Breakestra - Dusk Till Dawn

Dusk Till Dawn is Los Angeles based Breakestra’s second full length release. A collective of talented muso’s, their modern take on roots music is energetic, raw, & funky. First album Hit The Floor is one of my favourite organic breaks/hip hop/funk/soul LPs to ever put on the stereo, so I had very high hopes for this new one. The new album is also a tribute to the late DJ Dusk, who tragically lost his life in a road accident a few years ago.

Need a Little Love is a laid back funk number with the distinctive voice of MixMaster Wolf all over it. The uplifting horn soaked sound & passionate lyrics let you know what to expect from the album. Guest vocalist Afrodyete lends a hot mama vocal on Come On Over in a smooth groove.

Instrumental Back At The Boathouse is a Sunday arvo beer in hand vibe with some sweet organ action playing with a feisty horn. Get It Right sounds like a radio single with its catchy chorus and classic riffs. Me & Michelle is an evocative cello and wah-wah duet that conjures crazy soul images of love & lust.

I Don’t Wanna Wait and No Matter Where You Go bring back the funky ass vocals and step up the vibe for the second half of the record. The latter track containing the down under shoutout, “We partied with some cats down in Melbourne called the Bamboos”. You’ll find that funky soul indeed. The pants-wetting baritone of Charli 2Na teams up with DJ Dusk on ‘Posed To Be for a smooth hip hop flavoured joint.

Joyful Noise is a quality uplifting soul track. You’ll Never Know is a passionate keys driven affair. Set The Sun is a classic closer. A fantastic listen, Dusk Till Dawn is wild ride through a modern interpretation of a classic genre. Breakestra, along with contemporizes such as Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Alice Russell, The Bamboos, & The Lefties Soul Connection to name a few, are spearheading a quality funk vibe that translates so well to fans of electronic music and hip hop. After, it’s all about the funk.