True Groove All-Stars – ‘Funky World’ (Remix Compilation)

With the first signs of fall outside, one cannot resist to hold on to the memory of sunshine-fused days still printed on their skin, slowly blown out by the nippy breeze of summer breathing out. Just in time to bring us back to those days and drag us to the dance floor, the True Groove Artists and the True Groove label founder, Tomas Donker, present the ‘Funky World’ Remix Compilation in early September.

A cocktail of mixes and remixes is shaken up by some of the label’s ground-breakers, Lael Summer, Charlie Funk and Marla Mase varying from rhythmic afro funk to fluent soul and relaxed reggae/dance hall and subtly transforming the age defining genre of the 70s and the 80s, while giving it a certain contemporary twist. Yet, the original flair of that age is well preserved as the compilation seems to have soaked up influences from bands like The Black Seeds and Earth, Wind &Fire, as well as from the world music movement. These traditional funky beats meet some ethnic African motifs to present the Global Soul, which is heavily promoted by Donker, who is majorly involved in the creation of the tracks in the Funky World album.

With the leading ‘Kong’, ambiguous ‘AnnaRexia’ and my favourites ‘Funky World’, ‘I need a Man’ and ‘Half Life’, the album is an embodiment of Donker’s view and multi-cultural background. Having travelled round Asia and Africa, and being involved with various prominent artists such as Madonna, Bonnie Raitt and Bootsy Collins during the last few decades, the label founder has become an ethnic-fusion no-wave pioneer. He explains his visions for the Frost Magazine as “The sound of our collective conscience. The unified rhythm of heart beats, creating a positive, spiritually uplifting force for good. Musically speaking it is not genre specific, but in fact genre inclusive. It is the best of what we have to offer to each other, from Brooklyn to Ethiopia, and everywhere in between.”

And if that’s not enough, the album involves producers like Dennis Mitchel, Touchy Feely and Grammy winning Bill Laswell, previously involved with various artists such as: Herbie Hancock, Bob Marley and Mick Jagger; as well as dub- artist Doctor Israel and drum and bass pioneer Kurt Submerged.

The tracks are more electric than funk with just enough swing and rhythm to make one groove the chilly night away! Check out the compilation below and enjoy the positive vibes!

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