ORGONE Undercover Mixtape 2xLP NEW VINYL Colemine Otis Redding, The Funkadelic

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ORGONE Undercover Mixtape 2xLP NEW VINYL Colemine Otis Redding, The Funkadelic

One of Southern California’s premiere funk and soul outfits, Org?ne has been spreading its cosmic energy throughout the universe for nearly two decades. Fronted by vocalist Adryon de Leon who plugs the soul into the ensemble, Org?ne is known for its unique mélange of gritty old school ‘60s and ‘70s music infused with contemporary influences drawn from the multicultural milieu of L.A. These influences were perfectly expressed on their last album, Beyond the Sun for us.” The result is Undercover Mixtape, offering 13 classics paying homage to artists from Stax and Motown, as well as legendary jazz, funk and rock musicians.

The album opens with an outstanding rendition of the jazz-funk instrumental “The Black Five,” originally released by Roy Ayers Ubiquity in 1974. The Org?ne crew swaps the string section and Ayers signature vibes for layered keyboards and guitar, providing an updated sound. Switching over to guitar-driven hard rock on “Cynthy-Ruth,” the band is led by Tarin Ector (The Solutionagenics), whose gritty vocals are well-suited for this track from the 1970 debut album by Detroit’s Black Merda.

Adryon de León is brave enough to tackle “Think,” Aretha Franklin’s iconic 1968 feminist anthem, and absolutely nails it with fantastic backing from the band. She also shines on several other soul-drenched tracks: Betty Wright’s “Let Me Be Your Lovemaker” which also showcases the horn section; the Gladys Knight tearjerker “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye);” and Gwen McCrae’s “All This Love That I’m Givin’.” Guest vocalist Kelly Finnigan is featured on “Nobody’s Fault but Mine,” adhering closely to the Otis Redding version of the song.

If you want funk and nothing but the funk, you won’t be disappointed with the remaining tracks on the album. The band seriously grooves on two back-to-back instrumentals, deftly channeling Booker T’s organ licks on “Melting Pot,” then getting down on an extended version of Cameo’s “It’s Serious.” The Meters, clearly one of the Org?ne’s favorite groups, are covered on “It Ain’t No Use,’ once again featuring the amazing Adryon de León, and “Looka Py Py,” on which the band navigates the complex polyrhythms and deep bass grooves with precision. Last but certainly not least, are two tracks from the funkiest funk band on the planet. Parliament’s 1971 classic, “The Breakdown,” features Mixmaster Wolf, who normally fronts the eight piece L.A. funk band Breakestra. The album closes with another P-funk classic, “Cosmic Slop,” with Tarin Ector once again taking over the helm on this haunting tale about urban poverty that still resonates today.

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PACKING VINYL THE CORRECT WAY—I package each record to avoid bent corners and seam splits. Here’s how:
* All records are packaged in new vinyl mailer boxes and assembled using a variation of bubble wrap, shrink and cardboard flats.
* ALL records are put inside a 2-3 mm clear sleeve. (I use the soft sleeves, not the ones that sound like you’re opening a bag of Doritos when you work with them.)
* If the record is used or open, the vinyl and its inner sleeve will always be shipped outside the jacket but inside the same clear sleeve.
* I reinforce the corners of each box mailer (no matter what size it is) by using cardboard “planks” secured to each corner around the edge to prevent damage when tossed around in the mail. This makes a difference.
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