Have you heard of the obscure subgenre known as mutant disco? If not, you’re not alone in that respect. This genre is also known as avant-funk or punk-funk, and it makes sense why. Mutant Disco is all about taking funk and/or disco and adding artistic avant-garde elements, lending an even more psychedelic sort of feel to a typically pop-oriented style.
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This genre was born out of the late 1960s, namely in the US and UK, and the most prominent era for mutant disco was the 1970s. When new wave and post-punk rolled around in the late 1970s, many bands in those genres began to embrace Black music and were inspired to go in the direction of mutant disco with their own music. And if you want to get into this intriguing genre, there are a few essential albums you need to check out. Let’s take a look!
‘Tago Mago’ by Can (1971)
The German rock outfit Can is best known as a krautrock band. However, they are also one of the earliest pioneers of mutant disco, too. Specifically, the group’s second album, the 1971 effort Tago Mago, is a fine example of experimental mutant disco with a krautrock edge. It’s a delightfully psychedelic piece of work, and the whole thing was recorded at a medieval castle in Cologne, Germany.
Many of the tracks on the album are quite long, and Can finds a beautiful balance between rock and funk on each track. In my opinion, this is one of the best albums of the decade as a whole… and it’s sorely underrated today.
‘Sextant’ by Herbie Hancock (1973)
Herbie Hancock might be recognized as one of the greatest jazz musicians of his generation, but he didn’t pigeonhole himself into just one genre. Hancock also messed around with mutant disco and jazz fusion in the 1970s. Specifically, his 1973 album Sextant is a fine example of a mutant disco album with some jazz-rock elements. This was the last album of his Mwandishi era, and what a crazy, cool way to end that era.
This album also showcased Hancock’s adoption of early synthesizers, something that few jazz musicians had done at that time. Sextant was somewhat of a commercial flop when it was released. However, it has since been hailed as a cult classic.
‘Melt Yourself Down’ by Melt Yourself Down (2013)
How about a much more recent example of how mutant disco has evolved? Released decades after the heyday of avant-funk, Melt Yourself Down’s debut self-titled album from 2013 revived the obscure subgenre. This is really an accomplishment of an album, complete with Afrobeat and punk jazz elements. It’s a groovy ride from start to finish. The band really managed to pack quite a few creative ideas into this album without making it a mess. That takes talent.
Photo by Jacques Breuer/picture alliance via Getty Images
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