Kiwi Funk – ‘Kiwi Iz Here’ EP

‘Kiwi Iz Here’ is the debut release from British producer Kiwi Funk. The EP is out on January 26^th on Canadian Label Dash Deep Records.

Kiwi Funk hails from South Wales and the five-track release consists of upbeat electronica and Balearic house. Kiwi Iz Here has a contagious, funky feel throughout; laden with kicks over rising, unremitting, electronic rhythms. The EP is clearly inspired by an array of influences – from acid house to the self-styled French house of Daft Punk. Kiwi Funk lists his musical passions as disco and old school and Kiwi Iz Here is a superb re-interpretation of these genres.

Each track is distinct with the diverse EP exploring noticeably unique sounds. The opener, ‘Heaven’s Disco’, is a no-nonsense track that refuses to let up from start to finish. Frenzied from its opening beat to the last, the sound repeatedly fades and re-emerges with a distorted, crashing, looping beat – reminiscent of metal-heavy house duo Justice and their 2007 debut album ‘†’.

The second track ‘Kiwi Iz Here’ comes as a pleasant surprise. Its intricate funk guides us gently yet purposefully. A sonic fusion that lies somewhere between French house and disco; Kiwi is pure fun – imaginitive, surprising and its groove, infectious. ‘Catman’ acts a breakwater between the marked sounds that lie either side. Full of big house personality, it lacks the playfulness of the rest of the EP but cleanses the palette ahead of the second half of the EP and delivers us in the perfect mindset to handle the shift between the two faces of Kiwi’s offering.

‘Do You Feel’ and ‘Good Times’ are where we find the gentler moments and the real strength of the EP. The former is a Balearic track that evokes the spirit of a long-lost summer, bringing the party-fuelled emotion of an Ibiza season to Haverfordwest and the Pembrokeshire Peninsular. Do You Feel is the come-up, complete with the euphoric rush, while Good Times is the inevitable mellowing – a deep, sensual house sound. These two tracks belong as a pair. You even feel they could have even been released separately, such is the contrast with the preceding tracks.

Kiwi Funk has had limited exposure in the UK and this is his first proper release out on Vancouver-based Deep Dash Records. In 2013 the track ‘Groove Rig’ was featured on BBC Radio Wales by Adam Walton and he has offered a number of mixes on his Soundcloud, which can be downloaded for free. His previous productions explored deeper and darker techno but always with a faithful nod to funk and disco.

The unlikely collection of motley sounds, from disco to that of producers like Tiger and Woods marks out Kiwi’s style – an eclectic taste and a knack for fusing funk with a big club sound. The EP is out on the 26th of January.