‘Give It To Me Hot’

NITE-16

‘Give It To Me Hot’ is a 4-track EP that pays tribute to one of the hottest, raunchiest (but sadly short-lived) funk/punk groups from the early 80s, Sexual Harrassment.

Sexual Harrassment was started by radio DJ Lynn Tolliver whilst he was doing A&R for MCA Records, and the Cleveland-based group had a gold single on the Heat/Montage label. Their rarer 6-track album from 1983 has become a collector’s item.

To do their tracks justice, we asked modern day artists who are synonymous with a sex-driven funk attitude to either cover or reinterpret the originals. The audio file below contains previews of all four tracks.

‘Give It To Me Hot’, Sexual Harrassment, Citinite, 2011

Dâm-Funk & Lil’ Kenny

LA-based vocalist Lil’ Kenny starts us off with a sweat-inducing rendition of ‘You Are My Sexual Connection’. Backed by limit-pushing production from modern funketeer Dâm-Funk, the powerful bassline, searing rides and deep-throated vocals are as honest and uncompromising as we could have hoped for.

Stones Throw artist Dâm-Funk is at the forefront of the new generation of artists that have come to re-envigorate the funk genre. Hugely influential and much in demand, Dâm-Funk is putting the finishing touches to his new project for Citinite, Mynk Rychardz.

From Oakland California, Lil’ Kenny has been bubbling under the radar for a few years now, catching the attention of Moodymann, Kanye West and Def Jam, and he is preparing his debut release for Citinite.

Jimmy Edgar & G.rizo

Jimmy Edgar contributes a backing track unlike anything he has ever done before for little known gem, ‘Exercise Your Ass Off’. Combined with the energising vocals from G.rizo, the track reminds us of the 70s New York alt music scene whilst simultaneously feeling like the beginning of the next wave.

After releasing his live funk project, Her Bad Habit, on Citinite, Jimmy Edgar returned with his highly anticipated second album, ‘XXX’ on !K7, which explored new dimensions of electro and R&B. Continuing to develop and reinvent his sound, a second instalment of Her Bad Habit is planned.

Real name Ihu Anyanwu, the New York-raised but now Vienna-based artist G.rizo has previously released on Deejay Gigolo, and has recently launched her own label, Hezekina Pollutina. Her first single for the label, ‘Boys’, featured a remix by Egyptian Lover.

Robert O’Dell

Next, Robert O’Dell rides in with his unique style for ‘If I Gave You A Party’. Co-produced by Jeppe Loverman, this version is by turns unsettling and thrilling and has proved to be the most popular on the EP amongst DJs we promoed the tracks to.

Having previously worked with Juan Atkins and Eminem’s early associates Indigenous Tribe, Robert O’Dell’s ‘Cazelica’ was the first Citinite release in 2006. An album, ‘Roads & Clouds’, which is a summation of his solo output and which features George Clinton, is planned for release on Citinite later this year.

Sweat.X

Finally comes Sweat.X’s interpretation of Sexual Harrassment’s most famous track, ‘I Need A Freak’. Spoek Mathambo and Markus Wormstorm’s compulsively dark vision, with its broody, frustrated funk sound, riffs on themes of unsated desire and pleasure-pain.

As Sweat.X, vocalist Spoek Mathambo and producer Markus Smit have released two stellar EPs for Citinite. Since then, Mathambo has released his solo album on BBE to widespread acclaim, whilst Smit has found continued success in animation as part of the multi-award winning collective, The Black Heart Gang, and has recently worked on short films for EA Games’ ‘American McGee’s Alice’.

We hope this Sexual Harrassment covers EP not only stays true to the candid, fun and untempered spirit of the originals, but also inspires other artists to add a New Wave angle to the current funk revival.

You can read an interview with Lynn Tolliver, where he talks about how Sexual Harrassment was formed, in the previous post.

« Previous Entry

Advertisement