JOURNEYintoSOUL.net

Back in 2002, Atar appeared on the MTV Fanatic episode featuring Jamiroquai. Five years later – with the help of a 15-piece band – he has developed his own fan base as the leader of Atar and the Funkadrome. Their self-titled debut album takes you on a funky, rhythmic journey through an elaborative musical universe. The infectious percussion, bass lines and horns are reminiscent of Earth, Wind and Fire and Incognito with a twist of cosmic flavor.

The title song, Funkadrome, is the perfect introduction to what this band is all about. The selection seems to be separated into three movements: a funky, up-tempo introduction followed by a smooth middle delivery (thanks to the strings and Fender Rhodes piano) and dramatic conclusion. Every instrument has a chance to shine and the musical journey feels like you’re taking off on an airplane…while sitting on the wing!

Cruising Supernova has the mellow grooves of a Frankie Beverly and Maze song; however the lyrics are eclectic and borderline futuristic. The strings and horns keep your senses heightened while the drums demand that you tap your feet. If you close your eyes, you just might see stars and undiscovered planets swirling around you as you float on the melody of the flute and acoustic guitar at the end.

While selections like You Set My Soul on Fire and Clear Blue Skies offer the futuristic fullness of the band, tracks like Trippin’ and Runnin’ make you feel like you’ve just ran and tripped into the 70s. The beats are fast paced and the vocal arrangement is choir-like in its delivery. You may want to take a second look at the ceiling and make sure the glittering disco ball hasn’t descended.

With so many colors of instrumentation, there really was no need for vocal accompaniment on every track. In fact, on songs like Smile for the Camera (where Atar calls his object of affection, “sexy foxy”) the elimination of the vocals would have made this song more palatable. Undercover seems to uncover some hidden desire to be a secret agent and comes across as filler lyrics for this funky rhythm track.

Have I used the words “funk” or “funky” enough? That’s probably because this album is pure funk and rhythm. With the exception of two songs, the entire album keeps the same tempo throughout. If you are not careful, all of the songs will start to sound alike…which isn’t a bad thing if your goal is to stay funked up.

Funkadrome is a virtual cornucopia of driving beats, melodies and uncanny stamina. You definitely feel the energy of 15 creative souls coming together to bring a sound that is a musical dichotomy of past and future. It’s as if a 15-passenger time machine came from the year 2075, travelled to the 1970s and stopped by the beginning of the millennium just to release this album. Thank God for the pit stop. Highly recommended.