Underground Canopy: Paying Homage to Many Genres

Lurking around the metros of Paris saunters a groovy sextet of funk cats. Underground Canopy is a delightful combo of musicians who pay homage to the arts of jazz, funk, and hip-hop.

Drums encased in saturation, smacking bass as glue, pads of deep Rhodes pianos, swirling synthesizers, and ambient horns come together to forge something unique. Underground Canopy is expanding on its influences of French fusion masters Cortex and the vibey side of Jamiroquai's discography. They live in the classification of Acid Jazz. 

This genre arose in the '90s as a crossroads for psychedelia, hip-hop, and jazz. Rap groups, like A Tribe Called Quest, were notorious for sampling smooth jazz selections in their beats. The infusion of jam music and wonky beats was very influential. Another legendary example of this was J Dilla's catalog.

Folks started to wonder what this original style would sound like reinstated into a live context, like where jazz began. The Roots embraced this stylistic tinge. Acid Jazz is another story that proves music's cyclical nature. People innovate with what they have, inspire others to continue, and amalgamate everything. 

"Uncut Gems" is an immersive canvas demonstrating all these colors whilst depicting various moods. One song could soundtrack the slow metamorphic nature of forests and bogs. Another song could catapult one super-sonically into space and all its undiscovered secrets. "Zero-F" is a thirteen-minute jam honoring the SNES racing game "F-Zero." This track is a personal favorite of mine for its unrelenting evolutions and the band's improvisational prowess. It's such a sweet mood that its length is no bother.

"Space Gems" is a guilty pleasure for me with its emphasis on atmospheric synths. "Into The Deep" is the song that embraces the Acid Jazz title best. It almost resembles if Steely Dan and the Grateful Dead had a lovechild. This is the ultimate "give yourself a break and have a good time doing it" record.

Whether you're traveling, sleeping forever, cooking a meal, or watching paint dry, Underground Canopy will morph the mundane into magic. 

If you want to hear more, there are two half-hour improv sessions on their YouTube channel that are wonderful. The videos cut in and out of hypnotic city footage. The six members shred hard in a dark studio. The means of recording seems minimal, but the performances are massive.

Nevertheless, if you want to groove, throw these guys on. 

Underground Canopy’s Instagram:

https://instagram.com/undergroundcanopy?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/7k7AFLI13ChqpIlQGI1lJo?si=oxlSJmbPRqqZNY4_2LvySQ