We just featured these guys as our Album of the Week, so before you read this interview, perhaps head on over to that feature to check the lowdown on their album that has been tearing it up all over the place. In fact, why not check out our first interview with Soul Clap in 2011 and see how we've moved on to appreciate all this booty shakin' funk music, yo!
The Plug
Your debut album shares its name with your EFUNK mixtape- did you know back then it would inspire a full album?
The EFUNK mixtape was a necessary move in defining our sound at that moment and shows a lot of our influences. At the time we made the mixtape it wasn't clear what we had unearthed, but we could tell it was special.
So much of us, our style, our attitude, our freakiness, our lives, the way we lay down bass-lines and tweak those synths... all that shit is EFUNKy. So when it came time to name the first album we kind of looked at each-other and just nodded "yep, we gonna call this EFUNK"
Other than making basslines to move butts with was there anything else you were looking to do with EFUNK?
Stylistically this album is a representation of our background, but also a definition of where we are right now. We wanted to get a little taste of everything on there.
There's definitely some funky stuff on there, some R&B and Slow Jams, 90's and 80's stuff and rap or hip-hop feels. Then there's also rave, new disco, disco, house, it’s all on there...
And of course, we're working hard to keep the tradition alive of making, buying, carrying and playing vinyl. So if you are a DJ or a collector and buy EFUNK on wax, you'll really get the full experience. The album is designed to fit perfectly onto two sides of one vinyl, so drop the needle at the beginning of one side, let it ride thru and flip and again; it’s an action packed 45 minutes!
At what point did you start the process of making the LP?
The first pieces of the EFUNK puzzle began back in late 2010, we were all living in Miami at the time but there were a lot of distractions so we didn't get it done. Then we spent a year talking about what we wanted to accomplish and listening to all our favorite albums. November and December 2011 was when we finally took time off, got in the studio, and got it done.
There are a host of collaborators on the album- one Mel Blatt of All Saints fame caught our eye in particular. How did these relationships begin; was it a natural thing or did you approach specific musicians with initial ideas?
All the collaborations are very organic. We met Mel Blatt at the closing party of DC10 in Ibiza last season. It was our first time playing there and Mel was up front and center raving with the best of 'em. After our set she came running up to introduce herself. She's a friend of our friend Liz Mendez from Kubicle, and it turned out we are really kindred spirits.
For this collaboration it was really easy and fun, especially because Mel has a great attitude. Roldy Cesaire is a cat we met back in Boston, a guy who literally handed a demo to us over the turntables while we were playing, but his style is so dope and Caribbean-R&B-funky. Franceska we met thru Word & Sound (our distributor), and she sounds like Janet so that’s a no-brainer.
Everyone else Baby Prince, Julez Born, Genevan Heathen… they are Wolf + Lamb family or folks we've been cool with for some time now. Moving forward though, rather than doing the collaborations over the internet, it would be nice to all be in one place and work together physically in the same space.
The Issues
If Gadi Mizrahi is credited as Baby Prince on the album then what role do you guys play in the W+L family?
We work as a team through and through. Gadi and Zev are still in charge of W+L, and DS, but we definitely lend our tastes and opinions. Similarly they help us in our decision-making. Zev still leads in most of the design work too.
Gadi basically executive produced the EFUNK album. Similarly we're helping executive produce the upcoming Wolf + Lamb album due out in the next few months. Everyone is always lending a hand. It may look like a bunch of separate projects, but actually we are climbing the mountain that is dance music as one!
Your music has a nostalgic edge to it, with many tracks on EFUNK nodding to various styles of pop music. Do you think in 2040 we'll have DJs thinking on a Lady GaGa or Black Eyed Peas tip in order to create club sounds?
That’s a good question and only time will tell. But hopefully dope DJs will choose the best music possible. I mean, we're out there playing 80's music for sure, but were not selecting super commercial garbage, ya heard?
Why do you think the slo-mo thing has seen such a surge in popularity over recent years?
Probably because Minimal Techno took the cold computer robot rave vibe as far as people could take it, so the crowds started craving a more personal, human, sexy sound. Slow and sexy wins the race, definitely...
Trying to come up with comparisons to you guys isn't that easy. If you could ensure people liken you to three other artists or acts in music, alive or dead, which would you go for?
We like to think that we're channeling the philosophy of DJs like Larry Levan at the Paradise Garage, who would create magic on the dance floor playing special edits and using the entire spectrum of genres to paint the musical picture.
That’s why our DJ sets are such a variety show, such a roller coaster ride. We like to get it all in there, which is what we mean when we say "House wears many hats".
Finally, what's next now the EFUNK mothership has landed?
Time to get FUNKY for a while and then we launch our label, Soul Clap Records, in the autumn!
