The emergence of Afro-beat in the ‘70s contracted many styles into a moving art form that spoke out against political corruption while getting your feet moving. Slapping together Fela’s Afro-beat, tasty funk and jazz-elements, The Seven Ups propagate these vibrations with their gritty self-titled LP.
Swirling horns, tightly plucked guitar and a rolling rhythm section effortlessly throw out a variety of grooves throughout ten tracks. Brooding numbers like The Boss and Not Afraid of Dying showcase the dark side of the funk, and slower old-school funk sounds are pushed out in Senora Doll, reminiscent of The Fabulous Three. However, the punch comes from their well-composed Afro-funk and notable horn solos that feature on tracks like The Trial and No Compromise. Special mention must be given to chief songwriter and guitarist Trent Sterling, whose relentless and layered riffs drive the album.
The production on the album is blisteringly hot, with the band enlisting Tristan Ludowyk (Bombay Royale, Cactus Channel, Public Opinion Afro Orchestra) as co-producer. The Seven Ups manage to capture that warm ‘70s horn tone and achieve an original sound. It’s an album that’d come off crunchy on vinyl and luckily there’s a very limited run of yellow vinyl available.
Notable career highlights for this seven-piece thus far include opening for Charles Bradley, Babylon Circus, The Bamboos and recently, playing with The Budos Band at. If this independent release is anything to go by, The Seven Ups won’t be a support act for much longer.
BY WILLEM CRAY
