Music like Coldcut, who started the label, music from the periphery of bigbeat, triphop, downtempo and jazzier corners of turntablism.
Music like their Solid Steel radio show tagline (“the broadest beats”) a collage of soundtracks, soundbites and surprising breaks.
Funkungfusion must be someone’s idea of a term to encompass their variety of music.
Many of the producers on this sampler have great albums, but this one brings together a couple of rare gems.
Up, Bustle and Out’s version of ‘Emerald Alley’ is one of my favourites from a group exploring a world of music.
Likewise the live version of Coldcut’s ‘More Beats + Pieces’ has an energy that’s distinct.
One time a friend asked why the version of this song on their album doesn’t sound like the one she remembered.
I have many memories from taking over hi-fis at parties and playing these beats and pieces and seeing everyone moving with it.
Amon Tobin’s ‘Sordid’ is one of his snappiest tracks built from Gene Krupa samples, and he has a few of those.
That’s a good song when you’re mixing tracks because it can go around ten beats per minute faster or slower as required.
The jazz influence was big in the Ninja Tune roster and, while Cinematic Orchestra would define a serious-minded corner, Clifford Gilberto and Mr Scruff both found cartoonish interpretations.
There’s often a playful character to the music, like the latter’s song about singing fish baits an earworm.
DJ Food’s ‘The Crow’ has a sombre orchestral tone that seems like a coming of age for the moniker that was once an alternate for Coldcut to release breaks, but has been redefined by Kevin Foakes.
Likewise the “DJ Food Re-Bake” of The Herbaliser’s ‘Mrs Chombee Takes The Plunge’ steers that track back into jazzier territory.
The music on Funkungfusion carried me from making mixtapes to making mix CDs, then the wonderful Ninja Tune Forum community led me into remixing and having a hands-on experience with music again.
It’s great we’re still making Shinobi Cuts and the “Let Us Play!” ethos of Coldcut has been an influence throughout the last 20 years.
