Ten years ago, Ikebe Shakedown began pushing the boundaries of instrumental music. Each new track and live set has sent them deeper into combining the foundational elements of ’70s soul, raw psychedelic style, and cinematic Western soundtracks with powerful grooves and soaring melodies.
With their new release, Kings Left Behind (Colemine Records), the band is giving listeners more mystery and majesty than ever before. The album features the entire group writing together, allowing each instrument and element to shine through.You'll find rhythms that punch you right in the gut, even as dreamy guitars and lush horn melodies and string arrangements capture your imagination.
Kings Left Behind was recorded by Ikebe's bassist, Vince Chiarito, at Hive Mind Recording, a Brooklyn studio built from the ground up and co-owned in part by Vince and the band's saxophonist, Michael Buckley. Since it opened in 2017, Hive Mind has become a home base for the band, giving them the freedom to experiment with the textures and sounds of a genre they define as Instrumental Soul.
No matter how things have changed over the past decade, Ikebe Shakedown has been a consistent, driving force. The band has gone from local clubs to the stages of Bonnaroo and Austin City Limits, playing with some of the biggest names in music. They continue to stretch their sound and add to their worldwide following. And with no signs of slowing down, fans can only imagine what comes next.
“Ikebe Shakedown re–creates the kind of vibrant vintage funk that sends crate–digging DJs into spasms of joy…” – TimeOut New York
“Ikebe Shakedown has a sound that is undeniably all their own” – KEXP, Seattle
