Straight from London's underground music scene and hot on the heels of multiple international hit singles comes electronic dance group Rudimental. Finding the balance between commercial viability and musical integrity can often be a challenge for artists, but this group seems to have hit that mark dead in the center. Although urban dance music isn't particularly big here in the U.S, Rudimental does a good job at adding relatable sustenance uncommon in this genre.
Rarely has a fresh faced and fairly unknown band been able to debut with the amount of world-renowned collaborators Rudimental has. Whether it's the vocal talents of current chart dominators Emeli Sandé, Alex Clare, or Foxes, Rudimental has somehow managed to snag them all up on their first album Home. Similar to David Guetta or Calvin Harris, this group produces the beats and instrumentals while featuring artists to sing over them. The first number one single from the quartet, "Feel the Love," draws upon the vocals of UK singer-songwriter John Newman. This track showcases a medley of influences from the soul-drenched vocals, to the peppy electronic synths, to the erratically pleasant bass lines. "Feel the Love" is the best example of how Rudimental stays true to its urban roots while delivering chart attracting dance anthems and for that reason they're gaining well-deserved attention.
The group scored its second number one hit in the UK with the slightly darker edged track "Waiting All Night." Ella Eyre's vocals soulfully burst with the addicting chorus of "I've been waiting all night for you to tell me what you want, tell me, tell me that you need me." This song echoes a strange familiarity to previous song "Feel the Love", yet it possesses a more upbeat vibe and sizable synthesized elements that show it claims to dominate. "Right Here" features Foxes, the current vocalist of Zedd's "Clarity," for a song the group says is inspired by the groovy, laidback feelings of a Caribbean vacation. Emeli Sandé teams up with Rudimental not just once, but twice on the tracks "More Than Anything" and "Free." As on most of her songs she has a powerful set of vocal lifts that refreshingly stay on the right side of excess. Rudimental again joins forces with John Newman and Alex Clare for "Not Giving In," a track written during an emotional time period with the group's close friend attempting suicide.
Rudimental's blended musical styles and meticulously crafted instrumentals lend their debut album Home catchy, contemporary qualities. It's easy to see how they have made waves across an international audience and from the look of things they will soon make their impact on countless U.S listeners.
Grade: B+
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