Thunder Fox’s Top 5 Funk Picks

Following the release of their new single ‘Hard Times’, Sydney’s Thunder Fox have shared their top 5 favourite funk picks with us.

For fans of Anderson .Paak and Lime Cordiale, Thunder Fox are carving out a delightful niche in the Australian music scene, creating an irresistible kaleidoscope of indie/R&B groove and funk. The five-piece spent the first half of this year welcoming back touring with open arms, now returning from an East Coast tour renewed and refreshed & ready to enter a new chapter as a band.

The new track ‘Hard Times’ was recorded at Yap Yap Studios in Coogee with Daniel Willington (Bootleg Rascal, Plini) and Andrew Edgson (Matt Corby, Hayden Calnin). Songwriter Sam Dawes went into detail about the story behind it, saying: “‘Hard Times’ is a song of catharsis. I was feeling pretty down and out at the time, growing tired of the bad news, bad people and bad jobs sucking all the joy from our lives. The song tells the story of two people who are struggling with 21st-century issues like the effects our media has on body image, the fear women can feel for their safety when walking home at night or working a shitty job and still not being able to pay for rent. All of these issues I’ve experienced or know someone who has so they’re close to home but, there’s a twist. I wasn’t feeling the idea of writing a depressing track so I had to find a silver lining… The idea that we’re not alone in this was the inspiration that tied the track together and where I found the hook.”

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To celebrate the release of ‘Hard Times’, they’ve highlighted their top funk picks- listen below!

Kaytranada 99.9%’ (album)
No.1 on my list is Haitian-Canadian wonderboy Kaytranada, whose music I heard for the first time in my friend Dan’s (AKA D Stellar) Bondi studio late one night in 2017. Specifically, he chucked on the album 99.9% and the next week I found this gem on CD at a record store – it’s been on high rotation in my car ever since. His raw production style, and in particular his treatment of the signature tactile hi-hats/cymbals, stands out to me as an ear-candy-focused production aesthetic that really brought something new to the game. Plus he was my gateway to Anderson .Paak and BADBADNOTGOOD and that alone is enough to love his work.

Chelsea Warner
Bringing things closer to home is Sydney-based producer/multi-instrumentalist Chelsea Warner who, despite releasing her first song as recently as 2020, has been making some serious waves with addictive tracks that ooze buttery vocals and come wrapped in a seriously slick style of production. I was lucky enough to catch Chelsea Warner’s live show at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory recently, where she made it crystal clear that her trajectory is just as solid on a live stage as it is coming through your AirPods. Also, she’s only 21, which is kinda crazy given her quality of work.

Disclosure
Disclosure is an act that needs no introduction. This UK based sibling duo are responsible for some of the most iconic and recognisable funk/dance numbers of the last 10 years, with vocal samples that embed themselves in your psyche (‘when a fire starts to burn’, anyone?) and an ability to arrange and produce beats that send sweaty bodies on a one way trip to boogie-town. As far as I’m concerned, Disclosure deserves all of the clout that they’ve built for themselves.

Nao ‘For All We Know’ (album)
Repping East London and imparting gifts so damn soulful they would melt your conservative grandpa’s icy glare is Nao. I came across Nao’s blissful voice and funked-up beats through a chance encounter while riding the Spotify algorithm and I don’t know whether to be ecstatic or terrified that the AI knows my taste better than I do. With jazz-trained vocal chops, a grammy under the belt and guest production features from the likes of Jungle, Nao is leaving a remarkable signature on the world of RnB, soul and funk.

Franc Moody
Ned Franc and Jon Moody are Franc Moody, London-based funk wizards delivering a maelstrom of liquid danceability straight to your thirsty brain. Make no mistake though, if you sidestep the abstract metaphors you will find some serious heavyweights who know what they are doing. If you want to be stankified by synth bass (so squelchy you could get stuck) and watch your arms execute moves you didn’t know you were capable of, the hooks, grooves and vocals of Franc Moody are the essential ingredients that you better get sourcing. 

 Listen to Thunder Fox’s new single out everywhere now, and watch the music video below!