Divide and Conker's debut album is a whirlwind of funk

It was packed to the rafters for Divide and Conker's album launch party at The Yorkshire House on New Year's Eve eve.
Dean Marroni and Jack Wingad on stage. Photo by Adam Lupton.Dean Marroni and Jack Wingad on stage. Photo by Adam Lupton.
Dean Marroni and Jack Wingad on stage. Photo by Adam Lupton.

The pay on the door event soon sold out, and was ably supported by four bands that can and do headline shows themselves – the buzz was evident, the vibe was friendly, and the music was top notch.

It was quickly obvious as people sang and grooved along that Divide and Conker have built up a significant following since forming at Lancaster Funk Club in 2015.

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Their eponymous debut album is an eight tracked, 22-minute whirlwind of funk, hip-hop rhymes, slack bass, brass stomps, psychedelic keys, and soaring guitar riffs. It has blasted some much needed soul into a year that many would really rather forget.

Becca Pattison on tromboneBecca Pattison on trombone
Becca Pattison on trombone

Blink and you’ll miss it, but it’s jam-packed full of leftfield observations, personal life musings, aspirations versus inaction, and ideas of collectivism. The hoos! and hahs! of opening track All In The Mind give way to the first line of the album: “Either they’re having us on, or there’s someone evil on top of the throne...”

You get the picture.

The nine piece band sound is huge, the arrangements are tighter than a hipster’s trousers, and the band’s chemistry on stage leaves the audience with a good old love buzz.

Together Dean (Marroni) and Jack (Wingad) collaborate on back and forth vocals that really come into their own for the jazz infused Feud, creating a strong sense of camaraderie between band members, while Dirty Hustle takes a hazy look at Lancaster’s nightlife.

Becca Pattison on tromboneBecca Pattison on trombone
Becca Pattison on trombone
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Everyone Is Insane is a juggernaut of emotion and a swipe at modern life.

The four videos leading up to the launch have given the band some great visual exposure too, wonderfully produced by Adam Lupton.

And hats off too to Adam’s brother Leroy Lupton, who has managed to reproduce the band’s cosmic onstage energy into a coherent and accomplished body of music.

If you’re not a member of the Divide and Conker family yet, join up, I believe you’d be very welcome.

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Genre-crossing styles are a major part of the UK’s underground music scene at the moment, and Divide and Conker have picked up on that and run with it, creating a style that stays fresh and is completely unique.

I guarantee those brass stomps will be ringing in your ears long after the track stops.

You can get the album from the band’s Bandcamp page, by contacting them on Facebook, and it will soon be available on Spotify.

If you want to catch them live, they’ll be playing the last Friday of every month at The John O’ Gaunt pub.