Funk Sessions DJ collective announce playlist for fourth show

The Funk Sessions have submitted the playlists for their fourth show on Scientific Sound Asia, featuring Robson Jr, Matty C and Yushka. The platform operates as an underground electronic music radio station for the Asian region and international audiences, alongside its work as a DJ agency, promoter and music news outlet.

Since 2019, The Funk Sessions crew have been bringing funk-focused party energy to dancefloors across Ho Chi Minh City. Their sound moves through Funk classics, Old Skool Hip Hop, Disco, Party Breaks, Ghetto Funk and other groove-heavy styles.

The collective brings together international DJs from Australia and the United Kingdom, with members based mainly in Vietnam. Their background spans club nights, free parties and festivals, alongside support slots for recognised names from the underground music circuit.

Their musical identity is strongly influenced by the pioneers of Breakbeat. That influence is clear in their Hip Hop, Funky Breaks and Ghetto Funk selections, while also running through the wider structure of their mixes.

The Funk Sessions have held regular events in Ho Chi Minh City at Broma Not A Bar, TNR, Indika and Apt852. Past and present venues also include Secret Weekend, Tempo, Arcan, Haus, Banana Mama, Piu Piu, Sky 9, Rogue Saigon, Soma and Saigon Outcast.

This edition of The Funk Sessions radio show is a Funk and Reggae party. Special guest Matty C joins Funk Sessions residents Yushka and Robson Jr for a programme moving through Funk, Soul, Dub, Reggae, Breaks and groove-led selections.

Robson Jr opens the show with a hand-picked selection of Funk and Soul classics. After emerging in 2020, she became active through residencies at Funk Dem Beats at TNR and Funk Sessions at Broma, while also playing venues including Haus and Arcan.

Her style draws from a wide range of genres, creating a funky tropical sound shaped for movement. Across her selections, rhythm, warmth and dancefloor energy sit at the centre of the first part of the show.

Matty C follows with a 30-minute promo mix focused on Dub and Reggae. Since arriving in Vietnam in 2014, he has been involved in the international Reggae scene and spent more than five years organising weekly events while helping build the Hanoi Hifi collective.

Now based in Ho Chi Minh City, Matty C plays across Reggae sub-genres from Rocksteady to Digital. With sirens, horns and sound effects forming part of his sound, his contribution brings Dub from across different periods into the Funk Sessions format.

The final section comes from Funk Sessions resident DJ Yushka, who hails from Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Since the mid-2000s, he has played free parties, raves, festivals and club nights across the UK, Ireland and, more recently, Vietnam.

Yushka has supported Drum and Bass figures including EZ Rollers and Kenny Ken, while also appearing at a range of venues in Vietnam. His selections can move through chilled beats, Breaks, Hip Hop and Electro, often carrying a clear Funk and Soul influence.

Now a resident with Funk Sessions, Boombox and Funk Dem Beats, Yushka closes this edition with a varied mix of laid-back Breaks, Nu Soul, World Beats, uptempo Hip Hop and Reggae-influenced Breaks. The show links the crew’s Ho Chi Minh City event background with a wider sound built around Funk, Reggae, Dub and Breakbeat culture.

The Funk Sessions episode 4 features Robson Jr, Matty C and Yushka, with the programme moving through Funk, Dub, Breakbeat, Soul, Reggae, Latin Music and Afrobeat. Robson Jr opens with a classic funk and soul selection, using familiar records from James Brown, Bill Withers, The Detroit Spinners and Patti Drew to set the tone.

James Brown’s The Boss gives the first section a direct funk opening before Bill Withers’ Lovely Day and The Detroit Spinners’ It’s A Shame bring Soul into the mix. Patti Drew’s Hard To Handle and King Floyd’s Groove Me keep the vocal focus strong, linking southern soul and early rhythm-and-blues energy.

Ernesto Djédjé introduces Afrobeat with Zadie Bobo, adding Ivorian rhythm and guitar-led movement to Robson Jr’s selection. Encarnita Polo’s Paco, Paco, Paco then brings Latin Music into the hour before George Baker’s Little Green Bag returns the set to a funk-edged pop groove.

Wilson Pickett’s Don’t Knock My Love Pt.1 restores the soul thread, followed by Robert Parker’s Hip-Huggin’ and Lyn Collins’ Think About It. Betty Wright closes Robson Jr’s selection with Clean Up Woman, ending the first section on a sharp funk and soul record with a recognised breakbeat legacy.

Matty C takes over with Ronnie Davis’ Strange Things, moving the episode into Reggae and Dub. Horace Andy’s Zion Gate and King Tubby’s 1st Generation then set up a roots and version-led sequence shaped by Jamaican studio culture.

Cornell Campbell, The Upsetters and The Aggrovators keep the second section close to vintage roots reggae and Dub. Johnny Clarke’s Do You Love Me? and King Tubby & The Aggrovators’ Do You Love Me Version then place vocal material and dub versioning side by side.

Augustus Pablo’s Pablo Meets Mr Bassie brings melodica-led Dub into the programme before Saigon Soul Revival’s Nào Ta Cùng Dub adds a Vietnamese connection. The track links dub production with the band’s revival of 1960s and 1970s Vietnamese rock and soul traditions.

The Spy From Cairo’s Alladin Dub widens Matty C’s section with Middle Eastern-influenced dub and global rhythm. Dubkasm then appear with Victory and Right There, bringing Bristol roots and dub reggae weight into the later part of the selection.

Red-I and Ras Taro close Matty C’s part with Moving, ending the dub section with a contemporary Asian sound system connection. The middle of the episode works as a deep reggae and dub passage between Robson Jr’s classic funk opening and Yushka’s break-driven finale.

Yushka opens with Second Hand Audio’s No Pressure, mapped here to Breakbeat for SSA category use. Greyboy’s Got To Be A Love in the Paul Nice remix then brings Funk back into the show, supported by the voices of Quantic and Sharon Jones.

DJ Wood’s Tunisian Knights and Armando Hernandez’s No Quiero Envejecer in the Waggles edit bring Latin Music into Yushka’s selection. Mashed Up Funk, Flow Dynamics and Asagaya keep the section grounded in Funk, using live-sounding grooves, sampled rhythm and party edits.

Parov Stelar’s Little Lion, Fort Knox Five’s The Brazilian Hipster and Aldo Vanucci & Featurecast’s Walk Like A Man in the Fdel remix return the programme to Breakbeat. The repeated Aldo Vanucci and Featurecast selection reinforces the rhythm-led centre of Yushka’s part.

Quasamodo’s My Friend Is Blue in the Soopasoul remix and Mooqee & Pimpsoul’s Feeling Good restore the Funk thread with polished, club-ready rhythm. Livingstone and Canosis then add Peg Leg, keeping the final stretch inside breakbeat and bass-driven party material.

Afro Cluster’s They Don’t Know in the Hiphoppapotamus remix brings the episode back to Afrobeat before Soopasoul closes with Hot & Cold. The Funk Sessions episode 4 ends after a broad route through Funk, Dub, Reggae, Breakbeat, Soul, Latin Music and Afrobeat, with each resident giving the programme a distinct sound.

The Funk Sessions episode 4

Robson Jr Selection

James Brown - The Boss [Polydor]

Bill Withers - Lovely Day [Columbia Records]

The Detroit Spinner - It’s A Shame [VIP]

Patti Drew - Hard To Handle [Capitol Records]

King Floyd - Groove Me [Atlantic]

Ernesto Djédjé - Zadie Bobo [Pa.M]

Encarnita Polo - Paco, Paco, Paco [Lovemonk]

George Baker - Little Green Bag [Nederbeat]

Wilson Pickett - Don’t Knock My Love Pt.1 [Atlantic]

Robert Parker - Hip-Huggin’ [Nola Records]

Lyn Collins - Think About It (Single Version) [Polydor]

Betty Wright - Clean Up Woman [Alston Records]

Matty C Selection

Ronnie Davis - Strange Things (12' Mix) [Chanan-Jah]

Horace Andy - Zion Gate [Justice]

King Tubby - 1st Generation [KG Imperial]

Cornell Campbell - Bunny Lee & King Tubbys Dubplate Special [Pressure Sounds]

The Upsetters - Silver Locks (12' Version Unreleased Cut) [Pressure Sounds]

The Aggrovators - Beat Them In Dub [Attack]

Johnny Clarke - Do You Love Me? [Monica’s Records]

King Tubby & The Aggrovators - Do You Love Me Version [Pressure Sounds]

Augustus Pablo - Pablo Meets Mr Bassie [Rockers]

Saigon Soul Revival - Nào Ta Cùng Dub (Sub Conscious Dub) [Infracom]

The Spy From Cairo - Alladin Dub [Wonderwheel Recordings]

Dubkasm - Victory [Sufferah’s Choice]

Dubkasm Feat. Turbulence - Right There [Dubkasm records]

Red-I Feat. Ras Taro - Moving [OTO Records]

Yushka Selection

Second Hand Audio - No Pressure (feat. Natty Speaks) [Ghetto Funk]

Greyboy - Got To Be A Love Ft. Quantic & Sharon Jones (Paul Nice Remix) [Ubiquity Records]

DJ Wood - Tunisian Knights [Bandcamp]

Mashed Up Funk - Change My Bucket [Juno]

Parov Stelar - Little Lion [Etage Noir Recordings]

Flow Dynamics - Straight From The Ground [Freestyle Records]

Armando Hernandez - No Quiero Envejecer (Waggles Edit) [Bandcamp]

Fort Knox Five - The Brazilian Hipster [Fort Knox Recordings]

Aldo Vanucci & Featurecast - Walk Like A Man (Fdel Remix) [Funk Weapons]

Asagaya - The Nature Creature Feat. Afrodyete of Breakestra [Jakarta Records]

Aldo Vanucci & Featurecast - Walk Like A Man (Fdel Remix) [Funk Weapons ]

Quasamodo - My Friend Is Blue Feat. Thaliah (Soopasoul Remix) [Jalapeno Records]

Mooqee & Pimpsoul - Feeling Good Ft. Bianca(Funk Mix) [Bombstrikes Records]

Livingstone & Canosis - Peg Leg [Riddim Fruit Records]

Afro Cluster - They Don't Know (Hiphoppapotamus Remix) [Bandcamp]

Soopasoul - Hot & Cold [Jalapeno Records]

Listen On Mixcloud Here.