Alissia - Back To The Funkture
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| Alissia - Back To The Funkture |
Release Date: Out Now
I'm a simple man of simple
pleasures but of those few pleasures a funky bass line and a beautiful woman
are two of the best. Get those two right and I'm sold. Now, Alissia has both of
these in bucket loads but what really, really got me interested was her list of
influences; Prince, P-Funk Cameo, Bootsy, Laura Mvula, Stevie Wonder, Justin
Timberlake. That's one hell of a party. So, this EP ('Back To The Funkture' - I
also love wordplay) has set itself up to be my new favourite thing and I am
begging it not to let me down. Kicking off with the title track, 'Back To The
Funkture', and we're transported in to a time travelling tube train full to the
brim with fat, chunky bass line, horns and the kind of arrangements that Nile
Rodgers would shake his fine ass to. Immediately I'm in love with the punchy
sound, sense of fun and oh-so-tight rhythms. 'On The Go' has an 80s vibe going
- like the theme from a funked up version of Working Girl - but Alissia totally
pulls it off with her smoothly soulful vocal delivery.
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| 5 strings of funk |
On 'Take Off' things take a very
Prince shaped direction and that is a very, very good thing as that bass gets
slapped more than a secretary's ass in the 1950s and the party vibe is fuelled
by some lightning quick finger work on the synths. Oh my lord this EP is
absolutely chocked full of fabulous funk musicianship and of that there is no
doubt. 'Get Down' has some excellent horn work which is both light'n'funky and
deep and soulful in equal measure which is an utterly blissful combination
which should have whole rooms sweating from involuntary ass shakin' before this
track reaches the bridge. What's that you say? Can Alissia get down and dirty?
Why sure she can. 'Holdin' On' is a slower, smoother jam with a bass line that
slides and slithers like a jet black panther easing through a funky jungle. The
EP closes up with 'Let It Out' which has a very definite Stevie vibe about it
as each instrument takes it's turn on centre stage and any lingering doubts (really?)
are soon expelled - Alissia is the real deal. If this New York performer isn't
huge by the end of 2016 then there's something very wrong with the world and
you should all take a share in the responsibility for that if you don't get on
the funk train and join in the party.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/alissiabenvenistemusic/?fref=ts