SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MICHAEL HAMPTON – KING KONG

MICHAEL HAMPTON
KING KONG
VIRGIN RECORDS

In December of 2025, longtime Parliament-Funkadelic guitarist Michael Hampton released his latest album, Into The Public Domain, an instrumental album that marked the beginning of a new trilogy of records to come. Hampton has now returned with King Kong, a retelling of the classic tale set to a soundtrack of funk, rock, and jazz fusion instrumentals.

The album opens with the tribal rhythms, atmospherically wailing backing vocals, and chanting of the title track, “King Kong.” There is a cinematic tone to the groove as a spoken word introduction – giving the energy of a fantastical nature documentary – sets the tone for the album. From here, the arrangement grows to include cold synths and dive-bombing guitars. “Savage Beat” follows with a far funkier groove that is more in line with Hampton’s previous record than the Latin fusion of the album’s title track. Here, Hampton is better able to spread his wings as he leads the song with a killer solo. The third track, “Morning In The Jungle” delivers a stunning ballad that feels equally connected to the avant garde as it is to ‘70s funk and psychedelia while evoking a moment of uninterrupted serenity. Without a doubt, “Morning In The Jungle” is the strongest song on King Kong, serving as a nuanced composition unlike anything else in Hampton’s discography. Between these three songs, Hampton sets the stage for a highly versatile collection of songs.

King Kong stands as a uniquely collaborative effort. While on tour, Hampton recorded a series of guitar solos with engineer Maxim Gorky which Hampton then passed along to producers Joe “The Butcher” Nicolo and Phillip Samuel Smith who then fashioned these into songs. While a creative idea, the resulting record feels less cohesive, interesting, and funky as Into The Public Domain. While there are moments of greatness, such as the inescapable tension on “Forever Flying” and the melodic solos on the closing track, “Beauty Kills The Beast.” King Kong suffers from a distinct lack of Hampton as both a guitarist and band leader. Instead, King Kong feels unfocused and only really remains thematically intact through a series of brief interludes between songs, which only highlights the lack of continuity throughout the instrumental tracks.

While Hampton’s latest album may be a misfire, the success of Into The Public Domain should carry listener’s expectations, leaving them excited for what is to come from the conclusion to his modern trilogy of records. As discussed, Hampton soars as a guitarist and bandleader and King Kong falters when Hampton lets go on the reigns, leaving the songwriting in the hands of others. While I can appreciate any attempt to introduce new collaborations through creative means, King Kong unfortunately does not stick the landing, nor does it serve the thematic legacy of the titular legend in a meaningful or relevant way.

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