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Funk has found a place in Pop music in recent years due to its influence in hits by Dua Lipa, Charlie Puth, and Bruno Mars to name a few. Though, somehow the soul from the original Funk era of the 70s and 80s seem to be missing from the modern hits. With modern Pop Funk, everything is too clean, too perfect, too autotuned, and quantized.
So imagine my surprise when I found an artist who can balance the soul of the original Funk era with the modern production of this new Pop Funk era. I first came across the work of Southern California based Record Producer Ivan Reyes in Argentina. I was at Club 74 which hosts a Funk/Disco night on Saturdays. Most of the songs were the classic tracks you’d expect from a Disco centered Spotify playlist, yet there was one exception. One track stood out to me because it was so clear it was a modern production, yet it was smooth enough to fit into the rest of the playlist. I of course asked the DJ for the name. He showed me the Playlist he was using. It was “Cut Out the Lights” by Supernatural Frequency, the “alter-ego” stage name of Ivan Reyes.
After adding the song to my own Spotify playlist, I followed Ivan on Instagram and was surprised to discover that he writes and produces all his songs! He recently posted a promo for this upcoming release entitled “Sparks”. From the clip he posted, I could already tell this one was going to be special. So, I reached out to him and asked if I could preview it. He sent me a Dropbox link for a file, “Sparks_Master_Final.wav”.
I pressed play and suddenly it was 1984. The song opens with a synth (I assume) drum fill that leads into a drum pattern reminiscent of something you would hear on a Prince track. Then comes the bass. A simple, yet effective bassline. The song’s composition is infectious! A catchy melody accompanied by piano and synth chords that creates a groove that makes it impossible to not move to. The star of the song is the female vocalist Ivan hired to bring his vision to life.
The lyrics, as with all of Ivan’s Funk tracks, are down-to-earth, metaphorical, and honest. The song tells the story of a hopeless romantic who views love as a “superstitious” concept. The pre-chorus is so catchy and something that I believe most listeners can relate to. “One too many times I’ve fallen for the wrong type.” The chorus shows the main character giving in because she “can’t say goodbye” and brings down her walls to “let the sparks ignite.”
The skepticism with love continues in the second verse as the singer describes expecting the relationship to end because she’s “always seen it play out and rewind” to the point where her “instincts always tell [her] run and hide.” The next chorus plays out the same as before, but then repeats harder than ever with added layers in the instrumental and an amazing performance by the singer as she gives her all. A perfect finish to the story. Love hurts, but it’s something worth taking a chance on.
We’ve already Pre-Saved the song on Spotify in anticipation for its February 11th release.
