Ric Robertson’s Strange World EP is a cross-genre odyssey, and in it, funk is the future. The New Orleans-based visionary synthesizes the full canon of American music—New Orleans jazz, classic American pop songsmiths, modern funk, and R&B to name a few—and births it into something out of this world. Robertson, a former member of Lucius who has toured as a sideman with acts like The Wood Brothers and Rhiannon Giddens, masterfully weaves together the joy of dancehall funk with experimental and forward-thinking production. In fact, Strange World was produced by Lucius member Dan Molad whose production credits include albums from Lucius, JD McPherson, and Emily King. In the vein of forebears like George Clinton and Dr. John, Strange World is both a joyous escape and a thoughtful collection. Lifting off with a conceptual suite of three songs (including the satirically barbed “Donny B. Gone," pointed at the sitting US president), and finishing with the instant boogie woogie classic “Louisiana Love Thing," Robertson’s knack for transforming complex music into unforgettable earworms is undeniable. This four-song collection is the perfectly fitting soundtrack for turbulent times, reminding us of the ongoing revolutionary power of music and storytelling amidst tidal waves of technological development, reckless world leaders, and global unrest.

Track Listing:

Catalog Number: DIRT-EP-0099

UPC: EP ( 877746009938)