This week’s pick comes from the powerhouse vocal trio of Athena Johnson, Teresa Marbury and LaRae Starr, better known as Dames Brown. They’ve delivered a long-awaited debut album that blends gospel, soul, house, funk and more into one rich musical gumbo.

The group was mentored by the late Amp Fiddler, who produced and recorded the project in his home studio in Detroit’s Conant Gardens neighborhood. His spirit runs through this album in a powerful way. But understand something, this is not a record that mourns him. It extends him. You can hear the belief he had in them being realized in real time. What really makes the album soar is the discovery that this is not a group with one lead singer, but three commanding voices coming together as a unit. Let’s check out the title track, “Take Me As I Am.” It’s my Pick of the Week.

That was Dames Brown with “Take Me As I Am,” the title track from their debut album, coming straight out of the Motor City.

If you love music that moves between soul, house, funk and deep dance textures, tune in to The Progressive Underground every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on 101.9 WDET and wdet.org. For The Progressive Underground, I’m Chris Campbell. We’ll see you next time.

This week we are tapping in with Detroit emcee, producer and sonic shape-shifter Ilajide. A former member of the acclaimed underground crew Clear Soul Forces, he has carved out a deep catalog on his own, dropping five full-length projects and seven EPs along the way.

Ilajide is back with a new release, “Pocket Jams 2,” a record that blends late-70s and early-80s funk and hip hop with the future-leaning sound of 2025. It is proudly Detroit to the core and carries the kind of cosmic swagger you could imagine The Electrifying Mojo spinning during his late-night transmissions.

The cut we are about to get into is a standout. It channels Rick James energy, P-Funk flavor and Ilajide’s signature rhythmic snap, with Radio Galaxy riding shotgun for an extra layer of groove. Here is Ilajide featuring Radio Galaxy with “Stallion,” and it is my Pick of the Week.

That was Ilajide featuring Radio Galaxy with “Stallion,” from his latest release “Pocket Jams 2.”

If this kind of Detroit-bred funk hits your bloodstream, lock in with The Progressive Underground every Saturday at 6 p.m. on 101.9 WDET and at wdet.org.