D/troit – Do The Right Thing EP

The guy who cuts my hair in London is called Starsky.

Just like you, I always picture the curly-haired partner from the classic 70’s TV show Starsky and Hutch. While my Jamaican barber shares no resemblance to him outside of the name, he sure can cut a sharp hairstyle.

While waiting to get trimmed and styled, I figured I had the ideal opportunity to listen to the 6-track debut EP Do The Right Thing from Danish band D/troit.

Released on Crunchy Frog Recordings (however did they think of that great name?), D/troit’s perfect mix of soul and funk is heavily influenced by the music of the American 70’s—pretty fitting for my surroundings.

The striking orange design of D/troit’s EP cover lets you know immediately the seriousness of this band’s retro sound.

It’s one of the coolest covers of the year!

We don’t judge books (or music) by their covers, but… well… ok, sometimes we do. The cover artwork is a great start, just like the opening track.

When listening, you are immediate hit by the real authentic sound of this band with the first track, “The 45”. It feels like it was recorded on an original tape machine using vintage Fenders and original keyboards. It’s hard to believe this isn’t a single newly discovered in a deceased vinyl junkie’s collection!

Toke Bo’s soulful and raspy lead vocals contribute greatly to D/troit’s sound with a whisky, smoky vibe as the female background vocalists’ harmonies delightfully support him. “It’s a Soul Thing” demonstrates this perfectly as it nods to soul predecessors such as James Brown.

It ain’t no black thing.
It ain’t no white thing.
It ain’t no rich thing.
It ain’t no poor thing.
It’s a soul thing!

Moreover, D/troit’s latest video shows that Toke isn’t just a great voice — he has some funky moves, too!

The track right before “It’s a Soul Thing”, playfully titled “D/strut”, demonstrates the band in full instrumental funk flow.

Track #5 ‘Stop‘ is a verbally strong, emotional soul powerhouse!

Make no mistake; D/troit are not a cover band even if the last track, a ballad titled “Don’t Be a Stranger”, has a similar feel to Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come”. This is a band that respects the soulful/funky past and delivers it with sincerity, heart, and yes, bags of soul.

They’ve clearly worked hard in recreating a classic soul/funk sound with a mix of original and modern flavours, and have succeeded.

I’m sure it won’t surprise anyone that this EP was also released on a delicious-looking 10” vinyl, just like it deserves.

Right on guys, right on!

Vocals – Toke Bo
Guitar – Klaus
Keys – Mads
Drums – Stefan
Bass – Jackie

Released June 22, 2015.