The Royal Pacific Orchestra - Flower War [Funk]

The Royal Pacific Orchestra are old souls trapped in a modern world, though led by Ben Cockerham, they're making the best of a bad situation and transporting today's phone staring, doom scrollers back to simpler, book-reading, and quite possibly better times, with their classy blend of exotica and Tiki bar soundtracks that hark back to the era of black and white films and orchestras squeezed into recording studios rather than sample packs.

The project started more as a nu-exotica solo project with choice vocal collaborations, but the new material has a richer live sound, although with musician credits largely absent and the press shot not giving anything away, it's a bit hard to tell who's doing what. Whatever, I like the vibe and quality.

"Flower War" is the lead single from the new Shrine of Exotica EP, and I do know there was a rhythm section, and that Greg Sanderson ripped it up on flute. The tune's certainly got the funk and with some cool Afrobeat swing too - this is smooth jazz for a Saturday nights on the dance floor. The star of the show is undoubtedly Sanderson who, aided by some choppy funk guitar, organ in all the right places and some soft-touch production, variously floats over, or helps drive the tune to new Afro-funking exotica heights. Get smooth and get down.

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Playlist Companion

Find TRPO in the Slow Grooves Playlist.