Soul Emissaries’ SuperFunk

Title: SuperFunk

Label: BGP

A new SuperFunk collection and the first for a good few years. This series of compilations like to track the funk collecting scene. As such, this CD acknowledges the rise in funk rhythms within the rare soul scene. Also music that was previously seen to be too soulful has since proven popular with funk collectors who were previously into heavy James Brown-like funk. The changes have been triggered by younger collectors who have no problem with the cross-over sounds. Hence, this funk collection has a distinct soul edge to it, although there is still plenty of classic funk on offer.

The collection hits the ground running with Samson & Delilah’s You Bring The Tears, a wonderful start that features eminently singable chorus that hooks you from the very start.

George Jackson slides over to introduce the second track with another top quality track and Love Highjacker. This track gives you two extremes. It manages to exude emotion and passion while also promoting a minimalist, easy, sleazy groove that almost restricts the musical range that is present in the vocal delivery. Great contrasts.

My fear that this review was going to be enormous was beginning to trouble me because I next alighted on track 3 (What next? Track 4?) and Billy Cee’s innovative Dark Skin Woman which bathes in a reverb drenched vocal that retreats back into the instrumental backing adding distance between the vocal and the listener. There’s a disco twist to this track that adds extra bouncy groove.

Look, I’m bailing out after this one because I have to talk about track four and William Bostic and Sweet Thang. This vocal delivery takes a complete 180 degreen turn and almost gives you a Wall Of Sound vocal production, pushing the compression to the max and allowing Bostic to sing into the red, adding immediacy and intensity.

But you gotta listen to track five which…ok, ok, I’m done. Taxi!