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ZIP: P.O.W Best Of: Dam-Funk’s Soundcloud (Left Click)

There isn’t a man on planet earth more deserving of the Funk Philanthropist of the Year award than Dam-Funk. That award, as I’m sure you know, doesn’t exist. But if said award did exist, Dam-Funk would’ve won for the last three or four years running, though I can’t think who would’ve won in 2008. Artists weren’t giving away nearly as much free music back then (Radiohead’s In Rainbows only dropped in 2007).

Anyway, if you haven’t been keeping up with the Chronicles of (Damon) Riddick on his Soundcloud, or even if you don’t know what a Soundcloud is, all you need to know is that Dam has been consistently releasing his brand of modern funk—synth heavy, spaced out 80s/90s boogie filtered through the G-Funks lenses of the only man keeping his hood pass intact with a keytar strapped to his body— gratis via his Soundcloud for awhile.

Now, this being the case, looking at Dam’s Soundcloud can be daunting. I get lost myself sometimes. Where do you start? At the top, with his recently released 14-minute odyssey “Destination: Known” (Jeff explains here), a cut left off of his essential 2009 double-LP Toeachizown? What about any one of his dusted off “never before heard” cassette throwbacks from the early 90s? The unreleased cuts, maybe?  How about the unmastered cuts? The rough vocal demos? You get the idea. As of now, the tracks available go back as far as two years. It’s a long time and a lot of funk.

So, since I’ve been tuning in for the last four years or so, I’ve put together a mix—more of a grab bag—of all the tracks from Dam-Funk’s Soundcloud that I’ve been funking out to on repeat when alone in my room or when I’ve been able to borrow a car and cruise PCH (you can listen to Dam’s cut, “PCH,” here). It’s by no means comprehensive, as everyone who listens to Dam has his/her own personal preference. Some prefer no vocals. Others prefer the slower jams. And still other others prefer the extended 10-minute plus trance-inducing funk excursions. But download the mix knowing that each cut was selected for a reason.

The tracks are as recent as last month and there are a few that might even date three years back. Ultimately, I ended up arranging the tracks by name (the man has a gift). When I looked at them, I imagined a documentary, a day-in-the-life of the funk man himself. And when you think about it, it’s not that farfetched. When the camera’s arrive, Dam’s “Gotta Let U Know” “The Code”: “[He] Don’t Run Wit No Cliques.” Then, he tells you that you’re going to “Take it Out on the Groove. You respond, of course, “Show Me the Way.” As you, Dam, and the camera crew are “Kruisin’ 2Gether,” Dam decides to hit “Westside Pasadena.” You are officially “Stayin’ Superfly.” Once  you’re done with Pasadena, you grab some “Sushi” and “Slump Wit’ [Him]” to a “Paradise” full of—you see where I’m going. All that’s left to say is this: If you haven’t been tuning in, do so immediately. I hear Invite the Light is on the way in 2013.

Peace and Funk. Enjoy.

Tracklist:

1. I Gotta Let U Know
2. The Code (Ft. MC Eiht/John Wayne/Thanksgiving Brown)
3. I Don’t Run Wit’ No Cliques
4. This Time, Take it Out on the Groove
5. Show Me The Way (Alternate Laid Back Version)
6. Kruisin’ 2gether
7. Westside Pasadena
8. Stayin’ Superfly
9. Sushi
10. Slump Wit’ Me
11. Paradise
12. Bionic Pussy
13. Champaign Thighz
14. R U Gon’ Let Me Slip Away
15. Reflective Stroll, Thru Griffith Park

Download:
ZIP: PW Best Of: Dam-Funk’s Soundcloud (Left Click)