The “Good Will Prevail” LP. where Funk meets EDM

A year and a half ago that I casually scrolled through my Soundcloud newsfeed and came across a song called “Stop Trippin’” by an artist called GRiZ. I expected the song to be another typical EDM song, since that is what my newsfeed usually consists of, but when I played it, it was far from what I expected.

Enter a funky bassline from a bass guitar with live drums playing in groove: a few seconds and I’m hooked. Later on, horn stabs pierce the mix along with the smooth yet powerful vocals of iDA HAWK, followed by a powerful electronic sounding sax in the drop. The track was a fusion of genres I have never experienced before, consisting of organic instruments and melodies characteristic of funk, soul, and jazz music while also remembering to fuse characteristics of electronic music in its arrangement; intro, breakdown, buildup, drop, etc. as well as a quick 140-150 bpm tempo characteristic of trap music.

I have followed each new release they put out, and each successive one just gets better. Recently, they just released their newest album “Good Will Prevail”, which is their most ambitious album to date that expands on their signature style. One nice progression in this album is their increased incorporation of vocals and songwriting in the tracks to give the album a bit of a “lyrical cohesion”. The signature funk-filled, soul-driven music is still evident with their usual dirty, bass-fueled productions. This 13-song LP is also jam packed with special features, notable producers including Big Gigantic and Louis Futon, along with a plethora of collaborators ranging from rappers to famous guitarists. Overall, the album is a seamless blend of funk, soul, rock, and electronic dance music that aims to promote good vibes only, and I’m sure both new and old fans of GRiZ will be very pleased.

So what was the motivation behind writing the album? In an album announcement on their website GRiZ wrote:

“This year has been particularly difficult. Too many times I’ve felt sick to my stomach watching the news or talking with my friends about what’s going on in the world. It seems like I can’t get a break from bad news. All this senseless violence, political unrest, cultural tension … got me feelin down…and often…helpless. I ask myself often what I can do to help out. So, I wrote this album as a reminder to me and to you that there is SO MUCH GOOD in this world! I urge you, focus on our collective LOVE and RIGHTEOUSNESS. It’s up to us to keep that alive. Keep your head held high. I know things look real real bad right now, but no matter how dark it may seem or how discouraged you may feel, never ever give up!”

Along with the LP release, GRiZ has also announced a brand new U.S tour to promote their new album, where they will be incorporating their signature live shows with new features. Joining GRiZ on their nationwide tour will be Haywyre, Brasstracks (who performed recently at USD’s Blue Bash), Louis Futon, and the Geek X VRV & Lettuce. Be sure to check out their website http://www.mynameisgriz.com/tour for more details on tour dates and tickets. And of course, check out their album on Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/griz/sets/good-will-prevail-1 or stream it on Spotify!