinda feels like FlyLo, having been mostly kept out of the loop on the Kendrick Lamar album project, has decided to form his own to rival it. Whatever the driver behind it, it's new, it's fresh and you can download it for free from the Adult Swim site here - let's hope there's an album of this stuff coming...

Track of the Day: 'Did You See My Skin Through The Flames' by Blood Orange

A new track from Dev Hynes is always cause for celebration, but this 10-minute opus is really something else. Although it's not on his next album it covers the sort of themes he's tackling, as it investigates issues of race, slavery and Hynes' own heritage. Mixing jazz with spoken word and funk it really does take you on a journey through his mind. If this is anything to go by then his next album could well be a masterpiece.

Remix of the Day: 'Rainbow (Club)' by Romare

Out on Monday, this epic new version of one of the standout tracks on 'Projections' keeps the funky bassline but updates the 70s disco tribute to fit in today's clubs. I love the little snatches of piano at the start, the way the track builds with hints of vocals and then the bass kicks in to get you strutting across the floor. Take a listen below.

Recommended music: 'Multi-Love' by Unknown Mortal Orchestra

The third album from Ruban Nielson may well just be the summer soundtrack you've been looking for. From the opening bars of the now somewhat notorious title track you can tell that you're in for a full on blast of shimmering grooves and good vibes. There's been a lot of salacious talk about the subject matter - Ruban & his wife both fell in love with the same girl, she moved in but then the whole thing sort of fell apart - but to focus on that is is to do the rest of the album a disservice. As Ruban has said "there are more references to holograms than polyamory" on the record, so my advice is just to accept the song for what it is, don't judge the story or the storyteller, and move on.

If you do you'll get to the brief blast of power pop that is 'Like Acid Rain' and then the funkier, almost Prince-like rhythms of 'UR Life One Night'. Most recent single 'Can't Keep Checking My Phone', a disco-driven beast of a tune with a brilliantly catchy chorus. It's followed by 'Extreme Wealth and Casual Cruelty' which feels like the most downbeat song on the album, although it has an unexpected and soulful saxophone solo in the middle that really brings the song alive. A minute before the end it steps up a gear with a dramatic instrumental passage, which then gives way to 'The World Is Crowded - a super smooth groove that's made for relaxing by the pool on your holidays.

As we move towards the end of the record 'Stage or Screen' probably sounds most like older UMO tracks, full of phase and a bit more lo-fi, while 'Necessary Evil' is a darker, moodier slice of funk with some great guitar pieces.

Album closer 'Puzzles' is an epic track that somehow manages to meld The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and George Clinton into seven minutes of epicness.

I can't really think of anyone else treading the same path as UMO right now; their brand of soulful, funky indie really is in a class of its own. I'm pretty sure this'll end up in the end of year 'best of' lists from many people, especially me.

'Multi-Love' is out on May 25th on Jagjaguwar Records.

Video of the Day: 'Gagarin' by Public Service Broadcasting

The lead track from PSB's new album 'The Race For Space' is a gloriously funky, brass-laden tribute to Yuri Gagarin. It comes with this amazingly enjoyable video, which is a brilliant idea excellently executed. I can't wait to see J. Willgoose, Esq. and Wrigglesworth knocking these moves out of the park on their Spring tour next year.

Recommended music: 'Redinho' by Redinho

It's taken me a while to work out if I like this record or not, but now I've decided that I really really do it's time to write about it.

Three years in the making, Redinho's brand of cyber-funk may be a bit too retro for some people's tastes, but there's no denying that he does what he does very well. In this age of trying to disguise the use of auto-tune and hiding vocal tweaking, it's great to hear full-on Zapp-style Roger Troutman talk-box vocals. It's not just restricted to 70s throwbacks either - 'Going Nowhere' seems to have borrowed the major part of the bassline from early 80s smash 'I Found Lovin'' by The Fatback Band. And if you're of a certain age (i.e. mine!) and you can listen to album opener 'Stinger' without thinking of 'Ride Like The Wind' by Christopher Cross I'll be very surprised.

It's not all retro though - 'Say I Want You' could easily be by one of the new breed of electonic artists like Gold Panda or Koreless, and the skittery sounds of 'Searching' would never never have been acceptable in the 70s. Throughout the album there are layers and layers of sounds and harmonised vocals built up on each other that reward repeated listening and ensure that there's always something new here to sink your teeth into.

'Redinho' is out now on Numbers Records.

Recommended music: 'You're Dead' by Flying Lotus

First things first - this is by no means an easy listen. Don't think you can just put it on in the background and do other stuff because if you do it might just sound abrasive. But turn and face the music, give it your full attention, and you'll be rewarded with a fully immersive journey into death and the afterlife. Also, don't be put off if you don't like the start, the first few tracks (side 1 of the double vinyl) are by far my least favourite of what Steven Ellison has served up here. But stick with it, because from the moment you put side 2 on and Kendrick Lamar joins in on 'Never Catch Me' it turns into a magical, wonderful record, full of twists and turns, light and shade, explosive moments and quiet corners.

There's been a lot of talk about this being a 'jazz' album, and if you had to pigeon-hole it then that's probably where it would end up. It's so much more than that though. If it is jazz then it's certainly jazz for the 21st or even 22nd century. There's other styles as well though; 'Coronus, the Terminator' is a hip-hop / soul hybrid, while 'Ready Err Not' recalls his earlier electronic influences. Throughout the album the amazing bass stylings of Thundercat take flight, as he runs up and down the frets and lightning speed. He also adds vocals to some of the tracks, along with the Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg. Elsewhere FlyLo's alter-ego makes a couple of appearances, as does Herbie Hancock on keyboards.

I think it's great that in this day and age people like Flying Lotus are still making committed, unflinching, uncommercial albums like this - sure the Lamar track will draw a few people in, but really this is the sound of Ellison taking all of his culture and heritage and wrapping it up exactly how he wants it to sound.

A word on the packaging - the vinyl boxset is lavishly put together, with a fully-printed gatefold holding the original album, with printed inner sleeves, plus another two slabs of vinyl with instrumental versions of all the track. You also get a full download of both the standard and instrumental tracks.

Inside the Flying Lotus 'You're Dead' gatefold

Track of the Day: 'Playing With Fire' by Redinho

The lead track from Redinho's debut album is a sleazy, funky track with an insistent groove and a Zapp-esque choros. It takes the autotuned vocal to a new level by adding the vocoder effect to creat something that sounds both classic and contemporary. the album is out at the end of the month and having taken three years to come together I'm expecting big things from it.



It says a lot for this record that the two 11 year-old boys who were in the car with me when I first heard this thought the voice was 'freaky' - and therefore loved it!

Recommended music: 'Mean Love' by Sinkane

On his fourth full length album (the first for DFA Records) Ahmed Gallab shows that he's finally ready for the big time. With his confidence having been boosted by a starring roles in Luaka Bop's 'Atomic Bomb: Who is William Onyeabor?' live project, he's created a classy and stylish album that's full of brilliant touches. Effortlessly switching genres, from Afrobeat to funk to soul and back again, his voice is smoother than a silk negligee sliding down Kate Moss's freshly shaven legs.

With tracks harking back to the 70s and the 60s, this is still a thoroughly contemporary record that could only exist in the melting pot of today's cultures. Take 'Galley Boys' for example.It's got African rhythms, a reggae bassline, tons of pedal steel and a chorus melody similar too Primal Scream's 'Star'' Topped off with Ahmed's brilliant voice it all sounds so easy, but you know that sounding so laid-back is a hard thing to achieve.

It's the kind of record that you can play at any time of day or night, whatever mood you're in, and emerge feeling like a better person. Basically if you're at all fed up it'll put a smile on your face, and you could as easily dance to it as make love to it (or maybe even do one followed by the other?).

I reckon this album cements him as a major talent who'll not only continue to make his own great records but can have his pick of whichever artists he wants to work with in the future.

Currently on a whistle-stop tour to promote the album, Sinkane are back in the UK later in the year for some more dates, including one at Oslo in Hackney on December 1st which promises to banish the winter blues. I'll see you there!

Track of the Day: 'Breaker Breaker' by Lemmy Ashton

If you're about to put on your dancing shoes and head out for a Saturday night then this is the perfect track to send you on your way. Brand new but retro as fuck, this is as dirty as disco gets. you can grab the track for free as part of a 3 track EP that Ashton has just released.

Track of the Day: 'I'm The Man, That Will Find You' by Connan Mockasin

The lead track from his new album 'Caramel' finds Mockasin in a sexy, seductive mood. Sounding slinkier than Prince singing in satin sheets, this is an astonishingly good track that puts the jazz-funk back into, well,whatever you want really. I love the breakdown after 3 minutes - it's like he's finished the foreplay, has a quick breather and then goes into the full-on loving. Click here to listen to the track in full.

The album is out on November 4th on Phantasy and by all accounts it's a corker.

Track of the Day: 'Mind Control' by Friends

As their album launch date gets ever nearer, Friends are teasing us with this cut, which is set to be the final track on the album. It's slinky, it's funky, it's a bongo frenzy, culling elements from the '70s, '80s and '90s , but still sounding fresh for now.

Having seen the band live earlier this year I know that there are plenty more tracks as good as this on the way - roll on June 4th  when the album 'Manifest!' is released...