What do you concentrate on once you suppose “Chaka Khan”? Do you consider ‘Ain’t No person’– her greatest-ever tune that’s turn into virtually synonymous together with her? Do you consider her 5 decade-spanning profession? Or probably how she nonetheless seems to be so rattling good for a girl of 70 years previous? No matter you concentrate on, you in all probability don’t take into consideration Tekken 2, do you?
Effectively, that’s about to alter, for some purpose. Khan’s newest work is a collaboration with London indie-sleaze holdouts, Bombay Bicycle Membership. Khan, who was apparently hypnotised by the demo observe, lends her hovering, iconic vocals to a tune named after Bandai Namco’s 3D fighter. Sure, actually.
Listening to it, and looking out on the lyrics, I can’t actually see why it’s referred to as Tekken 2. Possibly the road “Operating all of the liars and the sellers and the patrons away from me / Combating all of the runners and the beggars which might be making an attempt to take from me” is definitely about Paul Phoenix threatening to beat up Marshall Legislation when he catches him on a run, or one thing? Possibly “Nonetheless ready for the top of the day / Rummage in my pocket, I am on the lookout for the cash to play” is making an attempt to evoke the reminiscence of a child stood at an arcade machine, determined for another go as Kunimitsu earlier than he must get house to his dinner of fishfingers, smiley potato faces and peas that his mum has prepped for him.
You’ll be able to see the video right here.
The tune itself is a tepid, inoffesnsive quantity that sounds destined to be synced to one million adverts about insurance coverage or furnishings gross sales. That’s maybe right down to the milquetoast, forgettable elements of the tune spear-headed by Bombay Bicycle Membership (nonetheless beating the identical drum machine beat they’ve been for over a decade), doing their finest impression of a Sizzling Chip album observe while priming the bottom for Khan. It’s driving that wave of faux-nostalgia generated by Glass Animals, however with none of that bizarre, dreamy chew that makes Dave and crew so common.
However when Khan lands – man, does she land. Think about having these pipes at 70, and nonetheless making it sound really easy. Actually inspirational stuff, that. You’ll be able to inform that she actually digs the music, as a result of she sounds nearly as good right here as on something she did with Rufus. “After Jack invited me after which despatched the tune, I beloved it, the ethereal half drew me in,” Khan has mentioned in a press launch. “The band has such revolutionary and passionate power, actually nice musicians. Absolute vibes.”
Tekken 2 and “absolute vibes”, then, collectively ultimately.