Many and varied are the permutations of the funk formula but it is hard to think of any artist who manages to successfully draw from both the organic syncopated grooves of the late sixties and the slicker, electro and boogie-influenced funk of the eighties. Still, if that’s what you’re after, Gist may well be your men and their second LP Squared will be the album.
While Squared weighs in three tracks lighter than their self-titled debut, it makes up for this by distilling the essence of Gist into a more intense listening experience. The Throw Down is the guitar-jangling, synth-swirling opener on this latest offering to which second track and single Dirty Man provides an immediate and total sonic counterpoint with its electro beats and vocoder vocals – not to mention a title which presciently comments on recent Hollywood scandal. Talking of titles – third track Cthulhu’s Love Theme defies expectations by providing an Air-ish piece of whimsy rather than, say, a wall of black metal noise. Won’t Be Pretty, Let It Blow and Feel It In Your Bones combine electro bleeps with rock guitar flourishes while Jacket Like You Mean It explores the nexus of JBs-ish funk jamming and electro. None of the above however manage to provide the full weirdness of the only fully vocal track and what must surely be the next single – Awesomesauce which pretty much does for funk what Mike Patton’s Mr Bungle project did for rock. Or something. You get the gist.
(Out now HERE)