B-Side Guys

The ghosts of funk’s pioneers dance through Isaiah Stone’s “Get Down,” but this is no mere séance. The 23-year-old Atlanta multi-instrumentalist’s second single pulses with an urgency that’s both reverent of its influences and defiantly contemporary, creating a sonic bridge between Sly Stone’s revolutionary funk and modern indie rock’s atmospheric expansiveness.

Self-produced with meticulous attention to layering, the track showcases Stone’s impressive range as both instrumentalist and arranger. His stirring falsetto cuts through dense instrumental textures, delivering lyrics that explore the disconnect between ambition and reality: “Visions of my future I can see them crystal clear / Tried to tell my baby I was in and out of here.” The tension between upward mobility and earthly ties becomes a recurring motif, even as the groove demands physical response.

The production demonstrates Stone’s deep understanding of rock’s Black cultural roots, drawing from the psychedelic innovations of Jimi Hendrix while incorporating contemporary indie rock textures. Each instrumental element occupies its own distinct space in the mix, creating a rich tapestry that reveals new details with each listen. The chorus’s command to “Just get down” becomes both dance floor imperative and philosophical statement about grounding oneself amidst life’s complications.

Stone’s Atlanta residence might suggest hip-hop influences, but his arrangement choices reveal a student of Prince’s genre-defying approach to songcraft. The track’s structure plays with expectation, building through verses that explore isolation and discontent before exploding into a communal celebration in its final third, where repeated calls of “Everybody get down tonight” transform personal struggle into shared catharsis.

“Get Down” accomplishes something rare in modern music – it creates a genuinely physical reaction while engaging the mind in deeper contemplation. It’s a promising second single from an artist who seems poised to help redefine the boundaries between funk, rock, and modern indie sensibilities.