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Live Review: Mark Ronson 'Daffodils' ft. Kevin Parker

16 November 2014 | 12:00 am | Emma Jones

Super producer Mark Ronson is back and has teamed up with Kevin Parker to give us the impossibly funky Daffodils, off his upcoming record, Uptown Special.

"Super producer" MARK RONSON is well and truly back! Ahead of his fourth collaborative effort, Uptown Special, he has unleashed the psych funk jam from my dreams, and recruited Australia's own KEVIN PARKER from TAME IMPALA for vocal duties, just in case that wasn't enough.

Titled Daffodils, the track is a perfect example of MARK RONSON's infatuation with American R'n'B and funk in the 70's and 80's, working in Memphis at the time the track was made. PARKER actually features on several tracks on the record, offering up drums, guitars, synths, lead vocals on two other tracks, as well as backing vocals.

Daffodils is the best of both artists - KEVIN's psych-pop penchant and space-age voice, and MARK's undeniable knack for funk. The fusion creates a psychedelic soundscape, complete with funk breakdowns, Kevin's dreamlike vocals, effects laden jams and an irresistible bassline. The song also features some seriously trippy lyrics, written by Pulitzer Prize winner MICHAEL CHABON "crank that vapour-wagon/start that kick and dragon beating" for example.

This track was released not long at all after the BRUNO MARS featuring first single, Uptown Funk, which literally sounds exactly as you'd imagine with a title like that. BRUNO MARS puts on his best JAMES BROWN impression, and struts his stuff down an 80's boulevard of brass sections, funky basslines and chorus lines. RONSON is sticking to what he knows and does best with these two tracks. If they're anything to go by, the already incredibly influential producer will be in store for a pretty huge, and I mean HUGE, few months.

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Other notable names on Uptown Special include HUDSON MOHAWKESIMIAN MOBILE DISCO's JAMES FORD, MIIKE SNOW's ANDREW WYATT and DJ ZINCThe record is out in Australia January 30, with no word on any shows just yet, so let's all link arms and wait with baited breath for RONSON's return to our shores.

Words by Emma Jones

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