It’s the Ghetto Funk label’s third annual Icons outing here with The Icons: Vol. 3 as they let a platoon of producers loose on several decades of musical heritage each to rework the – er – work of a musical icon in their own inimitable ghetto funk style. Well, I say ‘ghetto funk’ style – the more nebulous ‘bass music’ moniker would be nearer the mark – but more about that in a sec. Perhaps the most obvious difference this time around is the number of cuts – a staggering 30! That’s nearly twice the output of the previous volume and nearly three times the output of the first! But is it a case of a triumph of quantity over quality? Well, first to raise an issue was my laptop’s keyboard which got the right arse when I tried to type the word ‘funk in connection with this. Here’s a transcript of that conversation verbatim:
My laptop’s keyboard (MLK) I’m not letting you type the word ‘funk’ in connection with this. Even as part of the phrase ‘ghetto funk.’
Me What are you on about?
MLK This isn’t funky man. In fact it’s not even very ‘ghetto’ funky. There’s drum n bass, house beats and fuck knows what else.
Me Have you actually listened to it properly? I think you’re being a bit too literal. ‘Ghetto Funk’ is just the label name – they put out all kinds of bass music.
MLK Don’t play fucking semantics with me – that’s not how the term’s being used is it? Every cunt and their grandmother does a ‘ghetto funk’ club night now – you must have seen the posters.
Me Even so, I think you’re getting the hump over nothing. There are some very funky cuts on here let alone ‘ghetto funky.’ Too Many Ts have done a boss rework of Stretch’s Why Did You Do It and the Hong Kong Ping Pong boys have come up trumps with a Ray Charles re-visit – and it’s a well-known fact that no Ray Charles rework ever fails.
MLK It features a ghetto funk version of Queen’s Bicycle. I need that like I need a hole in my cock.
Me You haven’t got a cock – you’re a keyboard. You’re not really feeling the whole seasonal fun thing are you?
MLK …And a rework of Tasmin fucking Archer. Since when has she been an ‘icon’?
Me But…
MLK …And a drum and bass version of Mrs Robinson…
Me Er…
MLK ……And a house version of the Beach Boys’ I Get Around. I get around? I rape Brian bastard Wilson’s bastard memory more like!
Me Ahem – well – there are some tracks I’m possibly not so keen on but still – Lewd Behaviour‘s White Stripes cut is dope and JFB & Mr Dero score a hit with their Augustus Pablo number…
…and it continued. In the end monkeyboxing bicycle courier (and BMX bandit) Robbie came into the office and we asked him what he thought. “35 tracks of ghetto funk? Bangin’ mate! All I’ve been listening to lately is ‘old school hip-hop’…[Editor’s inverted commas]…like Eminem and The Chemical Brothers.” Me and the keyboard just looked at each other and let that one hang there for a while. As it was Robbie had already disappeared out of the fire exit in a cloud of ‘doobie’ smoke. Well – we like to run a liberal office here at Monkeyboxing Towers…
Preview audio below and cop the lot off the GF website on 22 December.
5 Responses
I’m with MLK on this. (Martin Luther King has the same initials. coincidence?)
I bet MLK has a dream too. OF a compilation truly deserving of the Ghetto Funk moniker. Not just as a ‘brand’ but meaning raw, uncompromising, gritty, groovy, in your face & soulful. Much of this ain’t.
However, that seems to be the point of the Icons series. Take some pop stuff and make it beatsier/undergroundier. It does succeed here and there at that. But I must admit I liked the pre-GF era Michael Jackson regrooved and James Brown regrooved collections much better. We need more of that!
I’m with MLK on this. (Martin Luther King has the same initials. coincidence?)
I bet MLK has a dream too. OF a compilation truly deserving of the Ghetto Funk moniker. Not just as a ‘brand’ but meaning raw, uncompromising, gritty, groovy, in your face & soulful. Much of this ain’t.
However, that seems to be the point of the Icons series. Take some pop stuff and make it beatsier/undergroundier. It does succeed here and there at that. But I must admit I liked the pre-GF era Michael Jackson regrooved and James Brown regrooved collections much better. We need more of that!
🙂
95% lacking any kind of funk at all.
95% lacking any kind of funk at all.