Groove Radar: Funky Picks of the Month - November 2025
November's fresh grooves and flavours are here.
Featuring Faith Richards, Cytrus, Inner Wave, Myles Lloyd, Malan, Early Crowd, Omenihu, Henry Nowhere, Bertie, Ife Ogunjobi, Ant Thomaz, and Wendy Rae.
Funk is all about feel - that swagger in the beat, the snap in the bassline, and the attitude that hits you before the first chorus even lands. The genre continues to evolve thanks to artists who blend classic funk DNA with modern textures, featuring shimmering synths, tight drum grooves, and melodies designed to stick in your head.
November’s drops keep that momentum going, adding splashes of neo-soul, R&B, and electronic sparkle. Dive into these new grooves:
Funk That Instantly Makes You Feel Good! Funk / Soul / RnB / Acid Jazz
Faith Richards - Private Star
I really love Faith's tone in her voice. Although this song starts like a ballad, the funky drum programming kicks in in the chorus. The track is mostly chilled, but the drum sounds remind me of Funk super group 'Cameo'. The synths also help the groove feel retro but also current. A very well-written song.
Connect with Faith Richards
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Cytrus - Out Of Pocket
Photo credit: Tyler Brunkhorst
This is a great funky song! You can clearly hear the influences of Funk legends like Curtis Mayfield and the Ohio Players. The hand percussion parts are super busy but never get in the way of the groove. The chicken scratch guitar part is hypnotising and really helps bring the funk. Staccato horn lines show these are musicians who really know what they are doing. A great fun jam!
Connect with Cytrus
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Inner Wave - CHILD
The rawness of mixing Indie pop with Funk is what makes this song groove. The synth sounds are a classic staple in any funk jam. The bass line is broken between straight 8th notes and 16th notes, creating a 'bounce' feel similar to Motown. The drummer plays an unusual halftime beat to keep the groove moving.
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Myles Lloyd - Grapevine
Photo Credit: Saem
This song cleverly mixes R&B and funk. The production sounds very modern with the 808 snares/claps being high in the mix. The vocals are not overproduced with a ridiculous amount of backing harmonies. The keyboard part creates a repetitive hook that fits perfectly under the vocal.
Connect with Myles Lloyd
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Malan - Dim Syniad
A standout artist you'll be glad to discover. Her soulful vocals are effortless. A real talent who doesn't need autotune in a world of overproduced everything. This track is hard to categorise because it blends Latin, funk, and pop. The guitar is mixed low but very powerful. A bossa nova-type groove with 16th notes on the hi-hats. I feel this track is the essence of this playlist, as you can't help but feel good when you listen to it!
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Early Crowd, Omenihu, Henry Nowhere - iHOPE
There's something special about finding an artist still flying under the radar - it's astonishing once you hear the quality of the music.
This track has all the classic markings of a great funk track. Backing vocals that add to the soul, a solid back beat from the drummer and a slinky bass line. The simplicity of the instrumentation also adds to the funkiness.
Connect with Early Crowd
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Connect with Omenihu
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Connect with Henry Nowhere
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Bertie - Do
This track verges on the cusp of indie pop, but the guitar part is too funky not to include in this playlist. The constant 16th note strumming part is what will get people to the dance floor. The female vocal harmonies add a sweet tone heard in early funky classics by artists like Sly Stone's classic 'Running Away'. This versatile artist is one to watch.
Connect with Bertie
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Ife Ogunjobi - Real One
This song incorporates additional elements usually found in jazz and Latin music, especially more complex chord progressions. The production is minimal but high quality, as everything is mastered quite high. The trumpet is quite high in the mix but never overpowering. The drum beat plays many off-beats, which create a feel that is perfect for dancing.
Connect with Ife Ogunjobi
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Ant Thomaz, Wendy Rae - Flying
There are a few reasons why funk music always makes you feel good. It usually uses major/dominant and suspended chords, which don't include a minor 3rd. This track uses this chord formula to change the listener's mood. The drummer uses a lot of ghost notes, which add to the song's funkiness. The singer's baritone register and honky tonk piano are also outstanding on this track.
Connect with Ant Thomaz
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Spotify Playlist
About Magesh Magesh
Magesh is a musician and producer who has worked with Rihanna, Lionel Richie, Ricky Martin, Chris Brown, The Pussy Cat Dolls, Nelly Furtado, and Vernon Reid of Living Colour.
He released an instructional drumming DVD called "Unique Beats" where he mixed the drum kit with electronics and Indian hand percussion. He recently moved from Australia to the UK to explore new musical opportunities.
Website: mageshdrumteacher.co.uk
Contact Magesh Magesh at magesh.magesh7@gmail.com
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