It seems only fitting that Snoop Dogg should return to his G-funk roots following his disastrous foray into reggae with this past spring's Reincarnated. A fellow Angeleno known for his bass-thumping, synth-drenched and electro-clap driven grooves — which are indebted to the underground funk and boogie scenes of the early 1980s — Dâm-Funk are a perfect production foil for Snoopzilla (as Snoop has dubbed himself in tribute to Bootsy Collins). One spin of 7 Days of Funk is proof that the duo are intent on keeping the funk tradition alive, and had a great time doing it.
The two seamlessly blend on opener "Hit da Pavement," which fuses Snoop's typical laid-back delivery with a walloping thump into an inspired party jam, yet it's tracks like the romantic "Let It Go," with its spacey and atmospheric synthesizer, playful bounce and honey-smooth vocals that evoke the suave early '80s work of Kashif and Mtume, and the subtle and touching love letter to funk music "I'Il Be There 4U" that stand out. Snoop sounds the most committed to his material in years, and Dâm-Funk deliver trunk-thumping beats with hooky and sinuous synthesizer lines.
Apart from a generic cameo from Kurupt on "Ride," 7 Days of Funk is an infectious, modern take on the funk genre — here's hoping that Snoopzilla and Dâm-Funk will collaborate again.
(Stones Throw)The two seamlessly blend on opener "Hit da Pavement," which fuses Snoop's typical laid-back delivery with a walloping thump into an inspired party jam, yet it's tracks like the romantic "Let It Go," with its spacey and atmospheric synthesizer, playful bounce and honey-smooth vocals that evoke the suave early '80s work of Kashif and Mtume, and the subtle and touching love letter to funk music "I'Il Be There 4U" that stand out. Snoop sounds the most committed to his material in years, and Dâm-Funk deliver trunk-thumping beats with hooky and sinuous synthesizer lines.
Apart from a generic cameo from Kurupt on "Ride," 7 Days of Funk is an infectious, modern take on the funk genre — here's hoping that Snoopzilla and Dâm-Funk will collaborate again.