Surprise Chef return with Superb, a rich, groove-driven collection of instrumental funk, soul, and jazz that deepens their cinematic sound while loosening the edges. Rooted in the Australian five-piece’s signature blend of vintage textures and head-nodding rhythms, this album expands their palette with bolder moods, freer structures, and a broader sense of place. It’s music made for movement—mental or physical—and a deeply satisfying listen from front to back.
Emerging from Melbourne’s Coburg suburb, Surprise Chef have carved a space for themselves as modern purveyors of library music-inspired funk. Their meticulous study of ‘70s soul—from the orchestrated grooves of David Axelrod to the gritty atmospheres of Daptone and Truth & Soul—shapes their sound, but with Superb, they allow more spontaneity to guide the way. Compared to 2022’s Education and Recreation, this album feels looser and more exploratory, without losing their knack for tight ensemble playing.
Tracks like “Sleep Dreams” and “Bully Boy” show the band’s global reach: the former conjures dusty Eastern landscapes with airy synths and arid guitars before locking into an Afro-funk groove, while the latter is a sharper-edged jam, driven by punchy drums, squelchy bass, and darting keys. There’s a drama to their arrangements, even without vocals—songs unfold like scenes in a film, full of tension, release, and unexpected turns.
Elsewhere, the band experiments with different textures and tempos. “Websites” sounds like an electro-funk western, with twangy guitars and tolling bells adding a noir edge, while “Tag Dag” channels a detective thriller, layering cold synths over a pulsing rhythm section. “Dreamers Disease” and “Slippery Dip” dial back the intensity, offering warm, jazzy strolls with vibraphone tones and slippery grooves that reflect the group’s deep comfort with restraint as well as motion.
Superb is an album made by a band fully in sync with their own sound and instincts. It’s grounded in retro funk traditions but never constrained by them, full of character, colour, and groove. Surprise Chef have delivered their most compelling and immersive record yet—music that’s evocative, rich in detail, and endlessly replayable.
