Brooklyn Funk Essentials has debuted their newest single, their feelgood, rollerskating jam ‘Rollin’ (Love Will Be Here)’ out now on Dorado Records.
‘Rollin’ (Love Will Be Here)’ is the 4th single from Intuition, Brooklyn Funk Essentials’ seventh album of stellar, master-crafted R&B, discofunk, poly-riddims and pop-laced hooks, which will drop on May 5th.
Across a career that stretches 30 years and seven albums, BFE have established themselves as an audacious project, fusing soul, hip hop, spoken word, jazz, Latin and of course, funk. The band have built up a loyal international cult following on every continent since inception in 1993 by iconic producer Arthur Baker and bassist Lati Kronlund. BFE was born out of New York’s buzzing hip hop, jazz and slam poetry scenes in the early 90s, rotating some of the finest musicians, DJs, poets, rappers and singers. BFE’s celebrated debut album ‘Cool & Steady & Easy’ (Dorado/RCA 1995) scored an underground hit with the version of Pharoah Sanders and Leon Thomas’ ‘The Creator Has a Master Plan’, while tracks like ‘Take The L Train’ and ‘Big Apple Boogaloo’ became DJ favorites.
This new ’70s soul inspired roller romp and sinewy thump with the luscious vocals of Alison Limerick has its roots in the forever earworms of Ohio Players, Mary Jane Girls and Roy Ayers, complete with Brass Construction-esque horns and a Chuck Brown-inspired go-go break thrown in for good measure. The infectious tune was co-written with original Brooklyn Funk Essentials member and creator Hanifah Walidah (aka Sha-Key), who combined the hooky groove with lyrics capturing the relief when lockdown was finally over and we could party again.
BFE also have made ‘Intuition’ available today for their legions of fans to pre-save. The album is Brooklyn Funk Essentials’ first long player since 6th album Stay Good in 2019. It sees BFE lay out their new ‘all killer no filler’ long player across eight tracks of laid back grooves and arrangements that still remain cool, steady and easy. Alison Limerick (vocals), Desmond Foster (guitar, vocals), Ebba Âsman (trombone, backing vocals), Hux Nettermalm (drums, percussion), Kristoffer Wallman (keys, vibraphone and synths) and bandleader Lati Kronlund (bass, guitars, keys and producer) deliver a confident and vibrant set of originals.
From the roller disco-esque Brass Construction meets S.O.S. Band-like stomp of party selects like ‘AA Side Single’ and ‘How Happy’ to jams like the signature horn-fuelled arrangements, chunky grooves and vox fierceness of ‘Scream!’, ‘Sho’Nuff’ and the hook-laden title track ‘Intuition’. The album also welcomes dub poet Everton Sylvester from the original 1993 BFE band line-up. Sylvester’s honeyed contribution ‘Mama’ celebrates single mothers and was originally written for the band’s 2008 ‘Watcha Playin’ long player, but now fused with a sinewy jam lead by Ebba’s dreamy trombone. BFE closes out the 8-track with the quiet storm-ish ‘Unkissed’, a reflective R&B paean about the difficulties of expressing love to those we care about the most when everyday life gets in the way.
For more information, please visit the bands website.
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