Synthonic - Sunshine EP (Self-Released)

Synthonic is the new downtempo/electro funk project of London-based Kieron Garrett, a jazz musician who had tired of the scene and wished to create something that was entirely his. The resulting five track EP, Sunshine combines the uplifting grooves of funk with jazzy, electronic atmospherics, and plenty of eccentric synth sounds thrown on top for good measure. It isn’t exactly revolutionary in the genre, but it’s infectious in its positivity, and it’s immediately clear that the EP is the work of someone deeply in love with the process of making music, whether it be for himself or a larger audience.

The standout track has to be “Come On, Get Up!” which succeeds in exactly what its title promises, and it’s pure groove and irresistibly danceable right from the bassline. Another song, “Groove Report,” is ripped straight from the ’70s funk textbook, and it’s possible to see that it could have been the perfect soundtrack for a cocaine-fueled swinging party. It’s not necessarily an EP that is distinctly individual, and without knowing better, one could assume this the work of any number of artists. But that seems precisely the point. Sunshine has nothing to do with ego, and everything to do with the energizing effect it produces upon the listener.