Instant Karma! – Give Me Freedom

What we love about small labels is that they can do what they want. Their influences run deep, and if they want to put out a release in that direction, then they just do it. Similar to a label like Daptone switching it up to release a gospel record, or Big Crown going in on sleepy indie rock, Sunflower Soul have done just that on their latest output. While they have stayed on a course of funky soul jazz, they’ve branched out on the last two records, and the latest from Kansas City’s Instant Karma! is a nice blend of genres to get things moving. The first single “Give Me Freedom” is a scream for social justice and a call to arms for, well, freedom. Combining a heavy drums, plenty of reverb, tape echoes from space, and double tracked lead vocals, this one ticks all the boxes. Featuring psychedelic rock, hip hop drums, soul, and a huge drum break right in the middle that gives way to a Midwest acid trip of sounds, this record has a lot to offer. The flip, “Shine On” is an uplifting gospel influenced track that is full with harmonies and a beautiful groove that will touch your soul. This is a great debut release for Instant Karma who get some help from The Implications on both tracks to take to another level. It’s great to see Sunflower Soul diversifying their portfolio, and this is a truly solid first release for the band. While both sides are completely different musically, it is indeed something that a soul or funk collector would be happy to have in their collection. It’s got that sound, a vibe that sticks with you. Whether making a statement on social issues or bouncing back and being positive, we all can relate to the message being spread on both sides of this forty five. Listen to the record below: