King Farook are without a doubt one of the premiere funk acts of the Sydney scene. Combining roots, soul, punk, hip-hop and adding a lot of funk-heavy groove, King Farook have solidified their reputation as an act worth watching. Their live shows are as energetic and engaging as the likes of album Land of the Horny and single Zabadooai.
So it was with understandable anticipation and subsequent disappointment that I received and heard their latest release – the four-song EP 4-Piece Feed. The band has lost a member, which has stripped back their sound a lot. First track 9999 792 makes a distinct move towards a more punk/metal sound, mirrored throughout the EP in songs such as The Morning. The usual themes – sex, drugs, rock’n’roll, girls, the band itself and lazy mornings on sunny beaches – all makes appearances. There’s also absolutely killer, flawless work from saxophonist JC.
However, one gets the feeling that King Farook’s new offerings are best experienced live. The recorded sound has never aimed to be slick, and with tight little funk grooves and bouncing piano lines it would have been good to hear the drums and the cymbals cleaned up more. MC Schiffy also seems a little over the whole shebang, as his usually rapid-fire lyrics come out at about half the speed we have come to expect of him. He also lacks the same original wit and shocking boundary-pushing we saw on Land of the Horny. Singer Anuj keeps his high voice as a key pulling point of the EP; indeed, one of the most interesting features of King Farook is their ability to mix such a voice with such interesting backgrounds of the other musicians.
Overall, this is why King Farook is fucking awesome: they are quirky and outrageous enough to evade categorisation. However, some of that raw energy seems to have been lost on this new EP. Come on boys – get back to your own selves again.
