Funky/London/UK House

[Tentative Andy]

In my view the notion of "hardcore continuum" is pretty useless unless its only qualifying requirement is "this is the music that runs things in East London" - all other forms of continuity flow from that really.

But yes, I think that funky has to be seen as something of a reset button returning the sheer physicality of dance music to centre focus. This is why fervent prayers for "dark funky" seem kind of wrongheaded to me: it's not that I don't like darker funky tunes, but wanting darkness to be the organising principle is an implied disavowal of all the positive things that funky has brought to the table (chiefly: dancing as the focus and the capacity to cover a broader range of emotions). Why on earth would anyone want funky that you can moodily nod your head to?

It's not a choice between dark funky, cheesy funky and conservative deep house funky - really, rallying around any one of these notions of funky seems very constrictive to me.

This is a good point, but thinking back over discussions of the music that I've read/heard, whilst some people certainly wanted more darkness (maybe 'cause they were so immersed in dubstep and other dark sounds at the time), a lot of people just wanted it to become more banging, more lively and energetic. This has definitely happened, and what the producers have managed to prove so far is that you can have stuff that is high-energy whilst still being melodic, whilst still containing feminine elements, whilst still seeming cheesy-in-a-good-way, etc. It doesn't all have to be darkness or ruffneck rudeboy attitude, although of course there's plenty of room for those flavour as well.

 

[Grievous Angel]

Tim F makes a good point. But still... better quality.

Pple who argue that funky does not FULLY propagate the nuum... well... it makes no sense.

Yes to upper body movement. hands in the air. V important point. And v Reyoldsian point to make Dan!!!!!

conservative sonically compared to wonky gear and grime... but ... so so good. (And so much shit about too!! Just like 2step)

Marcus ridiculously exciting re Bedford, wish Eden would comment on this.

 

[craner]

this is the music that runs things in East London

Lovely to even know Tim Finney stills checks this forum, but that's so wrong. It was always a London and Surrounding Counties thing + other regional satellites (Bristol, Leicester) that always fed back to London, with its hermetic infrasctructre.

Following jungle and 2-step in Swansea, then Leeds, then Cardiff, I could get & hear all the main tracks, but then I'd stay in London with friends through all these periods, take a stack of tapes and record pirate shows, and the music was always much better (because newer and illicit), months ahead of what you would hear otherwise (& with loads of superb tracks that never even got pressed and released). There was nothing to compare to the insane London cutting edge in those years, and it all devolved to London. I'm sorry, jungle and 2-step (the crowning achievments) would not have existed without this city.

I'm with Reynolds and the 'Nuum' because, you know what, it was there, it existed, and it's not theory. And 'dubstep' and 'wonky' have nothing to do with it, as far as I can see.

 

[hint]

Funky is MUCH more exciting to me at the moment than wonky or dubstep. Much more vital. I love the idea of the hardkore continuum but anyone who thinks that funky is not a rightful successor to it is off their head.

It has the continuity of personnel that Reynolds was on about (Footloose as he mentioned and best of all Geneeus - someone who has gone from jungle to garage to grime, flirted with (rubbish) slower dubstep beats and is now running things in Funky).

Genuine question, because I don't know... but was there much continuum talk when actual drum and bass producers like Dego, Seiji, Domu, Photek started making House? Seems there's a much stronger "continuity of personnel" there.

 

[Tim F]

Craner I agree with your last post re counties and satellites, but still... Would I be wrong to say that the continuum, while not always restricted to East London, always requires the support of East London. I don't think that's true of any other area.

Basically my thesis (as an outsider obv) is that if the clubs and radio stations in East London are/were not playing the music you're touting as being part of the continuum, it's not part of the continuum.

But that's not to say other areas, both within and beyond London, haven't contributed massively to these musics.

 

[Tim F]

This is a good point, but thinking back over discussions of the music that I've read/heard, whilst some people certainly wanted more darkness (maybe 'cause they were so immersed in dubstep and other dark sounds at the time), a lot of people just wanted it to become more banging, more lively and energetic. This has definitely happened, and what the producers have managed to prove so far is that you can have stuff that is high-energy whilst still being melodic, whilst still containing feminine elements, whilst still seeming cheesy-in-a-good-way, etc. It doesn't all have to be darkness or ruffneck rudeboy attitude, although of course there's plenty of room for those flavour as well.

Also, I agree with this completely - I was thinking more of the people who are still complaining about funky now and wanting it to be more like, say, the last Kode9 single.

My own taste tends to gravitate towards the more banging stuff, tunes like Funkystepz's "My Sound", Perempay & Dee's "Buss It", "Inflation", the harder Donaeo stuff.

 

[mms]

the attitude in funky, on the pirates from the mcs is amazingly different and refreshing compared to the war reports of grime and the in jokes and hosting toasting of dubstep.
the return of pretty, stush girls and some right old characters to plastic people thru beyond was great too, seeing girls rush the floor for certain tunes, stuff like 'frontline' and 'do you mind' as well, that return of feminine energy, is great, darkness, gets very dull very quickly as by it's nature it needs to be balanced with colour, else it can't exist, so the current balance is great.

hints right too, west london lot were breaking up house way before north east and bedford got on it, although course this stuff is after grime while the west london stuff is after garage.

 

[mos dan]

the return of pretty, stush girls and some right old characters to plastic people thru beyond was great too, seeing girls rush the floor for certain tunes, stuff like 'frontline' and 'do you mind' as well, that return of feminine energy, is great, darkness, gets very dull very quickly as by it's nature it needs to be balanced with colour, else it can't exist, so the current balance is great.

this para raised in my head the relative masculinity levels (literally and sonically) in plastic people (a) as described above with the stush girls at beyond and (b) in the last half hour of distance's set at fwd the sunday before. light years apart in every possible way.

have people already discussed the crazy cousinz tee shirt remix? i have no idea how old it is.

 

[Tentative Andy]

Also, I agree with this completely - I was thinking more of the people who are still complaining about funky now and wanting it to be more like, say, the last Kode9 single.

My own taste tends to gravitate towards the more banging stuff, tunes like Funkystepz's "My Sound", Perempay & Dee's "Buss It", "Inflation", the harder Donaeo stuff.

I love the synth sounds on Buss It.
I think the great thing about both Doneao and Crazy Cousinz is that the scene already has its first pop-crossover artists, and that so far they've been doing the pop-crossover thing in a good way. Probably drawn a lot of people into the sound.

 

[Elijah]

Yes. Buss It is where I want it 2be. That tunes a percy.

 

[Grievous Angel]

Re: Bedford: in the Funky Manifesto thing, Lil Silva does a shout out "to my Bedford crew". Funky seems to have lots of engagement with the sattellite towns. Scene is pretty broad geographically judging by the adverts on myspace etc.

 

[Alfons]

Genuine question, because I don't know... but was there much continuum talk when actual drum and bass producers like Dego, Seiji, Domu, Photek started making House? Seems there's a much stronger "continuity of personnel" there.

Yeah, is the whole broken beat thing nuum? And whats funky's releationship to broken beat?

 

[faustus]

I was thinking more of the people who are still complaining about funky now and wanting it to be more like, say, the last Kode9 single

i dont really recognise this hypothetical person

 

[nomos]

who's this all female funky crew from leicester that was just on marcus nasty's show a minute ago? i missed the name.

 

[Grievous Angel]

Yeah, is the whole broken beat thing nuum? And whats funky's releationship to broken beat?

No, broken beat isn't really nuum, which shows the (admitted) limitations of the model. It doesn't cover everything, never tried to!

Some funky DJs seem to play the housier end of broken beat. Reckon it's due for a resurgence.

BTW, 2562's background isn't garage, it's broken beat.

 

[slackk]

who's this all female funky crew from leicester that was just on marcus nasty's show a minute ago? i missed the name.

I don't know but they were absolutely awful.

 

[Grievous Angel]

/\ LOL.

Just heard from kode. he opened his dmz set with my remix of Loser. Wish I coulda seen that!

 

[nomos]

i just heard the interview. was curious what it was about.

congrats paul!

 

[slackk]

i just heard the interview. was curious what it was about.

congrats paul!

Nah from what I understand they're an all female crew, who produce and vocal their own riddims. The one they played wasn't that good and the interview was a bit weird because the writer has lost her voice.

Marcus tries though, at least.

 

[Ach!]

re: bedford

I think the general luton/bedford/mk area has always had an influence over the years, almost like a freak extension of north london - probably even more so with hertfordshire. Steve gurley from mk, and Macabre Unit (specifically producer k9/9ner) from bedford standing out immediately.