MF Robots - “lll” Part One

March 13th sees the release of MF Robots 3rd album to date entitled “lll” Part One, on the bands’ own imprint Good People Records. This much anticipated release follows on from 2021 critically acclaimed “Break The Wall” album (BBE Music).

Jan Kincaid and Dawn Joseph met as members of one of the UK’s most commercially successful Acid Jazz bands in 2014, which influenced the likes of Mark Ronson, D’Angelo, Jamiroquai, Erykah Badu and The Roots to name but a few. Founding the Brand New Heavies was obviously an important chapter in Jan’s musical journey, but once he began working with vocalist and songwriting partner Dawn Joseph the chemistry was instant and irresistible. It was time to turn the page, and soon MF Robots was born with a mission to create something vibrant, soulful, exciting and new.

This new LP finds the duo existing comfortably at ease in their own musical space, seamlessly mixing more diverse influences into their work, to further evolve their vibrant energetic and eclectic sound.

Like their previous albums,”lll” radiates positive energy from the very start. With characterful songwriting, deft shape-shifting production and strong emotive delivery on all tracks, this is a group at their comfortable best. But don’t confuse this comfort with staying in a single groove. Far from it, this piece of work is a varied ride, the comfort comes from how the material shifts easily between gears and subject matter, all the time retaining the meaty, funky, fluid upbeat sound that these Robots have become known for.

The first three singles are here, sun drenched ‘Hello Sunshine', funky slick 'Glide' and free wheeling celebration of youth 'Children of the World' but this energy continues into the rest of the album, opening with 'That's The Way' a super-funky energetic testament to the feeling of Love with Dawn delivering a full-tilt vocal diva performance to the driving track opening out into a luxurious backdrop of strings. 'The Pressure' turns left with a super tight Neo-soul type bounce, setting up the journey Dawn takes us on, the blend of Dawn and Jans’ BVs effectively adding smooth contrasts to the gritty jazzy rhythm section. The Robots switch lanes again with 'Lay It Back' a deadly modern take on a JBs-esque bass and drums groove, concisely reiterating the Robots’ belief that a solid groove is the foundation on which to lay everything.'Through The Pain' opens with a ripe for sampling left-field golden-age hip-hop-type groove from the rhythm section, before Dawn heads into a bluesy tale of a love rollercoaster.

The album really goes out with a bang, and at just under seven minutes 'Show Us The Way' provides a bittersweet dedication to the wonder of the natural world, and how we have collectively neglected and abused our place in it. The song is emotive and dramatic, and is propelled forward by a demonstration of the band's love of Jazz and Brazilian music. The influence of Sergio Mendes, George Duke and others is evident, and the song really peaks with the sublime end chant of “Mother….Show Us The Way” with Dawn riffing at gospel intensity over the dramatic orchestral backdrop, giving way at the climax to sounds of nature. Pigeonholing this album is not easy, but that’s the way they like if.

MF Robots' sound is a combination of lots of things musically: funky, soulful, jazzy, with elements of classic songwriting. They have bridges, hooks, memorable choruses, they wear their hearts on their sleeves. As Jan puts it: “We’re into so many good things musically, anything that speaks to us, as collectively we’ve had so many years of experience in making music. It’s all in there, and when we’re together writing you never know exactly what’s gonna come out, but that’s what makes it a Robots’ thing”. Dawn says: “This is a kind of concept album, we knew what we wanted to write about, and in our own organic, unforced way that’s how it came together”.

There is, as with the previous albums, a feeling of positive, energetic energy flowing through 'III', tinged with melancholy as well as joy. This is a band growing, evolving, taking another big step along their journey.

Feel free to share the official album link: https://lnk.to/bcKVah