The Quantic Soul Orchestra

Growing up in the English countryside with parents who are into American folk isn’t exactly the most obvious path to acquiring a taste for raw funk. Nonetheless, as Will Holland, aka Quantic, dug through crates as a teen, he developed a penchant for clean horns, fuzzy bass and growling soul vocals. In 2003, after making nine vinyl singles and three full-length albums on his own, Quantic enlisted eleven musicians to form the Quantic Soul Orchestra. Stampede, the act’s debut, was a middle-of-the-road throwback that had the right idea but the wrong execution. On Pushin’ On, however, QSO proves that a few years of practice can make all the difference. Symphonic excursions like “The Conspirator (Main Theme)” and “Paintings and Journeys” fit surprisingly well with over-the-top ballads such as “Pushin’ On,” “Feeling Good” and “Hold On Tight.” Though the styles vary from track to track, Pushin’ On maintains its urban sensibility, meshing old-school breaks, ’70s funk and hip-hop beats with jazz moods and classical instrumentation. Solid.