Born from the musical womb of James Brown and christened in the rhythmic spirit of The Meters, Vulfpeck are this century’s funk overlords. Propelled by an accessible, modern brand of funk and a charming, internet-friendly personality, Vulfpeck grew from four UMichigan music students’ side project into a DIY musical empire. From releasing an album of silence to becoming the first act to sell out Madison Square Garden without a manager, Vulfpeck has taken an unconventional road to success. As such, fans were hardly surprised when the chronically online funksters announced that their new album was “recorded in a sauna in secret.”
It is unlikely that “Schvitz” — named after a traditional Jewish steambath — was actually put to tape in a sauna, but if this release cycle’s music videos are any indication, Vulf is committed to the bit. Notably, the video for album opener “Sauna” features the group clad in bathrobes and bright red hats jamming away in a wooden sauna-themed studio space. The song itself is essential Vulfpeck — breezy keyboards, restrained drums, and scatted falsetto vocals congeal into the band’s signature retro pop-funk sound. Penned by keyboardist Woody Goss, the track builds from an electric piano riff into a three-minute mid-tempo funk meditation, allowing listeners to wet their feet before the band cranks up the heat.
Where “Sauna” is a relaxed minimalist toe-tapper, “New Guru” is an invitation to stand up and shake your hips. Electric bassist and perpetual sunglasses-wearer Joe Dart serves up an impressive bout of four-string wizardry here, culminating in a stank-faced head-bobbing bass solo. Vocalist Antwaun Stanley takes the mic for this tune, enhancing the track with his energetic tenor voice and chipper delivery — in fact, six of the album’s ten tracks feature the Flint, Michigan native on lead vocals.
Stanley’s involvement on the record marks a departure from Vulfpeck’s primarily instrumental sound, as the band leans into their pop sensibilities to deliver vocal hooks on top of their established funk grooves. The one song on the record to not feature vocals is the delightfully silly “Romanian Drinking Song,” a track that sees multi-instrumentalist Theo Katzman add “kazoo” to his list of talents. Indeed, the song features interlocking solos from Katzman on kazoo and Joey Dosik on saxophone — simple, but effective.
Since their modest beginnings in 2011, Vulfpeck has been a band committed to growth. Equally groovy and catchy, “Schvitz” is a masterclass in funk-meets-indie-pop, marking a brand new era in an already storied career.
Featured image from Bandcamp, Vulfpack
