Declaime (Dudley Perkins) and Georgia Anne Muldrow have worked together before, but I’m not sure if their collaboration has quite come together like this before. Hip hop with the psychedelic funk edge of someone like Sly and the Family Stone or Parliament-Funkadelic, this Bay Area duo really work well together.

While Declaime is up front on the mic as an emcee, with his unique smooth, slightly off-kilter sing-song delivery, Muldrow produces much of the album, provides backing vocals, choruses, and even drops a few killer verses. Others on production duties include Black Milk, Oddisee, Flying Lotus, LD and Oh No. They all work to create this duo’s vision of fOnk, which according to them, “sounds beautiful like the truth. The fOnk will set you free.”

If I was going to describe this fOnk, I’d say it’s like sitting G-funk on its side, adding some spirituality and intelligence, and spinning it until you’re forced to turn up your stereo because you’re so turned on. Personally, I’m still not over the strong opening track, “Shine On,” which I feel sets the tone for the rest of the album quite nicely.

One Declaime’s strongest skills on the mic is setting you up for a cliché rhyme and then pulling the rug out from under the listener by saying something unexpected. It’s great.

My biggest complaint with the album would be the guest spot on “Heaven or Hell” by Kool G Rap, who uses the word “bitch” so much that the word “crutch” isn’t strong enough. That’s really the only thing that stands out in a negative way, though. Everything else comes together in a cosmic hip hop journey that is rewarding upon multiple listens.