In case it wasn’t apparent from his moniker, Los Angeles-raised artist Damon “Dâm-Funk” Riddick (pronounced “dame funk”) takes funk very seriously. After the musician/producer/DJ launched the popular Funkmosphere party at a club in Culver City, California, in 2006—a weekly event that helped fuel a funk revival in LA and beyond—Riddick caught the attention of Stones Throw Records. The label went on to release the bulk of Dâm-Funk’s recorded work, including 2008 beat tape Rhythm Trax Vol. IV; 7 Days of Funk, his squirrely collaboration with Snoop Dogg; a 2013 joint album with vocalist Steve Arrington; and 2015’s Invite the Light, which welcomed guest spots by Q-Tip, Flea, and Ariel Pink. But since last year, Riddick has been on his own, issuing new music via his own imprint Glydezone Recordings, including STFU II, a fresh batch of instrumentals out this past May. The artwork on this latest EP—a neon highway zooming into a pink sunrise—sets the tone for this collection of easy-riding tracks that cruise ahead, seamlessly shifting gears over a constantly changing landscape.
