Electrofunk
Electrofunk is an electronic music genre characterized by its syncopated rhythms, often built around a "kick--snare-kick--kick-snare" pattern, and driven by drum machines like the TR-808, creating a distinct, energetic groove. Its origins lie in the early 1980s, emerging as a direct descendant of funk, incorporating electronic instrumentation and samples while moving away from live instrumentation. Key artists who pioneered this sound include Afrika Bambaataa, Cybotron, and Egyptian Lover. The genre's innovative use of electronics laid foundational groundwork for numerous subsequent electronic music styles, including electroclash and electro house.
More about Electrofunk
Electrofunk was born at the dawn of the 1980s in the wake of disco's decline, as musicians began recreating the structure and energy of funk using electronic instruments. The genre fuses funk, boogie, German synthpop (Kraftwerk), and Japanese technopop (Yellow Magic Orchestra), enriched by the emerging hip-hop culture of the New York Bronx. Pioneer Afrika Bambaataa synthesised these influences in 'Planet Rock' (1982), a sonic landmark that defined electrofunk for decades. Meanwhile in Dayton, Ohio, the group Zapp and Roger used electronic technology to create a unique electrofunk groove mixing drum machines, synthetic handclaps, and live instruments. Rooted in the broader electronic family, the genre directly paved the way for modern electronic dance music.
The centrepiece of electrofunk is the Roland TR-808 drum machine, whose deep bass thumps and synthetic snaps became the genre's sonic signature. Unlike traditional funk played on live instruments, electrofunk relies on synthesisers, drum machines, and electronic basslines to create syncopated rhythms, four-on-the-floor pulses, and breakbeats. Vocals are often reduced to vocoder or electronically processed voices — or entirely absent — distinguishing the genre from the more contemporary bass music or alternative dance. This abstraction of the human voice gave electrofunk its futuristic and robotic character, so characteristic of the early 1980s aesthetic.
On today's festival circuit, 808 State are the most active carriers of the electrofunk legacy with five festival appearances on FestT, their productions marrying TR-808 roots with techno and ambient sensibilities. Midnight Star and Shalamar represent the more pop and dance-oriented vein of the 1980s genre, while The Floozies offer a contemporary live reinterpretation of electrofunk. IBIBIO Sound Machine fuses electrofunk with African musical traditions for a singular and deeply original result that expands the genre's horizons.
FestT lists 12 electrofunk festivals across Europe and North America. To explore adjacent sounds, check out bass music and alternative dance.