Music
Press
"They seamlessly mix this hybrid clash of funk; soul, reggae, dub and electronica into this incredibly smooth flow of rhythms that just inspire movement. It’s just smooth." - The dwarf.com
http://giftedandtalented.net.au/music/the-mank-mixed-bag-of-tricks/ - giftedandtalented.net.au
- There's something preternaturally kiwi about The Mank. The name might mean 'filthy, nasty and downright dirty' but it isn't some virulent trans-Tasman clap. No, New Zealand native Jonny Bundellu aka Mr. Boinkin has taken root in Nambour (sorry, everything just keeps on sounding like dodgy sex!) and is now pumping out beats, raps, reggae and dub in an Aotearoa stylie. Fans of Fat Freddy's Drop, Salmonella Dub, King Kapisi or even Shapeshifter would all find something to key into in these songs and there are just five of them on The Mank's debut, self-titled EP. It speaks to the broad range of styles that The Mank like to work in, be it hip hop tinged with reggae on that single Blow My Mind or reggae with a dose of bass music on Mr Boss Man, or the elctro-dub of Wake Me Up. That's not all they get up to, either, and it's not all down to Mr. Boinkin. On the Sunny Coast he hooked up with Danny Crumbs, who has become the drummer in The Mank, but also the head honcho at Mank Industries, a multi-faceted organisation that works as record label and production studio (recording Tijuana Cartel among others). I imagine that those studio skills are a part of what makes it so easy for them to slide between different styles, from the jazzy, dubby grooves to techy, acid squelching dance, not to mention giving them that nice, clean, expensive studio sound. On top of those two guys, you've got lyricist, vocalist and rapper Mesta, DJ Amtops, Saxophonist Dulcet and Christophe Langlasse on the guitar. In total it makes The Mank a versatile group with a bold and interesting sound, all on their debut EP. Not bad for a bunch of boys from Nambour and their kiwi cuz.
- Chris Cobcroft. - 4ZZZ-FM Brisbane
Rosie Beaton, triple j 15 Mar, 2012 rating: 5/5
wow - i discovered you guys by listening to the online digital radio stream - love your stuff. Your lyrics compelled me and i just wanted to tuck my chair in at work and run off to the beach!! haaha i often don't give 5/5 but the sampling , melody etc are really good. Congrats - Triple j unearthed
BAND: THE MANK
TRACK: BLOW MY MIND
RECORD COMPANY: SHINY RECORDS
The beginning of the single starts with those traditional reggae beats and earthy hip hop melodic vocals that certainly capture you and set the base foundations for the track. Although very well done I was beginning to think that this may be just another reggae/hip hop band similar to the rest. The first splashes of electronic sounds began to make their presence felt about 10 seconds in. I was very impressed by just how right The Mank managed to get the use of electronic beats and spliced in sounds. Many bands overuse them and others use them to little, not so the Mank, they got it just right.
Unlike the sounds of many monotonous reggae/hip hop singers I was also very impressed with the use of varying vocals. There are traditional reggae vocals, raw hip hop vocals, souring melodies and even a splash of a higher octave female vocals. Once again, the Mank gets the vocal mix just right. The use of such varying vocals gives this track so much depth and takes you through lows and highs as well as having those climatic moments that get you on the edge of your seat. Lastly the use of the saxophone is a simple work of genius.
This track has so many layers, infectious beats, beautiful harmonies, earthy raw vocals, catchy electronic splices and finally blissful saxophone moments. All the ingredients are there and if The Mank keep blending them together in perfect proportions, such as they have done with this track, the future will be very bright indeed. The Mank will have further singles released in the coming months with an EP hopefully out by early next year. In summary, a great good vibe track that would be perfect to get the party started or even if you were just chilling out of a Sunday afternoon. Personally this would be the ideal track to get the smiles and the amp up before I went surfing. - SCOPE Magazine
http://www.lancerock.com.au/pdfrelease/2012/The_Mank.pdf - Lance Rock Publicity
http://giftedandtalented.net.au/music/the-mank-mixed-bag-of-tricks/ - giftedandtalented.net.au
Discography
THE MANK EP - MARCH 2012
The love mixes Mank Industries 12' vinyl 2011
Photos
Bio
"Mank(adjective): something or someone that is disgusting, filthy, nasty or just down right dirty."
The Sunshine Coast might be home to the Big Pineapple, but the latest noise looking to make a mark on the map is much louder than a giant bright yellow and green piece of fruit.
A heady brew of production smarts and live energy, THE MANK’s five piece crew is creating a flavour that is a soul soaked mixed bag of big beats from the vinyl jungle and real song-craft… a soulful mix of electronica, hip hop, funk, reggae and down-beat. Though trying to genre define THE MANK is like trying to tell the difference between fructose and glucose (either way it’s all damn good).
Mellow as a beer before noon, and bold as sunglasses at night, THE MANK are pushing it to the edge.
Recently the Mank has supported such talents as Six60 (NZ), Roots Manuva, Tijuana Cartel, LADI 6 (NZ), Kora (NZ), Wild Marmalade and Akil, the MC from the widely respected hip hop group Jurassic 5.
After returning from their EP release tour in March 2012, The Mank has been back in the music lab experimenting with ingredients for the concoction of their new Album due to be released Early 2013. Having worked alongside Tijuana Cartel, Sola Rosa (NZ) and D Kazman of Dubmarine on the record labels debut release 'The love mixes' LP Vinyl and the encouraging response to Mank’s first EP, this album is sure to be nothing short of tasty.
INFLUENCES: Mr Scruff, Hermitude, Blockhead
QUOTE WORTHY:
"THE MANK, a lazy life of sunny Sundays without the guilt…it makes you feel so good!" - Shiny Entertainment
"...their studio skills are a part of what makes it so easy for them to slide between different styles, from the jazzy, dubby grooves to techy, acid squelching dance, not to mention giving them that nice, clean, expensive studio sound... in total it makes The Mank a versatile group with a bold and interesting sound" - Chris Cobcroft, 4ZZZ-FM
"wow - i discovered you guys by listening to the online digital radio stream - love your stuff. Your lyrics compelled me and i just wanted to tuck my chair in at work and run off to the beach!! haaha i often don't give 5/5 but the sampling , melody etc are really good. Congrats" - Rosie Beaton, triple j
"Bringing heavy drop drums and a big dose of the future of retro, The Mank’s tidal groove is 3D eye sound, listen long enough and the sound drops into a fourth dimension that pulses through the decades, wah gui- tar slipping by flutter keys, tectonic bass holding up the man with the message and the mic" - Lou Ridsdale, Lance Rock Publicity
"I was sold when you guys dropped Mr Bossman and this is a worthy follow-up. The red-eyed soul vibe is nice but it's the almost dubstep production that really kills." - Dave Ruby Howe, triple j
"Fans of Fat Freddy's Drop, Salmonella Dub, King Kapisi or even Shapeshifter would all find something to key into in these songs and there are just five of them on The Mank's debut, self-titled EP. It speaks to the broad range of styles that The Mank like to work in..." Chris Cobcroft, 4ZZZ-FM
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