Culture
15 Apr 22

Track of the Day: Cooks But We're Chefs - 'Studio 54'

With over 800,000 streams and counting, Cooks But We're Chefs are one of Ireland's most unique offerings in years. Whether in the form of live or digital consumption, their electrifying chemistry is absolutely unmatched.

Dublin seven-piece Cooks But We're Chefs have paid tribute to the late '70s disco era with new single 'Studio 54' following their stunning Grand Social gig.

'Studio 54' merges elements of jazz, disco, funk and house, with the track stepping into a dance-centric groove influenced by the indulgent nature of nightlife culture. Injecting the best parts of each instrument across four minutes, CBWC waste no airtime showing off their natural flair across a range of genres.

Swelling trumpet melodies, insanely catchy drum beats, glittering keys and more; you'd be hard pressed not to dance. The TCD Battle of the Band 2018 winners clearly don't need lyrics to grip an audience.

"As the Black and LGBTQ+ scene were integral to New York’s Studio 54, our track pays homage to the seminal contributions to music these communities made," Jesse Russell tells Hot Press of the release.

The band are cooking up yet more music at Hellfire Studios, following recent singles 'Kodama' and 'Resting On Laurels'.

Cooks But We're Chefs unveiled their debut EP Sports Day back in 2020, following up with a string of releases across 2021. Recorded Grouse Lodge in Westmeath, the band spent five days recording four tracks.

"It was a great experience to wake up every day and play music," the rising outfit said in their A&R Department interview. "There’s definitely a lot of elements of old school hip hop throughout. These are songs we’ve been playing at gigs for quite a long time, but they’ll seem new to so many people."

Their energetic live shows have earned them deserved praise, having delivered stellar slots at Electric Picnic, Body & Soul, Forbidden Fruit, Life Festival, Bray Jazz Festival, Stendhal and many more gigs over the years - including their a sold out show at Lost Lane.

Reviewing their Grand Social show a few weeks ago, Hot Press' Lexi Anderson recalls: "Any stage would seem small with an eight-piece, brass heavy band. But at the Grand Social, whose platform is as wide as the narrow room, it was a wonder they had any room at all. However, from the moment they stepped up to the plate, it seemed like nothing would stop the group from giving the performance their absolute all."

Listen to 'Studio 54' below: