High-energy soul-funk crew Ishi will help you get your groove on with his Sweet Gold mine of new tracks — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The Texas outfit’s long-overdue third album, Sweet Gold took a full two years to complete. It was time well spent, they insist. “We haven’t released a full length in over seven years, and honestly could have done so,” Ishi say. “We had the material, but it did not feel right. We took the time to wait, and to allow this record to come to life.”
As the curtain opens on Sweet Gold, the spotlight is fixed on Not My Girl; the banger bleeds out of the speakers with Ishi’s triumphant return to their genre roots. Featuring vox that throws it back Whitetown-esque, over a smooth Childish Gambino beat, Ishi cleverly and brilliantly blend a bop that provides you room to groove on the dance floor (or between the sheets) and gives you permission to choose without reservation.
Lo-Fi Love Affair introduces Medicine Man Revival and Keite Young to the party. The exquisite harmonies and chill vocals are laced over smooth melodies and magnified with the strength of the synth, and the track goes down smooth like a friendly handshake with a tumbler of Scotch poured neat. Ishi get it right by not confining themselves; they can score influence from The Brothers Johnson while asking Ye to hold the door — and these experimental grooves make their way from track to speaker to listener.
Fly Away, Timeless, Glory and I Ain’t Lost join Ishi’s journey, with Cure for Paranoia contributing on Goody Goody and Power of Now, followed by King Kie, Picnictyme and Sudie on Clouds of 9, Gotchu and How Bout You respectively. Nia Brock is featured on I’d Rather Be, the title track and Pro’s & Con’s — the latter also receiving the remix treatment from Kraak & Smaak.
Ishi first came together in Dallas in 2007 when JT Mudd and Brad Dale set out to create a sound that would “redefine their own voice in modern day music.” What exploded from those early beginnings was an uptempo, funk and electronica group built with soul nuances and folk undertones. It wouldn’t be long before they were touring with Snoop Dogg, Kid Cudi and even New Order. Their debut release Through The Trees dropped in 2010, followed by their sophomore effort Digital Wounds in 2013.
Listen to Sweet Gold below, watch the video for Fly Away above, and find Ishi at their website, Facebook and Instagram.
