From what i've seen most dancers seem to except even very funky records as long as there is enough soul in the lead vocal and backing. I've found dancefloors to be very open to these sorts of sounds. Look at all the Clay Brown stuff thats popular at the moment. 'Everybody's Talkin' top of the pile.
I expect the scene will take a bunch of these 45 on and spit out those that go 'too far' and retain the 'best' of the bunch, as it did with r&b.
Although to my mind the ones in that genre it held onto like Charles Sheffield, big Daddy Rogers were all the average cuts!
Also the argument that the scene is following the deep funk one too late goes both ways. Lots of old r&b and soul biggies only just being played on that scene. Its not a competition, or at least its the wrong sort of thinking if it is.
'...is this being touted as northern souls future??'
I don't think anyone is touting any particular style as 'the future', just exploring other avenues of soulful black dance music. When all else fails theres always your Al Williams and Tamangoes.