It’s nearly halftime 2024 with a steady bloom and boom into hotter days. The anticipation of sultry destinations and backyard traditions drops the boogie into the yearly smorgasbord of fun, and there is nothing finer than a boppin’ soundtrack to usher in the good times.

An essential sonic treat to throw into the road trip duffle bag is Old School, by Britain’s own The New Mastersounds. Old School is a peanut butter and soul-jam sandwich slathered in the golden age of soul and funk, proving that sometimes the best way forward is to rewind in order to unwind.

The group drops a Slip-n-Slide groove to the classic sounds of the ’60s and ’70s with a cannonball splash of funky homage to the past while providing an ice cream truck full of astro-poppin’ futuristic cool.

The album is a stacked 10-pack of refreshing jams that melt into a box fan ice bowl of breezy soul sounds that bounce like a raft through rocky riffs and rolling torrents of sound – the perfect album to press repeat, get down and let the loop create the whoop.

As the May mood finds the day groove, grab a popsicle and some sweatbands, fill up the kiddie pool and crank up the hi-fi with this assorted cooler-than-cool flavors that bring the heat.

– Chris Rucker