Damon Riddick, a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and producer, better known by his stage name Dâm-Funk has come a long way from his humble beginnings in Pasadena, California. A precocious musical talent, Riddick was taught the drums from a young age and from here he made a natural progression to the drum machines that are so prominent in much of his work. This talent was spotted by the funk producer Leon Sylvers III which led to an apprenticeship and by the time the mid-90s rolled around, Riddick became popular with rappers riding the G-Funk wave in helping them with live instrumentation and playing on records. However, he became tired of taking a back seat and gaining no more recognition than in the production credits, it was time in his eyes to “go full-funk” and focus on becoming an artist in his own right.

 

Having spent years grafting, Riddick finally caught his big break when Peanut Butter Wolf enlisted his help in remixing Baron Zen’s ‘Burn Rubber’ in 2007. His frequent use of that Funk staple, the Vocoder, and his eclectic, signature lo-fi style that comprises elements of Disco, Boogie and Funktronica has garnered him much support from musical heavyweights such as Mary Anne Hobbs and Gilles Peterson. For Riddick, Funk is a lifestyle, “a feeling of struggle and staying cool throughout it” and this is evident in all of his music. From his debut album Toeachizown to his 2013 collaboration with the Godfather of G-Funk, Snoop Dogg, under the 7 Days of Funk moniker, Dâm (or Mr. Funk?!) has consistently managed to innovate and keep critics guessing, with his shapeshifting cosmic boogie tunes that are impossible to pigeonhole into any single genre. Whilst it contains 20 songs, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this gliding, interstellar funk odyssey might reach some of the more obscure parts of the funkmosphere but for the main part, Invite the Light retains a certain groove that gives the album a fluid, cohesive glaze.

 

With its glittery synths and nonchalant, disco inspired kicks, ‘We Continue’ sets the tone for the whole record. Following on, ‘Somewhere Someday’ harkens back to the aspirational, gospel ideas that are a cornerstone of much black music and while it retains the smooth vibe apparent in the rest of the album, it is one of the only songs on the album where Riddick’s vocals seem too laboured and may have benefited from another singer giving a better vocal range.

 

Throughout his long career Riddick has managed to work with many prestigious talents within the music industry and it is on ‘I’m Just Trying To Survive’ that Dâm employs Class A wordsmith Q-Tip of Tribe Called Quest fame to lend some bars. With two versions of the song to choose from, the “Party Version” definitely gets my vote, with its memorable refrain and Vocoder weirdness it leaves the other version feeling a bit flat. ‘Floating on Air’ is reminiscent of how I would imagine an early Outkast instrumental would sound. Dreamy, ambient sounds mix with a four to the floor beat to create an upbeat, misty, cloud-funk number. The tune with the catchiest, straight up G-Funk feel is most definitely ‘HowUGonF***AroundAndChooseABusta?’ and is reminiscent of Snoop’s legendary Doggystyle album. The Doggfather himself goes in on the mellow synths and laid-back beat in the instructive ode to self-relaxation, ‘Just Ease Your Mind From All Negativity’.

 

The groggy basslines and spluttering synths of Acting, Riddick’s second collaboration with Ariel Pink lacks direction but keeps in line with the rest of the album, an explorative foray into the musical abyss. Invite the Light is a showcase of Dâm’s diverse musical knowledge and mastery. The track list covers G-Funk bangers that wouldn’t sound out of place being pumped out of a bouncing Cadillac in Crenshaw but also stretches to housey numbers such as ‘OBE’. The most noticeable quality of this album is the way in which Riddick imposes his imprint on a number of genres but maintains an element of continuity and leaves no doubt that whether they contain Electro-Funk claps or smooth R&B sheen, the tunes are easily identifiable as coming from the Dâm Funk stable. In each song he accommodates a guest artist to lend a different angle in exploring his own sound and this shines through in the final product. From Leon Sylvers III’s velvety vocals to the contrasting delivery and tone of Snoop Dogg and Q-Tip, the California producer seems to forge a different and unique sound every time while peppering it with something that seems all too familiar and is unmistakeably his own.

Ali Hares