Groove Radar: Funky Picks of the Month - October 2025
From smooth soul grooves to funk-fueled anthems, October's round-up is pure feel-good energy.
Featuring Sydney Jo Jackson, Drey Henuk, Bootsy Collins, Myra Washington, Brother Nature, Lettuce, Manic Focus, Louis Tomlinson, Say She She, The Diasonics, Blue Stripes, TALI, BOY SODA.
Funk That Instantly Makes You Feel Good! Funk / Soul / RnB / Acid Jazz
When we talk about funk, we’re talking about groove, grit, and pure musical attitude. The spirit of the genre lives on through today’s artists who blend vintage vibes with fresh ideas — layering synth bass, punchy horns, and irresistible hooks that make you move.
October’s releases bring that same fire. Also adding new colors from soul, R&B, and even electronic edges. Check out these new jams:
Good at goodbye - Sydney Jo Jackson, Drey Henuk
Although this track is super laid back, it still has the Funk. The guitar intro captures the spirit of the 70s with its playing of the bass line and chord combo. Sydney's vocals are dripping with soul. The mix is so raw that it is easy to tell it is just her natural talent pouring into the microphone.
Absolutely no need for ato tune here. The raw drum sound reminds me of Motown, while the emotional lyrics create an emotional connection with the listener.
Connect with Sydney Jo Jackson
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Is Anybody Out There? - Bootsy Collins, Myra Washington, Brother Nature
Legendary bass player Bootsy Collins worked with both James Brown and Funkadelic, 2 of the '70s most prominent artists. This track has Bootsy's signature bass sound with a funky drum groove with overdubbed hi hats. The vocal harmonies also add to the Funk. What makes this guitar stand out is the intermittent guitar sound, which is slightly distorted, almost adding a Rock and Roll element.
Connect with Bootsy Collins
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Connect with Myra Washington
Instagram / Spotify / Website
Connect with Brother Nature
Instagram / Spotify
Keep On - Lettuce
This track is ridiculously Funky! If you are wondering why it sounds like classic 70's funk, it is because it is co-written by 'Tower Of Power' member Emilio Castillo. The beauty of this track is the production. Many 70s funk tunes had subtleties and nuance lost by the technology of the time. Things like drummers' ghost notes and trills on the piano. If you listen closely to how the horses are arranged, you can tell it is done by master musicians. From the baritone sax to the trumpets, this is a great jam to put you in a good mood.
Connect with Lettuce
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Lay Me Down - Manic Focus
The guitar part, which is heavily palm muted, really makes this track Funky. This is played over a descending bass line and 16th note drum beat. There are a lot of instruments playing simultaneously, but they don't get in the way of each other. The vocal samples are sporadic but add depth to the song.
Connect with Manic Focus
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Lemonade - Louis Tomlinson
This song mixes smooth jazz with funk. The soprano saxophone melody conjures images of artists like the Brecker Brothers. The funk is created by the drummer's syncopated kick and snare pattern. The track takes its time building, letting the horn players improvise. It comes to a climax near the end of the track with vocal harmonies and a double-time drum beat.
Connect with Louis Tomlinson
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Cut & Rewind - Say She She
This song's production is what makes it funky. A simple hypnotic drum beat with the main riff played on the bass guitar adds to the funk. It mixes quirky pop and female vocal harmonies to create a unique sound. It has an 1980s influence with very modern production.
Connect with Say She She
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Black Owl - The Diasonics
This song is like a masterclass in Funk! It takes its own time building from the minimalist intro with congo drums and guitar. The Hammond B3 organ part is perfect. This instrument isn't used much these days due to its size and weight of the instrument. The drummer creates a James Brown type of funk beat with hardly any fills through the song, which is incredibly hard to do.
Connect with The Diasonics
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Come on - Blue Stripes feat. TALI
This track is interesting for its fusion of funky horns, soulful vocals, and Latin percussion. It starts with an almost call-and-response vocal hook, which is the song's main chorus. There are many accents throughout the song played by skillful musicians.
You can tell a lot of time has gone into this production of this song with he excellent mix of guitar and saxophones/trumpets.
Connect with Blue Stripes
Instagram / Spotify
Connect with TALI
Facebook / Instagram / Spotify
SELFISH - BOY SODA
This song is funky for a few reasons. It is synth-heavy without sounding like a throwback to the 1980s. It has subtle percussion mixed in with the main drum groove. The wah-wah guitar creates a classic funk sound while the keyboards play an R&B-sounding melody. The artist's falsetto in the chorus is pitch-perfect.
Connect with BOY SODA
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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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