What do Chet Faker, Axolotl and The Bamboos have in common? If you guessed they all hail from Melbourne, you’d be correct.
You’d also be right if you said they all appear on a compilation record of Melbourne musicians who creatively experiment with the soulful sounds of jazz and funk.
All three artists are featured alongside an array of others on The Soul of Melbourne, a bonanza of contemporary funk and soul inspired sounds that have been pulsating out of the heart of Melbourne over the past few years.
The record features 18 tracks from a mix of artists including The Bombay Royale, Saskwatch, The Cactus Channel and Kylie Auldist.
The track list was compiled by Chris Gill of Northside Records and The Bamboos’ own Lance Ferguson.
The compilation is said to be a freeze-frame of the current Melbourne soul scene and features a list of sub-genres that’s as long as it is descriptive. Deep Funk, Neo Soul, Afrobeat, Bollywood, R&B, Spiritual Jazz, Northern Soul.
The real strength of the collection lays in the way it showcases Melbourne’s unique interpretation and execution of modern soul music, from Axolotl’s experimental ‘Debris’ to Gypsy Brown’s rhythmic jazz on ‘Stepping Stones’. Other standouts include Hiatus Kaiyote’s ‘Nakamarra’ and Electric Empire’s ‘Baby You’re Lovin’’, both of which feature strong soul-driven vocals.
With such a diverse range of sounds The Soul of Melbourne can be likened to a musical tapas of sorts; a carefully assembled collection of contemporary pleasures that gives you a small taste of what’s on offer yet leaves you feeling delightfully satisfied.
You’re sure to find something to your liking.
