Kaval
Drum Answer
Club Djembe
Is UK funky “back” yet? For several years now, there have been rumbles about the enticingly syncopated genre making a return to the spotlight—I myself penned a whole column about it back in 2024—but as of now, the style is still something of a niche concern.
That, however, doesn’t mean that funky isn’t alive and kicking. Old-school heads like Roska continue to drop records on a regular basis, and for those seeking fresher-faced talent, few labels are more reliable than Club Djembe. Technically speaking, the Bristol outpost isn’t strictly devoted to the genre—its releases often pull from a variety of African and Caribbean rhythms, along with the wider expanse of the hardcore continuum—but an EP like Drum Answer unquestionably has a whole lot of funky in its DNA. The latest offering from French producer Kaval, it opens with “Floating Island,” a silky, percolating cut that quickly evokes thoughts of sipping champagne and leisurely cruising along the coastline.
Things pick up steam from there, and though Drum Answer remains a relatively bubbly affair throughout, the robust percussion of songs like “Mechanical” and the EP’s title track definitely recall the high-stepping swagger of OGs like Hard House Banton and iLL BLU. With its sidewinding bassline, “Tekky Arp” flashes a seductive edge, while the rude horns and baritone vocal chops of “Icebreaker” wrap up the proceedings on a joyous—and slightly rowdy—note. Call it funky if you like, but it’s Kaval’s drum programming that will make these tunes pop, regardless of whether or not those listening are old enough to remember the days when Crazy Cousinz were in the charts and Cooly G was on the cover of XLR8R magazine.