Groove Radar: Funky Picks of the Month - June 2026
Your monthly fix of funk, soul, and groove. ☀️
Featuring Melvin Riley, Cello, SemajB, BendreTheGiant, Katy & the Null Sets, Swamp Dogg, Funk For Forest, Mother Raspberry, Ariádne, Orbital Ensemble, and Montana Joanna.
I always felt that funk was one of the most vibrant and infectious genres. As always, the lines between funk, soul, and R&B blur beautifully, but the groove is still the driving force. From deep-pocket drumbeats and melodic basslines to crisp guitar chops and rich vocal performances, the artists featured this month understand that great funk is all about feel.
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Funk That Instantly Makes You Feel Good! Funk / Soul / RnB / Acid Jazz
Melvin Riley - They Wont Leave Me Alone
This track mixes sounds from 90’s R&B with Funk. The 16th-note drum groove runs throughout the whole song, giving it that bounce. I like the bass as it is a sporadic part with a lot of old school Funky slapping. The vocals are silky-smooth and soulful, mixed with tight production. A cool track.
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Cello - Like A Tiger
This feel-good song has great 80’s vibes! It is fun and simple in production with memorable hooks. The main Funky guitar riff is hypnotic and repeats through most of the song. This is an old school funk technique to create a solid groove without too many chord changes.
The singer has a beautiful tone that is emotive and adds to the playfulness of the tune.
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SemajB - Love Ain't Fair
This slow/mid-tempo jam mixes funk with modern RnB. I like how there is what sounds like classical guitar underneath the main keyboard part. The production is clean and the vocals are high in the mix. This allows the listener to really connect with the emotion of the song.
The drum groove has a funky broken 16th note hi hat pattern, which gives the song momentum.
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BendreTheGiant, Katy & the Null Sets - Do You Remember Me?
This is an interesting track. It has a lot going on and almost sounds like a soundscape from a movie scene. The slow funk groove comes in at the one-minute 20-second mark. I also like the constant harmony on the vocals, which reminds me of early Steely Dan. The singer takes his time building the song before changing registers and really accessing the higher register.
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Swamp Dogg - Knock Knock (Memories)
This is a super funky track! It mixes old school drum beats with New Orleans-influenced horns. The intro starts with the band playing accents together before breaking out into the groove. All the instruments are mixed perfectly, letting the vocals flow over the top. There is a very melodic short guitar solo at the 2-minute mark. An excellent example of modern funk music.
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Funk For Forest - Ta no’
This is a classic-sounding Funk track that pays homage to the 1970’s. The drums are recorded super lo-fi, while the wah-wah pedal on the guitar gives the song momentum. I like the horn stabs as they remind me of Tower of Power. All the musicians are a well-rehearsed unit. This song would fit perfectly on a movie like ‘Superfly’ or ‘Shaft’. Very cool!
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Mother Raspberry - Bad Breath & Beyond (Album Version)
This track is funk mixed with psychedelic and hinges on avant-garde. The main intro drum beat mixed with percussion is super funky. There are multiple sections to this song, which all have prominent guitar parts. The guitar solo in the bridge section sounds like the guitar is being run through an envelope filter. This track is unusual but funky nonetheless!
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Ariádne - Didn't I
This is a beautiful song. The singer's tone is mesmerizing! The funky drum groove has a funk swing feel, and intermittent strings make this track feel like it is movie score material. There is great musicianship between the guitar player and the keyboardist. It sounds like it is a Fender Rhoades is being played in the song's intro. I really love this song!
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Orbital Ensemble - Atende o Telefone
This song is a mash-up of Funk, Jazz, and Latin influences. I like the solid funky/pop groove upon which the song is built. Also, the interweaving between the drummer and conga player. The horn arrangements are seriously complex, written by someone with a vast knowledge of jazz harmony.
The vocals doubling the horn melody are a nice touch.
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Montana Joanna - Same Stars
This is a well-crafted song. It has influences of Funk, Jazz, and Blues. You can tell the artist has put her heart and soul into her music, as it comes across in this super authentic track. At the 1 minute 50 mark, the piano player is getting in some great honky tonk licks on top of the drummer's syncopated hi hat tune. I’m a new fan of Montana Joanna.
Connect with Montana Joanna
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About Magesh Magesh
Magesh is a musician and producer who has worked with Rihanna, Lionel Richie, Ricky Martin, Chris Brown, The Pussy Cat Dolls, Nelly Furtado, and Vernon Reid of Living Colour.
He released an instructional drumming DVD called "Unique Beats" where he mixed the drum kit with electronics and Indian hand percussion. He recently moved from Australia to the UK to explore new musical opportunities.
Website: mageshdrumteacher.co.uk
Contact Magesh Magesh at magesh.magesh7@gmail.com
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