UK funky

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UK funky (sometimes known as UKF or funky^[1]) is a genre of electronic dance music which originated in England that is heavily influenced by soca, soulful house, tribal house, funky house, UK garage, broken beat and grime.^[1] Typically, UK funky blends beats, bass loops and synths with African and Latin percussion in the dembow rhythm with contemporary R&B-style vocals.

UK funky uses tempos of around 130bpm. Drum patterns vary between tracks, using either "4 to the floor" or a syncopated style. The drum patterns commonly also include percussion playing African inspired rhythms. Instrumentation varies widely, but drum machines and synthesizers are common. There are similarities to garage in rhythmic, musical and vocal styles. UK funky is highly influenced by the tribal, soulful and bassline house subgenres. Similar genres include afro house,^[2] broken beat, electro and garage.^{[citation needed]}

US house producers such as Masters At Work, Karizma (with "Twyst This"), Quentin Harris and Dennis Ferrer (with a remix of Fish Go Deep's "The Cure and the Cause"; and with "Hey Hey") have had an influence on UK funky.

Hits from this genre include the Crazy Cousinz songs "Do You Mind?", "Bongo Jam" and "The Funky Anthem", and Fuzzy Logik featuring Egypt's "In The Morning". Popular songs have also produced dance crazes, such as "Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes", "The Tribal Man Skank" and "The Migraine Skank".^{[citation needed]} Other notable artists include Apple, Marcus Nasty, Tribal Magz, Donae'o, KIG, Roska, Champion, iLL BLU, Lil' Silva and Funkystepz.^{[citation needed]} DJs and MCs that have played a role in UK funky include DJ Pioneer, Supa D, MA1, Cameo, NG, MC Kaos Spidey G, Coldstepz, and Dogtaniaun & Versatile.^{[citation needed]}

Funky Dee's "Are You Gonna Bang Doe?", recorded in 2009, achieved mainstream success and was signed to Universal Music Group. It was interpolated by Ed Sheeran in his viral 2010 freestyle alongside Example, the "Nando's Skank",^[3] and was later interpolated by Sun Bingo for their 2018 "Are You Gonna Bingo?" advertising campaign.^[4] The track was described by Tim Westwood as "the summer soundtrack" which "replaced [Boy Better Know's] "Too Many Man" in the clubs"^[5] and by TRENCH Magazine as an "Ayia Napa anthem".^[6] Critics included Vice's Sam Diss, who considered it to be one of several tracks "that practically confirmed [UK funky] would soon become the novelty soundtrack to every bad freshers week in the country, eventually leading to its demise",^[7] and Marcus Nasty, who claimed it contributed to the genre becoming "kiddies' music".^[8]

Notes

Bibliography

• Clark, Martin. 'The Month In: Grime / Dubstep', Pitchfork, August, 2006.
• Clark, Martin. 'Wot Do U Call It: Funky?', Blackdown, December, 2007.
• Prancehall 'What happened to grime? It turned into funky house', NME, February, 2008.
• McDonnell, John 'Can grime call house a home?', Guardian, February, 2008.
• Finney, Tim 'Peering Through The Front Door Of Funky House', Idolator, May, 2008.
• Wilson, Makeda 'The rise of Funky' Beatportal/D101 Magazine, July 2008.
• McDonnell, John 'Broken beat meets tribal house? Now that's what I call... funky?', Guardian, August, 2008.
• Clark, Martin. 'Spyro v Marcus NASTY v Mak 10 v Maximum = wot do you call it?', Blackdown, September, 2008.
• Wilson, Makeda - 'Nah That's Funky, It's leaking.... It Stinks!!' - D101 Magazine, October 2008. Article Available on request from D101MAGAZINE
• Wilson, Makeda - 'Keep It Funky!!' - D101 Magazine, February 2009. Article Available on request from D101MAGAZINE

• bassmusic.me is an online magazine shedding light on various forms of bass driven music such as: Dubstep, UK Funky, Garage, Drum & Bass, House, Juke, Techno and more.