published: 10 /
5 /
2018
Label:
Funke and the Two Tone Baby
Format: CD
Marvellous third album from one-man sonic explosion Funke and the Two Tone Baby, whose music is a collision of the blues, electronica and dance
Review
‘Denizen’ marks the return and further development of Kent-based 29-year old Daniel Turnbull AKA Funke and the Two Tone Baby - a one -man sonic explosion whom I have had the pleasure of meeting and watching on a number of occasions. It has to be said that he remains uncategorized and uncharted. There is no house in which to keep young Funke (pronounced FUNKY ). He is as, he states, “jammed halfway between frenzied alt-blues and metronomic dance beats.” The massive sound that comes out of his stage show is unbelievably also from just him! In combining guitar and harmonica with beatboxing and other weird and wonderful effects he creates a fresh sound of insanely unstoppable rhythm and unrelenting melody. He has supported Skinny Lister, Beans on Toast, Hayseed Dixie and Mercury Prize nominees the Comet is Coming on a forty date festival tour in 2017, and played stand-out shows at Beautiful Days, Bearded Theory, Hungary’s Sziget Festival and trendy Nottingham festival Deerstock. Funke, whose favourite band are Holy Fuck, has quickly becoming a must-see act on the festival and touring circuit. 2018 will see yet more shows from Funke, and what a way to celebrate his multi-tasking sonic crusade than with the release of his third album.
Drum machines, synths and beatboxing collide with blues guitar, harmonica and gravelled vocals on this offering that has more of a punk influence than the his previous two albums with raw electronic beats set against even fattier dance grooves. The jovial and clever observations about fake news on ‘Genghis Khan’ are a clear example of the man's talent, as is the jazz-meets-drum and bass mash-up of ‘Doppelgänger’. Festivals should be ringing with the sing-along standard of ‘Work all Week’ into the early hours.. This is the sound that I imagined Dan getting into when I first saw him at Deerstock a few years ago. Since his last album, ‘Balance’, Dan has managed to get a load more gear into his live set-up and which has also made it into the studio adding to the thicker sound. There is some devilish banjo on the doom-laden ‘Fortuna’, which was written chiefly about one of the lowest moments in Dan’s life.
If there is one thing you treat yourself to this year, then it is buying this album. It is guaranteed to make you smile. So, go one further and make it to a live show. Funke and the Two Tone Baby are coming to a venue near you. Marvellous!
Track Listing:-
1
Genghis Khan
2
Dance Until You Drop
3
Few More Hours
4
Reshape
5
House
6
Doppelgänger
7
Fortuna
8
The Signal Is Cut
9
Work All Week
10
The World Will Be a Wasteland
Band Links:-
https://funkeandthetwotonebaby.co.uk/
https://www.songkick.com/artists/26569
https://funkeandthetwotonebaby.bandcam
https://www.facebook.com/funkeandthetw
https://www.instagram.com/funke2toneba
https://twitter.com/funke2tonebaby/