Coming soon: Funk

Review: Virginia's legendary Afro-jazz ensemble Oneness of Juju return with their first international release in over three decades, a multigenerational work of spiritual jazz, spoken word, and funked-out ritualism. Made Through Ritual sees founder James "Plunky" Branch collaborating with his son Jamiah "Fire" Branch and producer Jamal Gray, son of Black Fire Records' late co-founder Jimmy Gray. Built from demo beats and samples, each track is reinterpreted by live musicians, fusing sequencing and improvisation into something rich with intent. 'Share This Love' opens with Chyp Green's mantra-like vocals, while 'Free Spirit' and 'Broad Street Strut' blend groove with cosmic vision. 'Children of the Drum' closes things with Roscoe Burnem's resonant poetryian ode to Black legacy that roots the entire record in ancestral memory. This is an album not just made, but summoned, a vibrant continuation of the sonic revolution Plunky began in the 70s.