THE WORLD'S BEST NEW MUSIC

Formed in Melbourne in 2000 by guitarist, songwriter, and producer Lance Ferguson, The Bamboos have spent over a quarter-century serving as the cornerstone of Australia's funk and soul movement. Built on an ensemble of Naarm's finest players - not least, their generational powerhouse vocalist Kylie Auldist - the group paved the way for the city's contemporary groove explosion. Renowned for their analogue production ethics, tight horn arrangements, and energetic live shows, their discography bridges classic 1970s deep-funk setups with modern songcraft, securing an international status as heavyweights of the genre.

A lot has happened in the Naarm/Melbourne music scene, even in the three years since the release of The Bamboos last album This Is How You Do It, much of it centred on the output of the band's successors, such as Hiatus Kaiyote, Surprise Chef, Karate Boogaloo, Mildlife and Glass Beams. But a quarter century (plus one) and eleven studio albums down, they show no signs of playing second fiddle to any of them. What still distinguishes them is their consistency of quality and the authenticity they bring to their work.

The band's musical DNA is unchanged: Auldist's expressive voice still leads, weaving its magic around and within Lance Ferguson's soulful productions, as always, executed with consummate ease by a backing band that is drawn from the cream of Melbourne's players. The album's release is timely too, coincidental to the recent viral breakout of their 2006 track "I Don't Wanna Stop" on socials, racking up over a billion plays on TikTok alone (Why? No one seems to know). Listeners will find a band whose music not only reflects the feel-good soulfulness of those early years, but continues to evelve, as the album's concluding three cuts - "Pretty Sally," "Nothing Reminds Me Of You,"and "Who Knows?,"attest. 

With their contemporary take on classic soul, The Bamboos continue to find hidden depths within familiar funky lanes, resisting the temptation to deviate towards the fashion for soundtrack, library or house influences.