Mndsgn – “Cosmic Perspective” (Singles Going Steady)

Dan Kok: If there was a sole heir to the spacey, futuristic musical stylings of Parliament Funkadelic or Sun Ra’s Arkestra, it just might be Mndsgn. With this heavily funk inspired track and a psychedelic space-cult video to accompany it, the LA producer has made his influences fairly clear. There’s a sense that, to his credit, Mndsgn doesn’t take himself or the music too seriously. But with that mentality, the song ends up being mostly fun without being all that memorable. [7/10]

Adriane Pontecorvo: A perfect blend of modern, spacey electrofunk and smooth, old school hip-hop beats. There are hints of De La Soul and The Juan MacLean, and the video reads like a shimmering visual tribute to Sun Ra, all sequins, caftans, and sunglasses. Mndsgn’s voice flows like liquid chrome past handclaps and synthesizers, and delivers on the promise in its title, shining an otherworldly light on all of the most soulful parts of music from the last four decades. A sublime jump to the future viewed through the eyes of the past using all the sounds in between them. [9/10]

William Sutton: With its funky bassline, disco imagery and its gloriously futuristic groove “Cosmic Perspective” could well have come from the To Pimp a Butterfly or Anderson Paak’s Malibu sessions. It would have benefitted from an equally strong vocal performance to really lift it, but nonetheless enjoyable track from the LA based producer. [6/10]

Max Totsky: On this new Mndsgn track, a slightly animated jazz-hop instrumental competes with a slew of uninspired, off-kilter soul croons to create a product that sounds like a more hellish version of Toro y Moi. And while this track does have moments that wriggle in need to fulfillment, the track is groovy in a very well-executed way, hitting the type of stride that hardly screams for your attention but earns it nonetheless. It would just be better if it were tighter. [6/10]

Michael Pementel: With an Auto-tune voice, high synths, and electric/soul atmosphere, Mndsgn’s “Cosmic Perspective” is part relaxing track, part unneeded vocals. If you were to take the track as just instrumentals you’d have a great relaxing, even low-key party jam; the vocals are bad take away from the atmosphere of what feels like the artist’s was attempting to create: Relaxation and good vibes. [6/10]

Chris Ingalls: Southern California’s Mndsgn has crafted a loose, druggy, groove-heavy track that’s big on Stevie Wonder-ish synths reminiscent of the ’70s and ’80s. The odd futurist vibe tilts toward experimentalism, but the beat is so solid that it feels odd labeling it anything but a killer party/dance track. Great vibe, with a thick, clunky beat that’s guaranteed to shake your booty. [7/10]

John Garratt: It’s hard to write about something that is all style and flash but flat-lines on the substance meter. I guess I can comment on how I like the passage played on the Fender Rhodes… if in fact that is a Fender Rhodes. Other than that, I can’t tell what the hell is going on in this video and I certainly don’t know how this “melody” is supposed to make me feel other than confused. [4/10]

Paul Carr: If you call a song “Cosmic Perspective”, it should be pretty far out there. Luckily, this song smashes through the stratosphere. The vocals recall Pharrell at his most alluringly soulful. Stevie Wonder style ’70s synths bubble to the surface while Boards of Canada analogue beats puncture the mix. It layers spacey groove onto spacey groove that take off and remain airborne. It’ll keep you happily hovering well above the clouds, in no rush to come back down. [8/10]

Scott Zuppardo: This is the type of funk that was playing in the background while the Mothership’s Mother was getting funky. The Stones Throw futuristic space funk of Mndsgn is equally contemplative as hypnotic. The perfect pairing to a set of headphones and your favorite recreational activity that requires no real activity, my fellow New Jersey come-upper and crate-digger extraordinaire, Ringgo Anchetta aka Mind Design (when audible) takes us on a Moog guided voyage through his inner workings. Slick Rick meets Tom Jones, meets Jamiroqui, this is the song that may have actually lifted Bernie Worrell to high heaven. [7/10]

Andrew Paschal: Funky in an inoffensive, subdued way. The synth bass line adds a necessary sense of texture and movement throughout, but the monotonous, tedious vocals weigh the song down, and there isn’t much to remember it by in the end. [6/10]

SCORE: 6.60