John Goldrust – When Said Is Done (2023)
Drawing together the talents of members and guest musicians of the now-disbanded reggae band Mackating, John Goldrust found a unique type of funk lurking about their talented feet. If you had to categorise the sound oozing from this lineup, it might be labelled as reggae, funk, neo-funk or jazz; however, it isn’t to be pigeonholed. Tinges of electronic dance music flit between a reggae vibe licked by a jazzy rock style – then again, that’s just generalising. While the band members have played together before in different combinations, they meld influences, experiences and skills in their debut single ‘When Said Is Done’.
Tapping into old-school jazz-rock with reggae sentiments, ‘When Said Is Done’ has a nostalgic flair taking us back to the days of yesteryear with a groovy dance vibe. Ilodica’s obscure vocals bring eclecticism to the fusion of John Goldrust’s and James Cox’s guitars alongside Funky Paulo’s moving bass and drums. A slick infusion of piano moves across the melody while synth horns puncture it with a chilled-out jazzy quality.
One aspect I love about ‘When Said Is Done’ is the DIY rawness of the production. Recorded and produced by John Goldrust in his home studio, the single is highly organic in the sense that “no automatic quantisation or autotune was used in its production, it was all done painstakingly by hand” – perhaps this is the element making ‘When Said Is Done’ so unique and different. It’s true that the groove of ‘When Said Is Done’ was inspired by a looper-sequencer that Funky Paulo coded but overall, the group is standing up for old-school practicality and arrangement.
I might be a bit biased as I grew up on jazz-rock and funk with my favourite band being Chicago, but John Goldrust and his crew have special something intoxicating listeners with the sound. Goldrust explains that “the song is about putting faith in a higher power than yourself and that all will be right in the end” and this is elegantly captured in an optimistic, hopeful and lively tune. It might be a bit scandalous but for me, ‘When Said Is Done’ is that power and when I hear it, I am certain things will be alright.
For more from John Goldrust, check out his Twitter and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
