Krooked Drivers is a duo out of Denver, and their music embodies a soul-filled electronic funk. The pair, Donnie Dalbora and Maddy O'Neal, just dropped their latest album Finding The Way in collaboration with Super Best Records, Michal Menert's label, and we are pleased to bring you the first listen to the project right here.
The first track, "No Use Pretending" gently coaxes us into the funk-a-licious vibes. There is a fluid blending of glitch, funk, and electronic in this track that alludes to the fact that they are just warming us up.
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Second up on the album is "Drift Away Days". This track busts out some vintage funk feels slathered across a gentle drum line, with the occasional interjection of sampled vocals. Head bobs ensue.
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Fourth up on the tracklist, "It's Your Choice", nearly encourages you to embrace the funky soul of the Krooked Drivers' sound with the use of builds and rhythmic drum patterns. The pair's careful implementation of samples adds just the right finesse to elevate this song to the next level. "Where We Belong", which quickly follows, captivates in an almost hypno-electronic manner. The chopping of the samples summons to the depths of our souls and leads us through this solid track.
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"Something In The Air" is filled with glitch-inspired cuts that are politely interrupted by drum patters. This song calls on Krooked Drivers' use of sampling more noticeably than the other tracks thus far, but it is still done in a gentle and barely noticeable manner. Next up, "Ease My Troubled Mind" brings back the space-inspired wobbles and wild synths that evoke an out-of-this-world vibe.
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Eighth up, we've got the track "Another Day" on queue. If the city of Denver had to have a soundtrack playing in the background on a typical day, this must be what the Denver citizens would hear. Cruising down the street, sun (or snow) high in the sky, and this mellow electronic track coming from the city's imaginary sound system.
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The wobble, as a musical element, has progressed interestingly over the past few years, and today, we see it again in a new form. "Forever So Lonely" wobbles and glitches in and out of their samples for a less than 'lonely' feel. The penultimate track, "Nothing Is Promised" turns things down an eerie road before wrapping things up with the last track, "Take Me Back".
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Overall, the album delivers that Colorado funk with synth and bass to make any electronic fan take note. The energy is chill, but will get a rise out of you as the intensity is elevated throughout the tracklist. I'm keen on vintage sampling paired with electronic stylings, and best of all – Krooked Drivers is still keeping it fresh. Finding The Way is a project that should be experienced, so listen up and enjoy!
