The Liberators - The Liberators (2011)

With nods to Fela Kuti's Afro-beat legacy, as well as other Latin and Blaxploitation grooves from the '70s, Australian funk behemoths The Liberators seriously impress on their debut album on Record Kicks. Instrumentals like "Multiculture" and "Monkeyface" make storming use of the 10-piece's tight brass section, while vocal tunes such as "Denga" (featuring Jojo Kuo) allow the band to get locked into some thrilling, guitar-driven jams. With the production raw and dripping in the kind of excitement that only live recording can offer, The Liberators have introduced themselves extremely well with this hugely funky debut.