DJ KICKS (2LP/CD) | VINYL RECORD (LP)

A lot of folks feel like they know Dam-Funk; he is laid-back, affable and personable but to truly get the guy, I mean really understand him, is to know a deep love of music like no other. A more suitable reflection of this is his contribution to the beloved DJ-Kicks series. A snapshot into the mind of the pioneer of Modern-Funk music... get to know the man behind the shades. At a satisfying 19 songs, Dam let's grooves breath, this is a mix to happily get lost within. It's a document in vibe. Unexpected contemporary joints from low-key producers like Henning and L33 mingle with lost gems from unlikely places. 80's Fusion-Jazz guitarist Tony Palkovic on "True To Yourself" follow the the airy-burn of new-age ensemble Gaussian Curve's "Broken Clouds" or the super rare bliss-Funk of "Theme From Beach Boy" from 1982. Dam's excellent collaboration with Nite Jewel, as 'Nite-Funk' on "Can U Read Me?" is pure bliss and such a fantastic collaboration you'd be yearning for more., reminding listens that one of Dam's biggest assists is his duality from master DJ to trend-setting producer. And we get this heavy on Dam's DJKicks exclusive "Believer". Sheets of synth lines fall all around a locking drum program that starts off innocently enough but ends you in a halfhypnotic state. An extensive instrumental composition that on it's own could only be classified as signature Modern-Funk. There may be a lot of folks dabbling but there really is only one Damon.