Funki Porcini

Funki Porcini operates as the creative alias of artist and DJ James Braddell. His layered fusions of downtempo rhythms, gentle atmospheric textures, and fractured drum'n'bass rhythms played a central role in establishing the reputation of Ninja Tune, the South London imprint owned by Coldcut. Released in 1995 as the lead track from his Ninja debut Hed Phone Sex, “Long Road” carried a B-side called “Poseathon” that incorporated numerous samples from Bongwater; the single later surfaced on various compilations capitalizing on the rising profile of trip-hop. Even so, Porcini’s approach to relaxed, atmospheric breakbeat material avoids the contrived quality often associated with that trend. His next full-length effort, Love, Pussycats, and Carwrecks, emphasizes restless, jazz-infused drum'n'bass laced with frequently eccentric comic elements. In 1996 Braddell joined the Coldcut-associated collective DJ Food for North American dates on the Unexploded Bomb tour. Demand for his remix work has risen steadily, resulting in radical reworkings of recordings by artists ranging from Journeyman to the Mike Flowers Pops. His third album overall, Ultimately Empty Million Pounds, appeared in 1999 and was quickly followed by the EP Zombie. After several years without new output, Fast Asleep finally surfaced in late 2002 following an extended postponement.