New York’s indie disco crew is back with a new album. And it’s the right moment!
With new acts like Toro Y Moi, Sault, Parcels and The Internet the funky, disco, old school vibe is big in 2020.
And The Phenomenal Handclap Band fits perfectly in the scene. With their vintage, eclectic, colorful analog dance music. A nasty fusion of forward-thinking disco, yacht rock and gipsy soul.
The band has a history: Some bandmembers played in Mark Ronson’s projects and in Amy Winehouse ’s last band. Their self-titled debut album on Gomma records 2010 made them many fans in the music scene. Back then the band took the road, supporting Bryan Ferry and Franz Ferdinand, playing shows at Glastonbury, Wireless, and Latitude… as well as getting praise from Sir Paul McCartney about their album on BBC Radio 1!
After their debut album bandleader Daniel Collás began to produce other artists in his studio in Brooklyn. The band paused. Now they are back. With Daniel Collás in the centre, along with new members: multi-instrumentalist Juliet Swango, and vocalist and synthesizer wizard Monika Heidemann.
The new album is still analog dance music. Funk and Disco with an emphasis on raw soul, vocal harmonies, African percussion, fuzzy guitars and analog synthesizers. The album starts with slow motion disco (Skyline) that makes you feel you driving towards Manhattan coming from Brooklyn (where the band lives). Turning into dirty punk-funk vibes (Remain Silent) the switch to almost Italopop influences (Riot, Do what u like) that remind Rimini, the late 80ies.
But the album has also other shades: some almost Zappa-esque moments or house-like drum parts.
And, in the end: real hippy disco! (Wichita Gipsy).
The first 2 new singles from the album came last year on Toy Tonics.
They became a favorite of DJs like Harvey, Artwork, Disclosure, Gerd Janson, Busy P, Demuja…
Gilles Peterson voted “Judge Not” one of his favorite tracks of the year.
They had a good start. Now it’s the right time for the album.
Phenomenal Handclap Band new album PHB, out 15 May 2020 on Toy Tonics
Listen Phenomenal Handclap Band – Jail (Waajeed’s Funkytown Remix)
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