The Hypnotiks (ft. Wolfgang Valbrun) – Stone Cold Sober (2026)
Blending uptown funk with downtown soul in a gritty, dirty, yet equally warm and full-bodied style, The Hypnotiks is a band with heart, guts, and insatiable groove. One of the top soul/funk collectives in Paris, the band celebrates rare gems and long-lost classics at the best venues in town. Now, The Hypnotiks is a mixture of soul instrumentalists, so they invite guest singers to bring the rhythmic edge to their tracks, and this time it’s Wolfgang Valbrun. Join us as we delve into their most recent single, ‘Stone Cold Sober’.
While The Hypnotiks continue to perform and win audiences at live shows, ‘Stone Cold Sober’ is the first streaming single since 2024’s ‘JUST KISSED MY BABY’ featuring Gabe Zinq. Of course, this is according to Soundcloud, so don’t quote me. Produced and composed by the collective, ‘Stone Cold Sober’ binds the musical stylings of James Startt (guitar), Gerard Berruet (bass), Noe Benita (drums), Anthony Honnet (keyboard), Valentin Couineau (trombone), Paul de Remusat (saxophone) and Xavier Desjours (percussion) with the vocals of Wolfgang Valbrun.
Like a kaleidoscopic weave of sound, a steady bass carries across a wave of guitars with keyboards sliding across and the guitar soars across the melody. The keyboard solo, about two minutes in, settles the mood slightly. Still, the horns climb over simultaneously enhancing the soulful funk-rock of the track and standing prominently, turning heads with their enchanting tone. Dancing across the melody, with percussion tinging the edges, Valbrun’s soulful voice leads the track and gives ‘Stone Cold Sober’ a sexy sheen.
A fan of Chicago, I love anything layering jazzy horns with rock-influenced guitars and keyboards. Do I compare The Hypnotiks to old-school Chicago? Not really, but the old-school 60s/70s vibe of the time oozes from ‘Stone Cold Sober’.
Find out more about The Hypnotiks on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify.
Find out more about Wolfgang Valbrun on his Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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