As rookies in the thriving Brussels scene, jazz fusion quartet LũpḁGangGang have been making waves the last couple of years. After the EPs ‘Stalingrad’ and ‘Urban Detox’, they are now releasing their debut album ‘Dopamine Overdose’ on March 17 via Sdban Ultra.
Lyrically the inspiration for the album comes from growing up in a digital world and the constant dopamine we all have to deal with because of that. Musically their sound is rich, diverse and hard to pin down, looking at Yussef Dayes, BADBADNOTGOOD and even Black Country, New Road for inspiration.
LũpḁGangGang started out as a jazz/funk cover band in 2017. Anton, Miel, Lena and Rob all met at a jam session summer camp while still in school. Over time, the band started writing their own songs and released two EPs to critical acclaim. Due to the band’s desire for creative expansion over genres, they have been able to perform on various Belgian stages for the past three years including Ancienne Belgique to Flagey, Gent Jazz and Handelsbeurs in support of label mates, Black Flower.
The album title ‘Dopamine Overdose’ is a quote from the track ‘Dada Data’, a track about the influence social media tends to have on our lives. The album’s recurring theme is definitely the struggle with today’s hyper virtual society and the overwhelming influence tech is having on society. With unbridled enthusiasm the band tackle relevant themes and combine striking observations with a highly contagious and very diverse sound.
From “Out the Light'', a smooth track about being stuck in the image we all try to create of ourselves, to ‘Wanderer’, a jazzy tune about the road to self-acceptance, and from ‘Candy’, combining a punk attitude with infectious hand claps, to ‘Time Faded’, about the difficulty of finishing your artistic work, LũpḁGangGang constantly showcase their genre-defying versatility.
As a whole, the album is a very balanced collection of tracks, ranging from brooding atmospheres to punky explosions with a constant drive, social criticism and an indomitable energy binding it all together. A promising debut, indeed.
supported by 11 fans who also own “Dopamine Overdose”
When it comes to Ethio-Jazz (or how you wanna call the genre) there is the good stuff and the wannabe's.
azmari not only delivers, they share the top spot with ATA's Sorcerers. Powerful yet delicate. Very impressive guys. See ya soon in Amsterdam near the docks ;-) PlayItLoud!
supported by 9 fans who also own “Dopamine Overdose”
That record grooves from beginning to end! It’s an incredible tour de force in all aspects as genres are so well and effortless mixed that I’m speechless about the dynamics and changes of style in a single song.
The drummer is the driving force and forms with the bassist and unbelievably tight rhythm section! This one will be for sure on my Top 10 list for 2022. Check out their label! Vikrant Kumar Thomas Junk
Taking their name from the Amharic word for griot, this collective marries Ethio-groove, dub, psych-funk and Eastern influenced sounds. Bandcamp New & Notable Jan 22, 2021
supported by 9 fans who also own “Dopamine Overdose”
This album takes you somewhere else right from the first bars. I hear strong Israeli influences in almost all tracks. The way they're seamlessly combined with Indian and Arabic instrumentation reminds of the great band Sheva, especially their album Celestial Wedding. But it's more jazzy. Also Armenian Navy Band came to my mind somewhere. Really beautiful sound, too. Vinyl highly recommended. dj-yogi