By: Anand Harsh

Perennially a session player and sit-in master for other acts like Gramatik, Michal Menert, STS9, and OPIUO, Russ Liquid is finally at the helm of his own fleet of talented musicians. In the short months since he announced the arrival of The Russ Liquid Test, the live outfit geared directly towards his funkified sound, we've been eagerly awaiting the studio results of this Voltron assemblage of his friends with chops.

The wait is over.

Introducing "FNK FWD," the debut track from The Russ Liquid Test. Sounding like a cross between Greyboy All-Stars and classic Zapp & Roger, that iconic talkbox will carry you away on waves of goosebumps. It's right in Russ' wheelhouse: sexy, sweaty, and in the pocket. Here's what the man had to say about this new beast:

"This song features Steve Swatkins (Allen Stone) and A. J. Hall (Jon Cleary, The Grid) on talkbox and drums respectively... I sent Swatkins the track with midi drums and he laced it with wicked talkboxers. This was probably two years ago. I met A.J. Hall the beginning of this year, and he is actually the first drummer to play a show with The Russ Liquid Test. We recorded drums in spring at our new studio in [New Orleans], Neutral Sound Studio."

The Russ Liquid Test just lit The Grove on fire at Shambhala, and as a solo player and sit-in master (he just can't play one set), you have many chances to catch him before summer is up (including Kosmos Music Festival in Iowa), but if The Russ Liquid Test comes around, there are no excuses for missing this high-flying funk assembly.