1977
Experience Unlimited's Free Yourself: A Funky Debut That Paved the Way for Go-Go
This post is about Experience Unlimited's (E.U.) debut album, "Free Yourself," released in 1977. While E.U. is known for pioneering go-go music later on, "Free Yourself" captures their early, classic funk sound.
Not feeling like reading? That's alright! 😎 Here is “Functus” with its super catchy groove. 🔊
I remember E.U. (Experience Unlimited—the name inspired by The Jimi Hendrix Experience “Are You Experienced") from the early 90s—singles such as “I Confess” or “Shake Your Thang." When I dug into the Funk archives of the 1970s, it was new to me that E.U. had their debut album in 1977: Free Yourself.
The album is quite enjoyable—an example of classic funk, the band's early sound before they become pioneers of go-go in the late 1970s and early 1980s. 🎤
Go-Go is a subgenre of funk, and it is all about creating a fun, high-energy, interactive environment and making music that makes the audience dance non-stop! There is this persistent beat, percussion instruments, and “call & response” to keep the energy high, and the continuous rhythm makes people dance.
Free Yourself, released in 1977, is a testament of E.U.'s innovative approach to funk music; it has the unique E.U. sound but also captures the essence of 70s funk. The tracks in the album are both deeply rooted in the funk tradition; but are also ahead of their time in their execution.
The title track, 'Free Yourself,' stands out as the heart and soul of the album; for 8 minutes, it evokes this feeling of breaking free and expressing yourself fully, which is what funk is all about. It is the kind of song that makes you want to get up and dance.
Songs like 'Functus' and 'It's All Imagination' bring in a touch of the psychedelic vibes that were big back then, giving the album this unique sound. 🎶
My favorite is 'Functus,' an energetic, foot-tapping track that really brings out the band's funky side. The groove is super catchy, a prime example of what makes 70s funk so irresistible. 🔥
Gülben - 05/2024
📖 Andy Kellman writes for AllMusic
📖 Stephanie Williams writes for the WashingtonPost
📖 Kevin Coombe writes for VMP
