Reviewed by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

MF Robots is proving to be an unstoppable train of feelgood music. The project was begun by Brand New Heavies founder Jan Kincaid together with former band vocalist Dawn Joseph, with the idea of achieving musical liberation without any ties to genre.

Despite that, soul, funk and jazz inevitably feature high in the mix, with the two linking on a series of carefree club-based songs.

What’s the music like?

Summer was invented for bands like MF Robots! Their music takes you into the sunshine with immediate effect, as soon as the opening strains of That’s The Way kick in. This breezy first song is backed up by the call to arms that is Children Of The World, a classic soul number.

Cares are well and truly thrown to the side as the album unfolds, with a style rooted somewhere in the late 1970s of Earth, Wind & Fire but with Brazilian, jazz and soul thrown in to the melting pot in liberal measure. Through The Pain is the pick of these freer numbers, a persuasive sway to its rhythms and heat-soaked keyboards.

The Pressure offers a sultry complement to the quicker tracks, while Glide, a love story, and Hello Sunshine offer up radio-friendly choruses. Lay It Back, meanwhile, harks back to the best, communal numbers of the Brand New Heavies.

Does it all work?

The best indication of the effectiveness of this album is that once it finishes you’ll want to hear it all over again. It may be short, but III delivers!

Is it recommended?

Yes, enthusiastically. Dawn Joseph has a great voice, and the band deliver summery funk in abundance. If you have an acre of sunshine to fill, use MF Robots as your soundtrack!

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,853 – Friday 10 April 2026