A simple rolling beat with a deep-pocketed kick-drum is the base of “Them Changes”. On top of this, Thundercat layers his thumping bass and dreamy vocals to create a modern groove reminiscent of 70’s Funk. This drum beat is a sample from The Isley Brothers’ 1977 classic, “Footsteps in the Dark,” which was also sampled in Ice Cube’s “It Was a Good Day.” With a floating guitar, and soulful vocals by Ron Isley, the original song is a laid-back ballad, and the beat is just extra flavoring. On “Them Changes” the beat is punched up, more prominent, and drives the song in a more direct manner. The adaptation of the beat from the smooth-sailing Isley Brothers to Thundercat’s repurposed rhythm shows the evolution of Funk from its origins to modern times, and stands as a testament that even though the word has fallen out of common terminology, Funk is far from dead.

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