There is something wonderfully rebellious about simply asking people to dance. In a nightlife culture increasingly shaped by screens, phones and carefully curated experiences, X&ND is building something far more immediate: a room full of people moving together, sweating together and remembering what it feels like to be fully present.
The New York-based funk and soul revivalist has turned that idea into WHO’S DANCING?, a vibrant new album and the centrepiece of a rapidly growing movement built around joy, freedom and collective expression. More than a collection of disco and funk-inspired songs, WHO’S DANCING? feels like an open invitation to step away from the noise and reconnect with the people around you.
That philosophy has already found a serious audience. X&ND’s no-phone live funk parties have repeatedly sold out venues including Friends & Lovers, Elsewhere and DROM, with eight consecutive sold-out events drawing between 300 and 650 people each and more than 2,800 tickets sold. These nights have become destinations for listeners searching for something increasingly rare in modern nightlife: genuine human connection.
At the heart of the movement is X&ND and their band, The Liberation. Together, they bring the physical power of funk back into the room, driven by deep basslines, infectious grooves and a horn section built for movement. The music carries the warmth of classic disco while embracing the immediacy of contemporary pop, creating something nostalgic without ever feeling stuck in the past.
The album itself grew from a collaboration between X&ND and longtime producer Nico Scali, with the two creating the project remotely across a 14-hour time difference between New York and Sydney. Despite the distance, the result is remarkably cohesive, moving through 14 tracks that explore groove, desire, confidence, release and the simple pleasure of losing yourself in music.
From “NEED THE FUNK” and “LOSE TRACK OF TIME” to “SWEAT”, “FREAK” and “GET IT”, the tracklist feels almost like a blueprint for the dance floor. There is room for sensuality, celebration and pure physical energy, but underneath it all sits a clear artistic purpose.
X&ND describes WHO’S DANCING? as a rallying cry for liberation, joy, expression and autonomy. That message becomes even more meaningful when experienced through the live movement surrounding the album. The project has already partnered with TIDAL to make an event free for the community during Pride Weekend, reflecting a broader commitment to making nightlife more accessible rather than turning connection into something exclusive.
There is also a sense that X&ND has arrived at precisely the right moment. With artists including Jojo, Hayley Williams and Rama Duwaji taking notice, the project is beginning to attract attention beyond its immediate community. Yet the ambition remains refreshingly simple: bring people together and make them move.
The production carries plenty of technical pedigree, with Nico Mendoza handling the mix and Chris Gehringer, whose credits include Rihanna, Dua Lipa and Rosalía, mastering the album. But WHO’S DANCING? ultimately succeeds for a much more human reason. It makes you want to be there.
In an era when so much of nightlife can feel mediated through a screen, X&ND is offering the opposite. No phones. No distance. No need to perform for an audience online. Just music, bodies, sweat, rhythm and the person standing beside you.
Funk is back. Disco is back. And with WHO’S DANCING?, X&ND is making a convincing case that the dance floor still has plenty to say.
