Karate Boogaloo - Butterfly EP (2026) [Hi-Res]

The instrumental funk group Karate Boogaloo, also performing as Kay-Bee Funk Music Group, is releasing a new album, "Access All Areas" — the first in their discography in alphabetical order. A single word, "access," guided the work: any tune that became convoluted was discarded, and only melodies that anyone could hum made the cut. Arrangements and forms were kept tight, with minimal embellishment. If their 2024 album "Hold Your Horses" was an epic, the new record is a haiku.

Recording followed the band's usual method, with one important addition: Sound Recordings and its owner, engineer Alex Bennet, who operated a 4-track Ampex 440 tape machine and kept the vibe right throughout the sessions. Mixing was handled by Henry Jenkins, the artwork was created by Hudson Whitlock and Callum Riley, and Darvid Thor made an unquantifiable but notable contribution.

The band is nearly 20 years old. Starting out by playing songs of their heroes — The Meters, Booker T & The MG's, The JB's — the four musicians gradually developed their own sound, one that respectfully draws on the history of instrumental funk and soul. The new album was composed and produced by all members in equal measure, as a single collective statement. It is released on Colemine Records (Loveland, USA) and College of Knowledge (Coburg, Australia).

Tracklist:
1. Karate Boogaloo - Butterfly
2. Karate Boogaloo - Down Home
3. Karate Boogaloo - Wet Day Timetable
4. Karate Boogaloo - Booger's Bounce of Joy
5. Karate Boogaloo - Head First
6. Karate Boogaloo - Tremendous Fantastic