This week Stones Throw dropped the long awaited and inevitable collaboration between L.A.'s finest Damon Riddick/Dâm-Funk (Pasadena) and Calvin Broadus/Snoopzilla/Snoop Dogg/Snoop Lion (Long Beach).
"Funk is the dirty cousin of rock, soul, jazz, classical, house and electronic music. [---]The next phase is beautiful chords and harmonies on top of a hard beat. Imagine the song structure of Prefab Sprout or Thom Bell song (The Delfonics/The Spinners) were put on a funk beat with claps, kicks and basslines. That's the next phase - at least that's where I'm trying to go." (Dâm-Funk 2013 - sr.se p3.soul)
This album is entitled "7 days of funk" and has conceptually been talked about for years but finally saw the light of day on December 10th. It's the logical next step in the development of the funk:
Funk 1.0: James Brown
P-Funk 2.0: Parliament/Funkadelic
M-Funk 3.0: Minneapolis/Prince/The Time
E-Funk 4.0: Electronic Funk, Mtume/Kashif/Juan Atkins/Mantronix
G-Funk 5.0: Snoop & Dr Dre
Nu-Funk 6.0: Dâm-Funk
H-Funk 7.0: Pasadena meets Long Beach to create H-funk - Harmonic Funk
"Funk is being in love but all of sudden the girl you love does something unexpected and you have to pick up the pieces. Funk to me is walk out of the house in the sunset, newly washed car and all of a sudden you get a flat tire and you find yourself in a bad neighborhood and the payphone is broken - and you wonder what have I gotten myself into? That's funk!" (Dâm-Funk 2013 - sr.se p3.soul)
First track off the album is "Faden away". A late night roller about a fading relationship. It's build on a deep lowkey production by Dâm and the newly acquired harmony skills that Snoop first showed off on his "Reincarnated" album.
“We’re the babies of the Mothership. I’ve had funk influences in my music my whole career. Dam-Funk is cold. He’s keeping the funk alive and I knew I had to get down with him.” (Snoop - stonesthrow.com)
As always Stones Throw put alot of effort into the accompanying artwork with house designer Jeff Jank in charge and illustrations by Lawrence Hubbard. Read more about Jeff's work in this NothingMajor interview.
Track by track review:
When we chose what releases to write about we try to pick pieces that takes us places. "7 days of funk" is that kind of record. Now I have yet to pay L.A. a visit but during the last 30 minutes of funk the urge to jump the next flight to LAX has never been stronger. .
As always Stones Throw put alot of effort into the accompanying artwork with house designer Jeff Jank in charge and illustrations by Lawrence Hubbard. Read more about Jeff's work in this NothingMajor interview.
1.Niggaz hit D pavement
If you expected a slow, laidback intro think again. D and Snoopzilla kicks off with a rare uptempo track. The title flirting with Snoop's old G-image but here evoking that other meaning of hitting the pavement: "You don't work - you don't eat".
2.Let it go
In a suprising but somehow logic move the fellas put down a dope cover of Patrice Rushen's "Feels So Real" (1984).
3.Faden away
The first single of the album. Still sounding fresh after two months on rotation.
4.1 question ft. Steve Arrington
Not the strongest track but I really dig the coming together of three generations of funk with Steve Arrington (of Slave) thrown into the mix. Don't miss out on his first solo album in years released earlier this year. Produced by who? Yep, Dam-funk...
5. Ride ft. Kurupt
Smooth summer track to cruise with windows down and wind blowing. Takes us back to the vibe of one of L.A. funk finest moments, Dr.Dre's "Let me ride". Swing down, sweet chariot stop and let me ride... :)
6. Do my thang
Noncence lyrics but bad ass harmonies as an ode to the originators of the mothership connection. Based on “I Gots 2 Be Done Wit' U” from Dam's "Toeachizown".
7. I'll be there 4 U
Now this is what we've been waiting for! The sound of what happens when generations meet and new genres are created. Funk 7.0 - Harmonic Funk. Tracks 1-6 are really dope but sounds like good ol' Snoop on top of Dam-funk beats. "I'll be there 4 U" has a blend of a toy-xylophone, an 808-pattern, subbass and lyrics paying dues in the vein of Daft Punk's "Teachers" (1997). This takes us forward for real.
8. Systematic ft. Tha Dogg Pound (Bonustrack)
Another example of what we'd call funk 7.0. Speed up a bad ass dubstep bassline. Add that infamous Dam-Funk funky handclap and analogue keyboard freestyle. Throw on a Dogg Pound reunion and we got ourselves a future classic.
When we chose what releases to write about we try to pick pieces that takes us places. "7 days of funk" is that kind of record. Now I have yet to pay L.A. a visit but during the last 30 minutes of funk the urge to jump the next flight to LAX has never been stronger. .
Listen: Dâm-Funk & Snoopzilla - 7 days of funk (Spotify)
Buy: Dâm-Funk & Snoopzilla - 7 days of funk (via Stonesthrow.com)
Bonus download: Dâm-Funk - Hood Pass Intact [After 2:AM Instrumental Re-Freak version]
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