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Mondo Freaks Drop New Music

MONDO FREAKS RELEASE INSTRUMENTAL VERSION OF DEBUT ALBUM AND SELL OUT THEIR MELBOURNE LAUNCH TONIGHT!

Melbourne 10 piece Boogie / Funk outfit Mondo Freaks have always strived to not just rely on their expertly assembled grooves but to also incorporate strong songwriting. All of which has helped make their debut album released this past October on their own Every Star Records imprint instantly memorable. But when listening back to the instrumentals of that album they felt that the detailed, multi-layered production combined with the peerless mixing of the legendary Michael Brauer just had to be heard on its own. And so, to round out a busy year of new music the band have released the instrumental version of their debut self-titled album. This version holds up as an amazing Funk album in itself, with aspects of the arrangements that were always there jumping out to make each track stand out as a great listen and creating a journey just as the vocal versions do.

As great as the band’s five vocalists are, this version gives some shine to the incredible musicians that make up the band, all the cream of Melbourne’s deservedly world famous Soul scene. Apart from founding members Luke Hodgson on bass and Graeme Pogson on drums, the line up includes Aaron Mendoza (who also sang vocals on breakout track “Won’t You Decide”) and James Bowers on keyboards; Gillan Gregory and Danny Dharumasenaon guitar and Jason Heerah on percussion and vocals. Across them they play and have played in Melbourne acts as varied as Electric Empire, Vaudeville Smash, CDB, Architecture In Helsinki, Davey Lane, Kurt Rainbow, GL, The Bamboos, Steady Weather and many more. In fact Mondo Freaks recently compiled a playlist that tried to encompass some that breadth. Check out ‘Mondo Freqs’ here on Spotify.

Capping off a great 2025, the band have sold out their hometown album launch tonight, December 12th at Howler in Brunswick. Special guests will be masters of vintage Afro Disco and Psychedelic Boogie, Wrong Way Up and helping turn the night well and truly into a party, Northside Records DJs (Mike Guerreri and Lachlan Stuckey) will be playing through the night.

Inspired by the crisp Funk and R’n’B sounds of the late ’70s and early ’80s as it eased out of Disco, Mondo Freaks stand apart with their live instrumentation and a focus on vocals and great songwriting. Creating something beyond just instrumental grooves their sound transcends mere homage and without any knowing winks, Mondo Freaks breathe life into a timeless sound and make it feel more relevant than ever.

Funk is a global language so the inernational recognition was pretty much immediate with DJ and radio support from tastemakers such as Horse Meat Disco, Dom Servini (of the Wah Wah 45s label and Soho Radio), Jazz FM in the UK, KCRW in LA, WXPN in Seattle, Delicieuse Musique in France not to mention the dozens Soul specialist DJs and radio all across Europe, North & South America and the UK. Not surprisingly the USA has become their biggest streaming territory by far.

The afore mentioned mixer, multi Grammy winner Michael Brauer is known in recent decades for working on recordings by the likes of Coldplay, Springsteen, Dylan, McCartney and Rolling Stones. But Mondos reminded him of the Rn’B records he started out working on in the late ’70s / early ’80s, which had huge influences on the band such as Change, B.B. & Q. Band, Was (Not Was), Gwen Guthrie, Grace Jones, Luther Vandross, Aretha Franklin, Pleasure, Cheryl Lynn, Cerrone, Jones Girls, Kid Creole, Teddy Pendegrass, Morris Day and many more.

MONDO FREAKS ‘MONDO FREAKS – THE INSTRUMENTALS’

OUT NOW ON EVERY STAR RECORDS

ORDER DIGITAL FROM www.mondo-freaks.bandcamp.com OR HEAD TO https://linktr.ee/mondofreaks TO STREAM

Tracklist

1.   Turn This Love Around (Instrumental)
2.   Bells Are Ringing (Instrumental)
3.   Put Your Hand In My Hand (Instrumental)
4.   All Night (Instrumental)
5.   I’m A Fool (Instrumental)
6.   Pumped! (Instrumental)
7.   Won’t You Decide (Instrumental)
8.   Shifting Sands (Instrumental)

PBS Presents Mondo Freaks Album Launch Party at Howler, Brunswick
Friday, Dec 12th w/ special guests Wrong Way Up & Northside DJs
SOLD OUT!