BELMAUS MAKE FUNK FEEL A LITTLE MESSIER

Bouncy bass, sharp guitar, sweet vocals, and absolutely no need to overthink it

Review

I’m hearing Belmaus for the first time here, and the bass is what gets me straight away. It has that rubbery, forward pull you get in ’70s funk, but the guitars are much more indie-rock than retro-soul. They pop in and out around the groove instead of just sitting on top of it. That gives everything a slightly scruffy, live-band feel.

“Wumbo Strut” is a great example of that approach. At 2:37, it doesn’t waste much time getting into its groove. The rhythm section keeps things tight while the guitar brings that bright, almost playful edge. Then “Another Day” stretches things out a little more, with the melodies given more room to settle in. “Ceci Babe” pushes the vocal side further, while “Back to You” and “Sweet Symphony” show that Belmaus can ease off the funk without losing their rhythmic identity.

I also like that the songs don’t sound like they’re trying to be perfectly polished. There’s some looseness in the playing that actually helps. I can hear the Chicago indie-rock side, the funk influence, and the smoother R&B instincts without any one of them completely taking over.

For a first listen, this feels like a band I’d happily put on again.

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