Duke & The Dry Cleaners – Move Me (2021)
Melding together elements of funk, disco and jazz, UK-based Duke & The Dry Cleaners drag you back to the toe-tapping days of the 1970s/1980s. Based on a mutual love for groove meets funk music, the group bring a feel-good vibe to their music. Incorporating guitars, drums, keys and saxophones, Oli Duke (lead vocals and keys) and his crew showcase eclecticism, innovativeness and passionate obscurity. The latest addition to their well-received repertoire is the single ‘Move Me’.
Retaining a strong reminiscence to iconic bands Chicago and Earth, Wind and Fire, ‘Move Me’ has a strong funk vibe but with a twinge of Jamie Cullum-esque contemporariness. Following the well-received ‘Revolving Door’ (read our review here), ‘Move Me’ is smoother, more soulful and soothing. This does not mean Duke & The Dry Cleaners are putting their upbeat bounce on the shelf, it is merely showcasing their versatility as artists.
Elegantly arranged, ‘Move Me’ layers different instrumentation beneath Duke’s vocals making it a “vocal-driven” single. While Duke’s dulcet tones add groovy huskiness to the track, the pianos, drums and saxophones lay a strong foundation for an enchanting song. Moving from evocative verses to catchy choruses, ‘Move Me’ has the beguiling quality unique to this group. What I find particularly enjoyable about ‘Move Me’ is the swelling brass section with crescendos to saxophone solos. Of course, there is a sensational guitar solo proving they are not merely pianos and saxophones showcasing their boundary-breaking sound.
Oli Duke states that “the intention behind ‘Move Me’ was always to capture the essence of a lazy sunny afternoon” and he has definitely achieved his aim. I’m a huge fan of 70s funk with a particular soft spot for Chicago and, in my opinion, ‘Move Me’ is another step to Duke & The Dry Cleaners reaching Chicago level. This is a band that Robert Lamm would be very proud of…then again, that’s just my opinion.
For more from Duke & The Dry Cleaners check out their official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
