Funk and jazz’s cross-genre transcendence may be more prevalent today than ever. To some degree or another, it can be heard in hip-hop, electronic, indie and just about any other style of music you can think of. If you’re still not convinced in listening to contemporary albums from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, The Social Experiment, Thundercat and Griz, look no further than Masego and Medasin‘s recently released funktasitc Pink Polo EP. On the project, Masego, a native of Kingston, Jamaica, plays sax, sings and produces while Medasin, a master of monster beats, contributes a marked bombastic, atmospheric trap vibe through out.
The resulting combination makes for an incredibly unique and enjoyable listening experience that recalls the greats of both funk and jazz while injecting the sounds of contemporary electronic music. Through out the 8-track project, epic sax solos are mixed in with 808s, heavy drops and James Brown-esque vocals–it’s unlike anything we’ve ever heard before. There’s straight party starters on the project like “Shut up and Groove,” “Bounce,” and “Girls That Dance,” but there’s also supreme jams on songs like “Sunday Vibes” that make us wonder what it might sound like if Thelonius Monk had access to modern day recording equipment.
Masego probably sums up the style of this project best in his Soundcloud description calling it “Traphouse Jazz.” The Pink Polo EP, released through the rapidly rising Film Noir records, arrives right in time for your sunny 4th of July celebrations. Stream it below and, if you’re digging it as much as us, buy it over at Bandcamp.
