Four tracks in, as far as I’m concerned anyway, and I’m really falling for Phantom Phunk. I don’t understand what they are up to, how they blend their musical strands together, I just know that the world, and not just the music world, is a better place for them being in it. You have to stop thinking about what they do and just feel it. Some things are better remaining mysteries.

Tongue Tied sees them in a slightly chilled mood, dreamy soul vibes tethered down just enough to keep things from becoming too drifty and transient by after hours clubland beats and gentle and exotic, otherworldly electronica. It is spacious and unsecond-guess-able …that’s a word, I checked…it blends half-urgent raps with blissed out vocals, it sways and sashays rather than grooves and it conjures a joyous, carefree feeling like little that you have heard before.

Like I said, I don’t know how they do it, I’m not even sure what they are doing but as long as they stick at it, then we will always have a safe haven, a sonic oasis where we can recharge our batteries, not to mention our faith in the future of music.

written by Dave Franklin