Wow. Krispy & The Pooch have quite the EP here. I want to first mention its sonic qualities because that is what caught my attention right away. Through my speakers, the sound was clear and wide with the sound coming from all sorts of places. With a little bit of stereo imaging magic going on, it gave some fascinating effects here and there which were not overwhelming, instead, just perfect.
With that out of the way, this EP is a showcase of some funky inspired tracks, well, at first that is what you may think. When Drop The Needle starts, things have slowed down a bit. The horns have subsided which were present from Groovy Buzzy and now we have more of a hip hop vibe that works so well here. Record scratches here and there, a bit of rap thrown in from Zoe Angelina all while you here little sounds of glasses clicking together gives which ties up the images of seeing someone from across the room. Matt Paul joins in on this track to help develop this story. An incredibly smooth track which also has an instrumental version for you as the final track.
Switching things up is the track The Gutter which is driven by a gnarly synth bass sound paired with a cool beat that sounds different from the other two tracks. The smooth rap vocal on this track is delivered by J. Lamotta which has a cool vibe to it. A great pairing here.
Overall, a solid effort that I would want to hear more of. It has a great way of combining elements of hip-hop with funk. I look forward to hearing more of what Krispy & The Pooch has to offer.
New Zealand born duo Krispy & The Pooch have at last emerged from the grey and icy winter to warm our bodies with their energetic and expansive EP, Something Strange for Change. A blend of soothing neo-soul grooves, bone-rattling gutter funk and ear-worming electro, their new release is simultaneously a reflection of the boys' varied musical influences and a distinctly modern sound inspired by the hypnotic dance music of their new home in Berlin.
Kriston Batistic (aka Krispy) and Simon Townsend (aka The Pooch) met in the squalor of a decaying student house in a wealthy suburb in Auckland five years ago. To fend off the rats, the boys were forced to come together to produce wall-shaking old-school hip-hop. Having garnered radio play across New Zealand, the project came to an end when Krispy moved abroad to further himself as a musician in the renowned scene of Berlin. Like a real good boy, The Pooch was soon to follow.
In the short time that they've been reunited, the boys have already created their debut three-track release as Krispy & The Pooch. Something Strange for Change flows out in all directions yet still remains harmonious; the songs are underpinned by a lyrical exploration that effortlessly slips between tongue-in-cheek playfulness and honest tenderness. In Krispy, the lyricist and vocalist, every track is a showcase of his impressive vocal range - in yo-yoing from humble and soulful crooning in Better to a rasping rhythmic bravado spat out in Where's My Phone?