Sinkane, Oslo

Multi-instrumentalist Sinkane brings his virtuosic funk sound to Oslo on December 1

Sinkane is the brainchild and pet-project of Ahmad Gallab, an erstwhile session musician who’s worked with indie luminaries from Caribou to Of Montreal. To listen to his music, though, you’d never know it was the work of one man.

Gallab creates a richly textured, instrumentally varied breed of funk that recalls the genre’s 1970s heyday, but never feels overly reverential. On his 2012 album Mars, infectious bass grooves sit alongside space-age vocals and sprawling, free-jazz flute solos. Indeed, one of the album’s greatest strengths is its ability to move seamlessly between catchy pop tunes and extended, experimental jams.

Gallab is the son of two Sudanese college professors, but he moved to America when he was five, Nonetheless, Sudanese music and its distinctive syncopated rhythms are at the heart of the sound which he showcased on Mars,and which he has developed on his new album Mean Love .

Mean Love is set to be released later this year, but it’s already available to listen to online. Where Mars was joyous and cacophonous, Mean Love is more measured, introspective and stripped-back. Gallab’s vocals are higher in the mix and his lyrics more direct. The effect is equally enthralling.

Catch Sinkane at Oslo, one of London’s most exciting new venues, on December 1.