Germany is probably not the first place that comes to mind when you think of funk bands. After all, Germany isn’t necessarily known for being fun and upbeat. However, the country has produced a great funk band called The Mighty Mocambos. On their new album 2066, the band fuses soul, funk, and hip-hop into an infectious blend that will surely get you moving.
The album gets off to a great start with the instrumental title track “Preaching to the Choir”. It’s hard not to be captivated by this one. You hear the rhythm section and you can’t help but sway. Meanwhile, the keyboards and the guitar add a bit of a spacey, psychedelic sound. As if that weren’t enough, you get some soulful vocals that under normal circumstances would be backing vocals – only there aren’t any other vocals on the track. This one hooks you immediately into the rest of the album.
One of the noteworthy things about this album is the guest appearances. JSwiss adds some hip-hop flavor with his vocals on “Stronger”, while one of the most noticeable guest appearances on the album is by Lee Fields on “Where Do We Go From Here”. This is a slow-burning soul song in the tradition of Sam Cooke and Willie Hightower. The bass line is slow and steady, but even with that in mind, it is impossible to ignore. Even more impossible to ignore is Fields’s vocals, which includes some shouts that would make Otis Redding proud.
The album ends with another noteworthy guest appearance on the track “Bounce that Ass,” which features Ice-T and Charlie Funk. While Ice-T has always been a great rapper, he sounds even better with a funk band behind him on this club-ready hit. It makes you wonder both why he hasn’t done this sort of collaboration more often as well as when and if he’ll do it again.
The band shows the ability to bounce from one sound to the next with ease. Whether it’s hip-hop, straight funk, or soul, this band is tight and is unafraid to incorporate some different sounds from one song to the next. “Superstrada” is a great example with its Indian sounds (think Cornershop) that can be heard in the background along with some vibraphones. Keep in mind that this is a funk song though – complete with a sax solo at the end.
On some albums, you get nothing but bangers, and you don’t ever want to skip any of the songs no matter how many times you listen. This is one of those albums. Pick any song, and you’ll hear something you enjoy thoroughly. Not only that, but you’ll hear a song that will make you want to shake what your mama gave you.
