Musicians Joe Paris Christensen and Cameron Kinghorn are doing their part to keep the spirit of fellow Minnesotan Prince alive, with their purple-blooded take on funk-rock taking the form of King Pari. Now relocated to Los Angeles (if not inside their own hearts, Matt Damon), the pair are gearing up to release their first self-proclaimed “bedroom funk” project through their new label home of Stones Throw Records, home to a similar set of funkified takes on jazz and psychedelia.
In the meantime, the pair are sharing a new single today called “Better the Devil,” which brings to mind the playful neo-funk sleaze of Chromeo along with the ever-present psych-pop influence of Tame Impala. Riffing on the saying “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t,” the track dives head first into topics of hedonism and self-control. “‘Better the Devil’ is about a dance with the devil, the inability to say no to the familiar vices that have the potential to go too far,” Kinghorn explains. “The song starts out with an intimate reunion with ‘the devil,’ and as the song progresses it starts to lose control with the lyrics and analogies becoming more unhinged and irreverent. The song ends with a rock ’n’ roll guitar solo, with backup vocals slowly being swallowed into the pits of hell. Amen.”
Christensen adds that the track is their “Motley Crue meets Rick James funk rocker. Mullets and fast convertible drives late at night. This song incorporates fuzz guitar and synthesizers taking from the funk-rock mothership of the ’70s and ’80s with a modern psychedelic sheen. This song is hot and humid, just like the pits of hell. Amen.”
The single arrives with a Zach Sulak–directed visual that sees the duo performing the track for the Devil herself. Check it out below.
