As debut records go, ‘Electric Eel’ is a surprisingly good effort. Drenched in playful, kinetic grooves and hypnotic vocals, the track reminds us of the sort of triumphant, funk-driven goodness that one could find on a Jungle (the British group) record. Think indie-pop weaved into alt-R&B and soul influences. It’s abundantly clear how Takabanda is drawing from a wide pool of influences: not a surprise, given that he’s currently focusing entirely on his music career.
Based in London, Takabanda was originally born in the Veneto region, in Italy, something that no doubt contributes to his cross-cultural, eclectic artistry. Delving deeper into ‘Electric Eel’, the keen listener will be surprised to learn that the track has been built on an ⅞ time signature: the main groove flows strikingly well and feels very natural, to the point where there’s nothing odd in it anymore. It’s perhaps here that we can fully grasp the underlying musical genius that propels Takabanda.
From a lyrical standpoint, the song traces an interesting link between its uplifting and slightly euphoric aural character and its underlying meaningful message, reiterating the importance of embracing positivity and not letting negative thoughts take over. As Takabanda explains: “We have over 6,000 thoughts a day, and sometimes when fear, stress, or prejudice slithers their way into that thinking, it becomes easy to start doubting ourselves and what we identify with. I wrote this song out of the need to acknowledge that we are not our thoughts, but what we choose to do with them.”
Recommended! Discover ‘Electric Eel’ now: