Posted on: August 17, 2015 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Spank begins Ron Louis Smith II’s The Prince of Sunshine and it builds upon the work of his father (Ronald Louis Sr., one of the KC and the Sunshine Band originals) – there is a high-energy approach to the track that is honest to the original funk recordings but the frenetic pace of the composition and electrified sound makes this into something that works alongside Chromeo or Random Access Memories-era Daft Punk. The decision to open The Prince of Sunshine with a six-plus minute track is a bold one, but RLS II is talented enough to keep things subtly changing enough during the introduction’s runtime to keep fans on the edges of their seats.

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Party Music is a track that takes up a wide variety of styles, working equally well in the seventies funk tradition, 90s dance style, and a current and contemporary Latin/jazz flavor. By having such an eclectic blend of styles and influences covered during his track, Ron is able to create something that the widest subset of fans can appreciate. The ability to keep a cogent sound to the effort provides further indication that a steady hand is steering this ship.

Come On and Do It is pure Motown soul infused with just enough Pharrell and Lenny Kravitz to keep things light and airy as the disc continues to spin, while Real Good Time is a strong vocal-lead track that has a funky line which will immediately bring listeners out of their seats and onto the dance floor. Ron Louis Smith II is able to create an album in The Prince of Sunshine that should be sought out by anyone that fancies themselves a fan of funk, EDM, or energetic pop music.

Top Tracks: Party Music, Come On and Do It

Rating: 9.0/10

Ron Louis Smith II – The Prince of Sunshine CD Review / 2015 Sunpire Records / 14 Tracks / https://www.facebook.com/RONLSHOUSE / https://soundcloud.com/ronls /

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