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Funky house music as a genre would at first seem fairly simple to define - any house music that displayed a preponderance of funk samples, a funk-inspired bassline or a strong soul influence, combined with drum breaks that draw inspiration from 70's and 80's funk records. However, upon closer examination it appears as though funky house has broadened to the point where it is no longer possible to paint all artists operating within this genre with the same brush. Let's take a look at four funky house producers who represent a few of the different directions that this musical style has taken in the past 15 years.
1. Olav Basoski. This Dutch producer has been churning out funky house hits since 1997. He has also become a sought-after remixer, known for adding a touch of funk to almost any production. He broke through to a huge audience after releasing a remix of Moby's 'Bodyrock' in 1999, which used sampled disco strings, filter sweeps and a hot vocal and bassline to propel the track up the dance charts. The song is also notable for its electro-inspired breakdown mid-way through.
2. Les Rythmes Digitales. Also known as Jacques Lu Cont, this alias for Stuart Price has served him well on the funky house music scene. LRD productions often adopt a funky slap bass style, and make use of the same type of vocal sampling used in French house without resorting to the same level of filtering that is often a marker of that genre. In addition to his work with a number of pop artists, Price is celebrated for his LRD track entitled 'Jacques Your Body', which came out in 1999.
3. Armand van Helden. An artist who has dabbled in many different areas of the house music sound, Armand van Helden got his start producing some of the funkiest tracks around. His remix of 'Spin Spin Sugar' by the Sneaker Pimps was the first in a line of funky house music releases that would light clubs on fire in both the United States and Europe. He followed it up with 'The Funk Phenomena', the disco-tinged 'U Don't Know Me' and the dual attack of 'Flowerz' and 'The Boogie Monster' in 1999.
4. Cassius. Veterans of the French hip hop scene Le Funk Mob found an outlet for their house music energies with Cassius. Combining elements of filter, French and funky house, Cassius was all over the place sonically, although most tracks were anchored by solid funk basslines and soulful vocals. Some of their most representative work can be heard on the singles '1999', 'The Sounds Of Violence' and 'Feeling For You'.
Have you seen the new electrohouse nudisco music video from Grum? It's called "I Can't Shake This Feeling" and the arrival of Grum is already causing hyperbolic excitement amidst the house / electro / disco community in anticipation of his forthcoming full length release "Heartbeats" which you can get more information on at his official website www.heart-beats.co.uk
You'll definitely want to check out the new video to Grum's "I can't Shake This Feeling" on youtube as part of the build up for the offical album launch.
"I Can't Shake This Feeling" is a great feel good club track with impecable production continuing the renewal of house music with 80's style electro vibes – incorporating bold synthesized stabs and drum sounds and all round streamlined, polished and synthetic sonic aesthetic. It seems in injecting these past influence
Grum is part of the huge movement of electro, synth disco and funky electrohouse that is enjoying a massive resurgence at the beginning of the new decade, and Grum comes from the stable of pedigree that includes Mylo who was the producer de jour of the electrohouse movement as it bubbled away in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century when Mylo's "Drop The Pressure" became a land mark track.
Funky and and disco influenced soulful deep house came to prominence in the mid to late 90's with the arrival of the french house sound championed by acts such as Daft Punk, and saw hits such as "Music Sounds Better With You" by Stardust top the charts internationally, to be followed by more funky house classics such as "Lady" and "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)" by Spiller which blew the sound up worldwide.
It was perhaps at this point that the house sound which was traditionally soulful and funky lost it's edge as it became more mainstream, while underground audiences sought something edgier, giving rise to the Electroclash movement which saw the overproduced, overthough house sound eschewed in favour of a punkier aesthetic driven by the do-it-yourself ethos of a new type of laptop based producers working out of their bedroom's – just like Grum. Fischerspooner was a key Electroclash act that rose to prominence which has been name checked by Grum as an influence in renewing and bringing previously overlooked 80's themes and techniques into the 21st century with deft precision.
It was then to be huge hits such as Benny Bennassi's "Satisfaction" Fedde Le Grande's "Put Your Hands Up For Detroit" Eric Prydez's reworking of 8o's classic "Call On Me" and of course Mylo's "Drop The Pressure" that cemented the return of house music to mainstream audiences under a new guise: That of electrohouse.
But what has been fascinating has been the embrace of Hip Hop artists who are now using more electrohouse influenced productions on chart topping hits that has made electrohouse bigger and more influential than ever and the signature sound of brash keyboard stabs and synthetic drum sounds can be heard on many of the biggest hits in the top 40 now. The punters are really going for Grum's new single "I Can't Shake This Feeling" - here's what they're saying around the blogs:"He may reside in Leeds but Grum certainly ain't grim - he's super, super!"
"New Grum original track. It's a doozy. The music video is fantastic as well, combining 4 of mans favourite things: Grum, babes, food, n humour."
"Damn Grum's got it right. A video based around tasty girls scarfing piles of food. wow. Delicious."
"EARGASM! I kid you not . . . it has got a really 80s vibe to it. In any case, its a superb kind of funk. You can also expect Grum's usual killer beats mixed in. Can't wait to hear more. As for the video, well, you decide. One of the funniest stuff I've seen this week."
"At first I was like, "Cmon, another slow motion video? And even more, a slow motion video of girls and food." But no, I was wrong. There is more to this video that more frames per second. Be sure to check out this one for some good times."
Apparently Grum was named for being a "grumpy bastard" in his younger days, which is somehwhat bemusing given the feel good factor behind is groovy electro house music. The song in particular is reminiscent of many 80's pop classics with a soaring female vocal that sounds a little like Laura Brannigan who had hits with "Gloria" and "Self Control"
The video is a bold mix of the sexual and erotic, with the disturbing and somewhat gruesome footageof sexy girls stuffing their faces with all types of food laid out for them by a sleazy disco style director.But it also tells a humourous narrative of a father seeing his daughter portrayed in one of these videos as he sets out to rescue her from iniquity.The video closes as the father bursts into the studio reproaching the sleazy director with the humourous slogan "We've got plenty of spaghetti!"
I myself had never heard of "Feeder" videos but apparently this is an established genre in adult movies. There has been thematic comparisons with the video for Simian Mobile Disco's "Hustler" which also features attractive girls, but from Benny Benassi's "Satisfaction" to Eric Prydez "Call On Me" I think you can safely say that within the genre there is an established tradition of combining gorgeous girls with somewhat bizarre and abstract items and contexts.Whatever the case be sure to check out this electrohouse music video from Grum for yourself: "I Can't Shake This Feeling"!
