Planet Funk

Bought this CD on the strength of "Chase the Sun" and couldn't stop playing it. Still can't: it sounds as fresh today as when first played ! It's one of those rare albums that doesn't contain a dud track, alternating between bass-heavy power-funk dance tunes and multi-textured trip-hop. Crank that volume dial up to eleven and soak it up.

Fave tracks include "Chase the Sun", "The Switch", "Who Said" and "Under the Rain" (love Sally Doherty's dreamy vocals on this one).

Be sure to give this Italian group's follow-up album "The Illogical Consequence" a listen ... a bit more experimental and not quite as flat-out power-funky, but just as good as NZS.

I picked this cd up after I had bought the single for "Stuck in the UK" at a virgin records, while i was living down under. I LOVED it from the first melting beat, to the last synth reverbing (is that even a word?? :P) inside my head. Not in a long time has an album snuck its way into my life so easily.
Everytime I listen to this I am taken back, it's like it was able to match my life so well.
I digress, i'm off track here, most people could care less what the album ment to me. Ok, i'll try to describe it.
Most of the music, is underscored with some funky beats, and the overlaying feel to the music is chilled out funk. Its like house and chill all wrapped up into one. From the single "Stuck in the UK" which hooked me, you would never think that the rest of the tracks could be so smooth and silky. The songs are layerd with some amazing vocals. It's the perfect cd for just relaxing alone, or dancing by yourself, and there is even a party feel as well
It's one of my favs, along with Goldfrapp and Fischerspooner (there is a SLIGHT elecrto feel to it).

Italian band Planet funk is another dance band infleunted by many artists and genre's, Depeche Mode, Pink Floyd for example on the rock side but also Chicane, Air, Chemical Bros and Daft Punk on the Dance side. The majority of songs are pretty slow here, the hit single's "Chase the Sun" and "Inside all the people" that had some attention a few years ago are great. "Chase the Sun" is a mid tempo dance influented song with female vocals and a beautiful melody while "Inside all the people" has male vocals, it's a mix of rock and dance. It's beautiful midtempo aswell, with a good hook. I heard a very good house version of it, when i re-heard the original version i had loads of memories and liked it even more. "The Switch" is simular. Lots of synths sound kind of like early Depeche Mode and then the soft vocals from the singer. "Where is the max" also has a beautiful sound, it's instrumental apart from the others. "Under the Rain" has dance sound with female vocals, reminds me abit of Chicane or Delerium. The sound of the rain they make is great too. "All Mans Land" is simular, also female vocals and a dreamy ambient sound. "Paraffin" and "Who said" are 2 more songs sung by the male simular to "the switch" but a bit weaker The rest are instrumental "Piano Piano" sais it all and "Tightrope Artist" is slow with drums. "The Walz" reminds me of Robert Miles/BT dreamtrance.

I see i'm the first one to review this, hopefully not the last. Planet Funk is defenitely something you should check out, i think many of you would like their sound.

very true. it's sweet melodies with heavy bass, and fresh breaks make it an excellent song to either kick back to or get up an boogie too. must for any house lovers and also funk too. Njoy!

This is definately one of the best tracks I've heard in a long time....it's just so amazing. It has that epic feel to it, and the vocals are nice, clean, and smooth -- they just put you into a daze whenever you hear them. Absolutely incredible. Now where to find it on vinyl? :)

alex neri's new work is a fresh dance theme with that pizzicato sound over a solid rythm base that catchs you from the start...i think it will be one of the hits of this spring-summer in ibiza.

Due to my time in the Military - I am just now discovering Planet Funk. The song "Everyday" is both upbeat and haunting. I totally love it and plan on buying their works. I have heard it in the United States several times on radio and have downloaded the song. I am however getting a bit confused. WHO IS THE VOCALIST??? His voice is gorgeous!!!. Thank You - Alesamayi

If you enjoyed the Non Zero Sumness, you will enjoy this album. It is a little less in your face with the boom, and the boom is missed. But the album offers growth, change of pace and quite a few quality tracks. 9 of the 13 tracks are very good. Personal note - fantastic album to drive to. Peak, Inhuman Perfection, Come Alive are all very good and not mentioned in the other reviews. Don't waste your time with single track purchases, the whole album has a nice flow.

This Italian group's debut CD "Non-Zero Sumness" blew me away and remains one of my favourite albums ... I couldn't get enough of it's multitextured, bass-heavy power-funk.

The follow-up "Illogical Consequnce" contains more dance-funk,
but it's a little more experimental and covers new ground that some hardcore dance-fans may not appreciate. It didn't grab me as much as "Non-Zero Sumness", but it's still a terrific listen.

Personally, I like to see musicians challenge themselves (and
their fans) by changing direction and trying new things ... as long as the core intention remains. Tracks such as "Everyday" and "Stop Me" satisfy the power-funk dance-requirements, while "Inhuman Perfection" and "Tears after the Rainbow" (containing voice samples by the "Father" of the Atomic bomb, J.
Robert Oppenheimer) cover new ground.

Dan Black returns and shares the majority of guest-vocals with John Graham. Disappointingly, Sally Doherty only features on one track "Dusk", but it's a beaut: a simple, haunting piano melody gradually gathers momentum before planting the foot down at the 3 minute 30 second mark.

Fave tracks include "Everyday", "Stop Me", "Laces", "Tears after the Rainbow" and "Dusk". I liked "Peak" the least ... in my view it's a retread of the stomping "Who Said" from NZS.

Like me, you may need to give this CD time to soak in, but it's a rewarding and worthy follow-up album. I look forward to the third installment.

The best cd I've heard since The Wall or Disintergration. This band is an amazing cross between Pink Floyd and The Cure. The more upbeat tracks are very New Wave and at some points very electro/industrial, and the slower tracks are definately very Pink Floyd influenced. This band has the potential to be the next big super group.

DJBrianHotard@yahoo.com

After listening to a couple of hits on the radio I got this album thinking it could be as good as Non Zero Sumness, it was not.

Songs like "Stop Me" and "Come Alive" are the only ones in the record that maybe you want to hear more than once for a while, but that's it, you can keep the rest. Songs like "Inhuman Perfection" and "Out On The Dancefloor" are really bad and "Peak" pretends to be the new "Who Said", but this one's cheap and boring.

I keep listening to the first album. I know they are very young as a band yet but this is not their best effort.

by far one of the best cds i own.. completely awesome something to slip into the cd player and drive about deffinately worth a buy

Although I have been waiting for this album for about a year now, it has not been a disapointment! On the contrary, the sound propagated by these Italian fellows is what I class as a triumph! Really refreshing, catchy and haunting, perfect for morning listening and hopping around before you go to work. Buy it!