If you look up the word “vibes” in the dictionary, chances are you’d see the cover of Calvin Harris’ 2017 album Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1. Sure, the project wasn’t exactly challenging or groundbreaking in any way, but the Scottish DJ and multi-instrumentalist’s sudden interest in colorful post-disco beach music was a well-executed pivot no one saw coming. Songs like “Slide” and “Rollin” were inescapable earworms in the best possible way, proving Harris’ mettle as an A&R by placing artists like Frank Ocean, Migos, Future, and Khalid over what’s essentially digitized yacht rock for the SoundCloud generation.
The legacy of Funk Wav Bounces has followed Harris for the last five years, to the point that he’s ready for another go-round with Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2. If lead single “Potion” is any indication, Harris isn’t looking to tweak the formula. A snaking bassline, flecks of guitar, and synths glide like waves cresting on sand, the clean funk shining bright. It’s all sturdy enough to house a steamy Dua Lipa hook and a nimble verse from Young Thug—his first feature since being arrested on RICO charges and his second collaboration with Harris after his scene-stealing contribution on Vol. 1’s “Heatstroke.” Functionally and musically, “Potion” is no different from any other Vol. 1 song, another sunny and well-engineered confection to crowd playlists and soundtrack trips to the mall food court. Formulaic or not, it’s hard to argue when the results feel this good.
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