Album Review: Funk’t Up

Something Zesty is a musical project from solo-artist Iain Chamberlain and Funk’t Up, released in early 2021, is his debut album. It offers a mix of easy going funk riffs and enjoyable guitar-infused tracks overlaid with urban vocals. What makes it special is its array of experimental sounds which take, what might be beachy funk-pop, to an altogether another level. I’d say this is down to Chamberlain’s creative talent in bringing narrative and visual work to his musical output. It’s just good, imaginative and accessible music.

Chamberlain is the modern one-man band, instead of rigging up pan-pipes and a tambourine to his limbs, he’s composed a complex arrangement through programming and recording. These types of people, who bring all the instruments together in their musical vision, have a way of captivating, most obviously because of their talent, and with Something Zesty it’s also the creative output which covers everything from lyrics to album cover work.

I enjoyed the computer noise funk of the opening track Welcome To The Kitchen. The strong second track Dr Funk has seductive familiar funk riffs and continues with what ends up sounding like the soundtrack to an a very cool vintage console game. It’s hip, for sure. Funky music is going to free your soul, it claims. I’m in.

In 0800 ZE5T distorted vocals are arranged alongside electric guitar chords, it’s a multi-layered musical piece which holds your attention. In Season Finale we hear a more mellow vibe with piano taking centre stage overlaid with epic guitar chords, at only 1.02 minutes it’s almost finished before it’s started, more please. That’s a nine minute track waiting to happen.

This is the kind of music you listen to with a good view and that lifts the mood. The closing track A Visit From The Future definitely has that dominant sci-fi funk sound and lyrics include “holding it down in this crazy world”, which we can all attest to in recent times. Something Zesty bring a sort of space pinball theme tune with is funk sound and layers of instruments arranged effortlessly, a varied and sure footed first album.