Manic Focus – Habit (Ft. Russ Liquid & The RapperChicks) [Original Mix]

by: Ryan Castillo Apr 19, 2017

Part-time magician and future funk beat maker Manic Focus has just released the third single from his upcoming LP, Minds Rising, which is set for release April 21. The Chicago-based producer has enlisted the help of his All Good label mate, Russ Liquid, with the smooth vocals of The RapperChicks, whose clever style balances rap, R&B, and soul quite nicely.

The track, entitled “Habit,” combines Manic Focus’ organic electro-soul instrumentation with a funky three-piece horn section led by Russ Liquid. The result is a sound that is gritty, fun, and off-the-cuff. However, the true gravity of this song hits straight to the heart when one listens closely to the lyrics, which detail the throes of substance addiction.

This is the sort of direction that the electro-soul and funk genres seem to be going, especially the intelligent productions from GRiZ‘s label, which consistently underscore happy, light-hearted musical elements with heavy, somber lyrics. The contrast is gritty, robust, and certainly reflective of our current cultural climate.