Italian groove collective Calibro 35 return with Reptile Strut, the first single from their upcoming album Exploration, due June 6 via Record Kicks. Known for their cinematic and jazz-funk-infused instrumentals, Calibro 35 continue to blend vintage aesthetics with modern attitude—and Reptile Strut is no exception.
Built around a tight breakbeat groove, the track features fuzzy guitars, rich analog textures, and crisp drumming. Flute melodies glide above layers of string arrangements, giving the track a retro feel reminiscent of classic 70s soundtracks. There’s a confident funk pulse throughout, shifting gears with fluid changes in rhythm and style.
The band describes Reptile Strut as being inspired by the fast, unpredictable movements of a green lizard—a metaphor for the track’s dynamic structure and genre-defying transitions. It’s rooted in groove but reaches across jazz, funk, and psych to create something vibrant and hard to pin down.
Reptile Strut marks Calibro 35’s return to independent label Record Kicks following their 2023 release Nouvelles Aventures on Universal. With Exploration, the group expands on the ideas from their Jazzploitation EP, bringing a more improvisational jazz spirit into their cinematic world.