The Uptown Funk Empire’s album The Empire Strikes Back was released in the year 2009 and it has quickly become a sure value of the modern Soul-Funk scene. This album composed and produced by Bruno Hovart aka Patchworks still sounds really funky 10 years after its initial release. The success of its 2019’s reissue confirmed that it got a timeless flavor.
The full-length version of this album contained 16 tracks in the CD & Digital format but for technical reasons only 10 tracks were included in the vinyl edition. And due to public demand, we are now happy to release the missing tracks in vinyl with an exclusive track, the rightly titled « Party ». The Empire Strikes Back Again, so let’s have an other funky good time with Uptown Funk Empire...
Tracks as « Boogie », « You’ve got to have Freedom » or « N.O.W. » have now become anthems. They have brought back the Funk to the dancefloors from around the world and this with the help of Dj’s such as Kerri Chandler, Moodyman, Joey Negro, Ashley Beedle, Tony Humphries, Mr V, Dj Simbad, Femi Fem, Dj Cam, Dj Bobbito, Jazztronik, Recloose, Rich Medina, Rainer Truby, Kid Loco, Yam Who, Mad Mats, Dj Kawasaki, Dj Junior...just to name a few.
But this album is not only dance-floor oriented, one important part of its charms is due to a bunch of good ballads and tasty down tempo tracks as: « I’m A Manchild », « I Guess That You Don't Mind », « Celestial Blues », « Please Mister Postman » playlisted by radios as Jazz Fm, BBC6, Radio Nova, KCRW, Deutschland Radio Kultur, Couleur 3, WBAI, FM4, KX Radio, Superbly FM...and enjoyed by a lot of Soul Boys & Girls in their bedrooms.
And last but no least, the Uptown Funk Empire’s track « I’m A Manchild » was included in the soundtrack of the film « Focus » with Will Smith...and it was greatly cool for a funky cat to have shared a movie with the Prince of Bel Air !
This album is a pleasant proof that funk & soul Music can always sounds good & alive in our time, once again thanks to Patchworks and its Uptown Funk Empire alias.