10 of the best UK funky tracks released since 2020

UK funky - syncopated snares, four-to-the floor kicks, MCs, sirens and wheel-ups. Right? Not quite…

There’s a new type of UK funky dominating the airwaves. It’s darker, more polished, and has replaced its garage-inspired basslines with subs and rolling log basses, for the most part leaving the MCs behind.

The sound has evolved; after a spell in the shadows, the return of UK funky has been invigorated by the global rise of amapiano, with a number of UK producers rehashing elements of the South African sound alongside classic London sonics.

This high-energy hybrid has been pushed to the fore by artists such as DJ Supa D, Marcus Damon, and Tribal Brothers, who haven’t dropped the funky tag, instead remoulding and embellishing it; while this new-style funky might not have the same chaotic energy of its predecessor, it’s more refined and adaptable.

The sound is recognisable from its deep, punchy productions at around 118-125 BPM, which allows tracks to blend seamlessly with a throng of global genres, from amapiano and gqom to baile funk and kuduro, while retaining its strong ties with the UK garage and broken beat sounds that accompanied the dawn of the genre.

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First emerging in the early 2000s, UK funky energised a generation, bridging the gap between grime MC culture and soulful and global club music, attracting some of the UK’s most diverse crowds.

The genre boomed and soundtracked London’s late-’00s party scene from 2006 until its decline as the decade turned, producing a number of seminal hits which remain as some of the greatest dance music tracks to have come out of the UK, including Donaeo’s ‘Party Hard’, Crazy Cousinz’ ‘Do You Mind’, and Fish Go Deep’s ‘The Cure & the Cause’.

While the memory of that time lives on through the handful of funky tracks that have endured to this day, collectives and labels such as Bristol’s Club Djembe and Roska’ RKS (Roska Kicks & Snares) have been flying the flag of this new hybrid funky sound, while continuing to release tracks at 130 BPM and more similar to the original 2000s UK funky. This resurgence has seen the ‘UK funky’ tag reappearing all over streaming platforms and radio.

So despite popular belief, funky is alive and kicking (no pun intended), and to prove it we’ve selected our top 10 funky tracks released since 2020:

The first entry on the list hails from Birmingham, which boasts a throng of successful DJs making waves within the UK’s funky and broken beat scenes. ‘Sol’ came out in May 2020 under Jamz Supernova’s label Future Bounce, with Timma T reworking Apple’s funky anthem ‘Chantes’.

A UK funky list couldn’t be complete without the legend Roska, and he enters the running with this collaboration with Manchester’s versatile DJ and producer Murder He Wrote, simply described as “A collaboration between two dons…”. With commercial sounding vocals that hark back to funky’s heyday, this one could be just as easily heard on an Ibiza boat as in a Manchester warehouse.

The final track of the collaborative EP ‘The Link Up’ by London duo Tribal Brothers and Bristol’s DJ Polo, ‘The Problem’ showcases Polo’s versatility in perfect synergy with Tribal Brothers’ unique style, reworking UK funky alongside South African house influences for a heavy and hard-hitting EP, with this track the pick of the bunch.

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Another entry from Roska, this time with the third cut from his ‘Internal Sunshine’ EP. This track pays homage to old school funky, with the R&B-inspired vocals from Tasty Lopez complemented perfectly by Roska’s signature powerful bass and percussion combo.

Picking a Bok Bok dub for this list was no easy task, with his remixes of Jorja Smith’s ‘Little Things’ and Drake and J Hus’ ‘Who Told You’ soundtracking summer 2023. However it’s impossible to look past his rework of Ultra Naté’s classic ‘Love’s The Only Drug’, a refreshing take on an influential dance banger.

Released during the COVID summer of 2020, ‘King & Queen’ represents a monumental mash-up between a number of sounds. Borrowing heavily from amapiano, Hackney legend DJ Supa D works alongside Mr Taffa and D.Tee In De Party to link up the dots between UK funky and Afro house. Complemented by sweet vocals from LushKells, this is the catchiest song of this list.

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Star of UK funky’s new school, Fiyahdred makes the list with this summer hit ‘Wining Train’. Released last August on Club Djembe, it’s a heavy Fiyahdred production, featuring their own vocals accompanied by driving rhythms, with the energy hypnotically lifted every eight bars.

A refix of Mad Cobra’s iconic track ‘Press Trigger’, this is a heavy dub from Manchester and Kultura Collective’s Z.James. A dancehall classic over an infectious, high-powered funky beat, it’s a guaranteed winner. It was released for summer 2022 on Dr Dubplate’s EC2A, who noted “it is carnival season after all”.

The opening track to Vol.2 of Club Djembe’s V/A EP series is the perfect example of new UK funky, with harmonic synths and flutes punctuated by an irregular driving snare pattern. A subtle energy raiser, this track is ideal for any part of a set, whether setting the tone or building up to a frenzied peak.

A collaboration between Brighter Days Family members Gil sm and Izco, this one is an instant classic, with rising star Natanya featuring on a stripped-back beat powered by funky rhythms. Not your typical funky track for sure, but something even better, with the infectious vocals providing an ear-worm to be hummed long after the track finishes.

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Jamaal Johnson is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow him on Instagram