AAA Backstage Archive

Album Review: Rudimental "Home"

By now you’re familiar with Rudimental – anyone who isn’t familiar with ‘Feel the Love’ has most likely been hiding under a rock for the better part of a year. I remember first hearing that song and being instantly drawn to the layering and excellent combination of EDM and soul.A year on, I can say that it now starts to annoy my ears (as every song does when you’ve heard it 300 times), but I still get those occasional reminiscent feelings of old.

Their second released track ‘Not Giving In’ obviously garnered a lot of attention in the wake of ‘Feel the Love’ and so naturally, there’s been a lot of build up to this album’s release. FUN FACT: Rudimental actually released another song prior to ‘Feel the Love’ but it didn’t rate on the charts. Bummer. Now though, after the release of their third single and first official album (finally), they’re experiencing new levels of fame. Home reached number one on UK charts, so it’s safe to say that the band has a universally likable style of music. Always the fans of featuring other contributors on their tracks – they’re drums and bass specialists okay, they need help from vocalists – Home is laden with both new and familiar voices, including John Newman from ‘Feel the Love’.

This quartet of drum and bass Brits have had their sound defined as ‘liquid funk’ and I’d say that’s a rather accurate description. I don’t want to give too much away because hey, you can listen to the album for yourself, but I liken listening to Home to watching a snake charmer work their magic. You don't want to be compelled but there’s something in the beat and hazy sound that’s melting and hypnotising.

I’d like to think I own my own musical opinions and I’m not (too) led by popular culture, so I won’t say that I love Rudimental, but I will say that they have a cool, penetrating sound that makes them easily distinguishable in an already thick musical market. Plus I get a strong Beyonce vibe from Emeli Sande (featured in ‘More than Anything’ and ‘Free’), which I’m sure will attract masses of attention. You can tell Rudimental has taken great pains to select contributing vocalists who align with that liquid funk/house style for which they’ve become renowned. The result is definitely a soulful sound that keeps you guessing. I wouldn’t consider Home a long-term staple in my life but I’ll definitely put it on when I need some soul revival.

Home is currently streaming on inthemix for those of you that want to give it a pre-release spin.

Tess Brinums - AAA Backstage