GrooveShine

This month, Santa Barbara’s GrooveShine releases Miximus Maximus, a 16-track compilation blending reggae, funk, and hip-hop elements into one of the most innovative and danceable hometown releases of the year thus far. The album starts off strong with “Ayee,” an upbeat reggae track that captures the essence of the band in a four-minute snapshot; it’s playful, groovy, and reminiscent of summers spent by the beach. While 16 songs prove to be a bit too many (the album starts to lose momentum around “Intro to DJ?”), Maximus makes up for it in other areas. The tone is consistently optimistic without sounding generic, and the hooks are catchy without becoming too repetitive. With Miximus Maximus, GrooveShine brings unexpected instrumentation and rhythmic beats together to develop a genre that’s as melodic as it is unique. Recommended if you like bands Slightly Stoopid and Phish, GrooveShine and its eclectic jammy vibe will keep you dancing with your toes in the sand long after the summer comes and goes. Catch them live ASAP (they play James Joyce on March 18), as the band will be handing out free CDs and download cards at all of their upcoming shows this month.