Scustin – The Candyman (2022)
Take Blindboy, Mike Skinner and Jamiroquai on a boozy night out and what sort of sound would erupt from the experience – something Scustin are calling “post-funk”. Hailing from Ireland, the energetic foursome blend jazz, funk and indie-rock in their intriguing sound. Known for their high-powered live shows, Scustin has quickly become a favourite on the UK and Irish music scenes selling out gigs in Cork, Dublin, Galway and London. Building a strong following in the past year, Scustin is becoming popular in the UK and Ireland; however, their sound is reaching audiences across the globe with critical acclaim from international blogs (Rising Artists Blog, Hot Press, Roadie Music, Iggy Magazine) and various playlists. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘The Candyman’.
Following their smoother, soothing sophomore single ‘Sick Of Making Love To You’, Scustin adopts an upbeat tune in ‘The Candyman’. A fusion of old-school funk is woven into the tale of “two argumentative patrons of the Irish music scene who meet at their favourite music venue. Pints are flowing, accusations are made, and chaos ensues…” Known for their storytelling prowess, I find ‘The Candyman’ intriguing as it allows a narrator to tell the tale through spoken word, but an underlying guitar continues to carry the vocal execution. As the song progresses, and the ale starts flowing even more, the instrumentation picks up and you are brought into the story with the melodic expression of, well, chaos.
Perhaps it is the Irish accent or the live bar sound, but ‘The Candyman’ is a nostalgic throwback to the classic 1991 film The Commitments. Soulful, moving and completely enchanting, the guitar solo builds to release its insanity in an overwhelming crescendo; however, the female backing brings a sensual smoothness to the song – much like those girls in The Commitments. Yet, while there is this comparison to the powerful funk-soul sound in that film, Scustin has a style that is purely Scustin – bold, rich and a ton of fun.
For more from Scustin check out their Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
