
The Retrophonic Funk Machine: Operating Manual
By Ben Mortensen
Wanting to induce a pleasant funk feeling and put a smile on your face? Check the ‘Operating Manual’ for Dunedin’s 9-piece Retrophonic Funk Machine. Made up of rhythm section, guitars, keys, and a variety of horns, the 12 instrumental tracks admittedly can come across more as background music - something I could put on while reading a good book on the couch or chilling out at my local café - but that’s not a criticism. These funky, non-abrasive grooves allow you to enjoy the music without demanding your unflinching attention. You unconsciously find your head bobbing away to the music even though your thoughts are somewhere else altogether. The album does start with a hiss and a roar with a super-funky number entitled RFM, but some later tracks like Tautuku Groove become a little repetitive and predictable. Recorded at Dunedin’s Albany Street Studios and engineered and mixed by Stu Harwood, this manual is well worth a listen if funk is your thing.
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