- The triumphant return of the explosive UK funky group.
- Back in the early 2010s, very few artists were making UK funky tracks as explosive as those cooked up by Ren Phillips, Stimpy and Maxsin. Even now, I dare anyone to play "Dirty Dutch" and not have the dance floor explode—the track channels not only UK funky, but everything good from that era of British dance music, from icy cool grime to the sugar rush of Rustie. But, as Scratcha DVA recently pointed out in a tweet cheekily prodding the trio to get back in the studio, Phillips, Stimpy and Maxsin have used the subsequent decade to focus on other sounds. This Is Not a Tech House EP, however, is a return to form (and a response to Scratcha that you can see unfold in real-time in the comments). From the moment we hear their signature "Funkystepz" voiceover on "4DVA," the group lays out a guns-blazing tutorial on UK funky's past, present and future.
In the past year, UK funky has been back in the dance music limelight with labels like Livity Sound showcasing UK funky lifers, while artists as far-flung as Shed have had a go at its syncopated rhythms. Listening to This Is Not a Tech House EP, it's easy to see how the genre's versatility is a huge part of this undying appeal. Alongside classic funky sounds, Funkystepz push the envelope on a number of tracks, casting a wide net on contemporary dance music, from 2-step ("KMT") to dub ("Vybz Kartel"). On "Grimey," we get a sinister synth line that lives up to the track's name, but there's also a speed garage darkness to the drums and bass before a climactic breakdown of wistful chords. "Hurt" has a similar emotional range, tapping into UK funky's reservoirs of heartbreak. The longing feeling stirred up by the vocals and overcast pads call to mind Crazy Cousinz and Kyla's Drake-sampled anthem, "Do You Mind."
While this may seem like a lot of ground to cover, those signature melodies that Funkystepz seem able to churn out in their sleep are This Is Not A Tech House's lingua franca. Conversations around UK funky usually focus on the rhythm sections, but Funkystepz have always had a flair for melodic flourishes. You can hear this in the frenetic energy of "Ninjaclart," the Spanish guitar of "Forgive" or in "Pulse Loco 21," where a series of Latin-flecked pianos tip-toe above the rumbling low-end.
Records like this make it feel like UK funky is as relevant now as it was when Funkstyepz were originally putting out future classics for labels like Hyperdub. Each track on This Is Not a Tech House EP is a bona fide bomb. The fact that Funkystepz haven't released a record like this since the early 2010s is telling. UK funky, to the detriment of producers, DJs, and punters alike, has largely existed outside of the critical and commercial mainstream for the past decade. With This Is Not A Tech House EP, Funkystepz underline the genre's status as one of the most exciting movements coming out of the Black British underground.
Tracklist01. 4DVA
02. Ninjaclart
03. Pulse Loco 21
04. Grimey
05. Hurt
06. KMT
07. Vybz Kartel
08. Forgivee