Today’s picks are all about timeless groove — records that blend funk, soul, and global rhythms. From Nigerian disco to Parisian nu-funk and Caribbean electro-soul, each track brings its own flavor but shares one thing in common: undeniable vibe.
Only You - Steve Monite
Steve Monite blasted onto the scene in 1984 with his hit single Only You. The Afro-boogie jam is a perfect embodiment of electro soul mixed with the groove and bounce of disco. I really love how he’s blended funky and chunky bass lines with soulful and harmonic vocals. I always have great appreciation for artists whose work ends up sounding way ahead of it’s time. It’s almost impossible no matter what type of music you like to not throughly enjoy this song. Many music critics and aficionados consider this song as the holy grail of Nigerian funk. So much so that original pressings of this record have sold for over $1,300. The record was reissued in 2022 by Soundway Records which is the version I will be attaching below.
Frank Ocean famously covered this song during one of his festival sets in 2017 which help resurface this track to a new generation of listeners. You can watch his rendition here.
Don’t Forget It - Dabeull & Jordan Lee
Dabeull is a Parisian nu-funk god. He kinda looks like the French version of Bad Bunny hahah. I love musicians who successfully take inspiration from earlier time periods of and make it their own. Dabeull does exactly that. His rich and tender falsetto vocals matched with his vintage drum sound and funky chords work magic together. He prides himself on only using instruments and machines from the 70’s and 80’s which gives his production that crispy and nostalgic feel. Dabeull also has an awesome brand with strong visuals which helps to elevate his music and vibe. I mean just look at his photo.
Krye Mwen - David Walter
David Walters is a French-Caribbean artist who’s mastered the art of blending Afro-Caribbean rhythms with soul, funk, and just enough electronic pulse to keep your shoulders bouncing. The song I’m sharing Kryé Mwen (which means “Call Me” in Haitian Creole) is the type of song I’d expect to hear while eating lunch overlooking the Mediterranean sipping rose.
His 2020 album Soleil Kréyol which features this song, was inspired by retracing the life of his grandfather, a tap dancer and chef who migrated from Saint Kitts to New York.
One thing that drew me to his music was his knack for experimentation when finding new sounds to work with. Walters first started making beats on the OG Atari computer and an AKAI S950 sampler. His recent albums have featured handmade instruments like a piano made of ice. Not metaphorical ice. Actual ice. Wild.
I’d highly recommend diving into his catalog — start with Kryé Mwen, then let shuffle take you through his diverse catalogue.
Quote of the Day
“God had to create disco so I could be born and be successful.”
Video of the Day
This video is from the 1979 World Disco Finals.. I mean what a time. People were genuinely just vibing out having a great time. My favorite dancers were #14 and #21. I might need to steal some of their moves. Give it a watch and let me know who your favorite dancer is..
Photo of the Day
This is an image of Giorgio Moroder, the father of dance music. This Italian legend is widely credited with inventing electronic dance music. You 100% have heard one of productions whether you know it or not. He produced pretty much all of Donna Summer’s smash hits. He’s also worked with Bowie, Kylie Minogue, Berlin, Janet Jackson and so many other legends. If you’ve seen Scarface he did the entire soundtrack for that movie. The list goes on. I’m not sure who shot this image but, I think it was inside Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles. Probably sometime in the late 70’s early 80’s.
That’s all for today folks! See you on Friday!