You ever get that itch — the one that only a dusty funk riff or a slow-burning soul groove can scratch? Well, we’ve got a thing on our mind, and it sounds like wah-wah pedals, raw horns, and vocals that hit you right in the gut.
This handpicked selection of rare funk and deep soul tracks isn’t your average retro playlist. It’s a time machine for the hips, a love letter to overlooked legends and backroom geniuses who knew how to make a rhythm swing and a crowd sweat.
Hook and Boogit, Pt. 1 – Abraham & The Casanovas
The name Abraham might not ring every bell, but once Hook and Boogit, Pt. 1 hits your speakers, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a feverish juke joint in an alternate universe. His funkadelic fervor and high-octane horn sections explode with a kind of swagger that’s equal parts nostalgic and interstellar. Though elusive, Abraham’s sound channels raw energy straight from the vinyl vaults of soul’s underground royalty. It’s not just music—it’s an invitation to stomp the floorboards and shake off the daily dust.
Future II – The Personations & Organization
A shimmering time capsule disguised as a song, Future II opens like a secret handshake. This psychedelic-soul gem twirls you into a sonic landscape where gospel harmonies swirl with analog synths. Released in the golden era of experimental funk. Not much is known about this collective, but what’s certain is their ability to paint the future with retro strokes and cosmic flair.
She’s a Lovemaker – Lee Fields
If James Brown is the Godfather of Soul, then Lee Fields is his impeccably dressed, heartbreak-taming nephew. She’s a Lovemaker grooves with his signature raspy tenderness and gritty passion. Pulled from a deep catalog stretching back to the ’70s, Fields proves again that soul music is not a relic—it’s a living, breathing testimony of love, lust, and longing. Each note is seasoned with pain and perseverance, like a sermon delivered with sequins.
Virgo Red – Roy Ayers
1973. The year Virgo Red dropped and added yet another jewel to Roy Ayers’ already sparkling crown. This album oozes sensuality and Afrofuturist elegance, with Ayers’ vibraphone work floating through cosmic jazz-funk dimensions. Known as one of the pioneers of neo-soul, Ayers infuses Virgo Red with lush orchestrations, whispery vocals, and that undefinable glow that keeps crate diggers obsessed to this day.
It’s Coming Up Again – The Relatives
What starts as a haunting groove soon rises into a full-blown resurrection. It’s Coming Up Again is gospel-funk at its grittiest, and The Relatives deliver it like they’re summoning thunder. Formed in Dallas in the early ‘70s, they were decades ahead of their time—mixing church fervor with political fire and wah-wah guitars. The song smolders with righteous rebellion, a sonic altar call for the weary-hearted.
Baby Wiggle That Thing – Snoopy Dean
Pure dancefloor dynamite. Baby Wiggle That Thing is a glorious slice of unfiltered funk, with a backbeat hot enough to fry an egg. Little is known about Snoopy Dean, but one thing is clear: he knew exactly how to set hips in motion. This track is less about subtlety and more about celebration—sweaty, sweaty celebration. No instructions necessary—just press play and obey the groove.
Gonna Get Your Love – Ray Frazier & The Shades Of Madness
Released during a time when soul was morphing into disco, Gonna Get Your Love strikes a balance between deep yearning and danceable optimism. Ray Frazier leads the Shades of Madness like a man on a mission, his vocals full of sweet desperation. The horns stab with intention, the bass walks with authority, and the whole thing pulses with a sweaty promise of midnight seduction.
2 Finger Fever – The Dramatics
The year? 1976. The vibe? Unstoppable. 2 Finger Fever captures The Dramatics in full disco-funk bloom, a playful departure from their smoother ballad work. This track is a strutting, bell-bottomed beast with wah-wah guitars and cheeky horns. It’s impossible not to smirk at the title—and even harder to sit still once the beat kicks in. If soul had a mischievous cousin who danced on tables, this would be their anthem.
Cosmic Dancing – Poison
No, not the hair-metal Poison. This is an entirely different kind of Cosmic Dancing—one that blends fuzzed-out guitar licks with Afro-funk rhythms and otherworldly chants. Poison were part of a small but potent movement that flirted with spiritual jazz, funk, and deep groove experimentation. This track feels like a séance at Studio 54: sweaty, mystical, and totally irresistible.
Jump Back – Will Sessions
The Detroit-based Will Sessions are modern masters of vintage funk. Jump Back might sound like it was pressed in 1974, but it’s fresh from their brilliant contemporary sessions. Impeccable musicianship, breakneck brass, and old-school flair make this track a monster groove machine. It’s a loving homage to the past, yes—but also a wake-up call for today’s funk-starved souls.
Got a Thing on My Mind – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
Let’s not tiptoe here: Sharon Jones was a force of nature. On Got a Thing on My Mind, she belts like her soul’s on fire and every syllable is a life-or-death decree. Backed by The Dap-Kings’ vintage perfection, this track from their 2002 album Dap Dippin’ is a masterclass in revivalist soul. Jones didn’t imitate the past—she was the past, present, and future of real, raw funk.
The HighWay Man – Eddie Floyd
There’s a cinematic urgency to The HighWay Man—a funky, almost spy-movie sensibility that pulses under Eddie Floyd’s soulful storytelling. Known best for Knock on Wood, Floyd proved time and again that he could infuse heartache and hustle into even the most unlikely grooves. This track is all smoky backroads and restless dreams, the kind of funk that grips you by the collar and demands your attention.
Take Your Love and Go – George Jackson
Before he was a behind-the-scenes hitmaker, George Jackson was a heartbreak poet in his own right. Take Your Love and Go simmers with bitter elegance, a breakup ballad dressed in a groove suit. Jackson’s smooth voice hides sharp edges beneath its surface, making this a slow-burn anthem for anyone who’s ever smiled through a silent scream. The year? 1972. The impact? Timeless.
Get Down – The Montereys
A hard-hitting, brass-laced call to arms, Get Down doesn’t just suggest a dance—it demands a full-body surrender. The Montereys are a lesser-known outfit with a megaton funk payload, and this track hits like a James Brown uppercut. It’s raw, it’s dirty, it’s delicious. For the uninitiated, it’s also a stark reminder that you don’t need fame to make people move—you just need a tight rhythm section and some brass with guts.
Deuce and a Quarter – The Bo-Keys
The year is 2011, and The Bo-Keys are here to prove that Memphis soul never dies—it just grows more confident. Deuce and a Quarter is a sleek, horn-heavy cruise down memory lane, named after the iconic Buick Electra 225. It’s music made for driving slow with the windows down, letting the funk breeze roll in. With members tied to legends like Isaac Hayes, these guys know how to throw it back with swagger.
Git Back – Sugar Pie DeSanto
Don’t let the sweet name fool you—Sugar Pie DeSanto is a powerhouse. Git Back is pure sass with brass, a foot-stomping, finger-wagging funk storm wrapped in a two-minute thrill ride. With roots in both R&B and blues, Sugar Pie wasn’t afraid to bring fire to the dancefloor. This track feels like a personal warning wrapped in groove—back up, baby, or get burned.
Get Down – Freedom Express
A no-nonsense title for a no-nonsense groove. Get Down by Freedom Express is a high-velocity trip through bass-heavy breakdowns and breakneck funk. It’s the kind of track that sneaks up on you, grabs your shoulders, and makes you dance like you forgot rent was due. Rumor has it they recorded just a handful of songs—but with this kind of fire, who needs more?
The Playlist
- Hook and Boogit Pt. 1 – Abraham, The Casanovas
- Future II – The Personations & Organization
- She’s a Lovemaker – Lee Fields
- Virgo Red – Roy Ayers
- It’s Coming Up Again – The Relatives
- Baby Wiggle That Thing – Snoopy Dean
- Gonna Get Your Love – Ray Frazier & The Shades Of Madness
- Finger Fever – The Dramatics
- Cosmic Dancing – Poison
- Jump Back – Will Sessions
- Got a Thing on My Mind – Sharon Jones, The Dap-Kings
- The HighWay Man – Eddie Floyd
- Take Your Love and Go – George Jackson
- Get Down – The Montereys
- Deuce and a Quarter – The Bo-Keys
- Git Back – Sugar Pie DeSanto
- Get Down – Freedom Express
Reflecting the political climate of the time and the quest for personal freedom. by Funkologie on Mixcloud
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