Groove Armada are celebrating their tenth year in business this year, and much congratulations is in order for their amazing contributions to dance music, although they cannot be pin pointed to one genre. Their fantastic, unexplainable flow endured in all their music touches base on all genres, and this is what makes it special, from mixing genres of dance, hip hop, reggae dub and chill out on a electro foundation, it makes a purely exceptional conquest, filling in and making space for their own niche. Soundboy Rock is no exception from the celebration, feeling excitement jumping track to track. The duo’s music is capable of slowing you down to reminiscence summer days, or speeding you up to the present fast paced entail and this is exactly how this album is engrossed, up and down temperaments with a flavor for everybody having the ability to turn a bad day into a good one. "Hasta Luego Mr.Fab" unties the fabulousness with a down tempo intro, crashing in to unpredictable "Get Down"(purchase/download). Infatuated reggae rock with a wicked cockney- Jamaican commentary has you swaying with the up and down gyrating rhythm. This true party track with out of contrast hooks mixes in nicely with the teenage love atrocity which is ‘the things that we could share’ which gives you butterflies in your tummy with the lovey dovey vocals, taking you back to your first love with an average synthy beat and claps. The lego/digital style of the artwork on this album truly consults with the next track "Save My Soul" (purchase/download) which relays running away from the digital takeover.
Old school 80’s computer game Tetris comes to mind with the fast paced mission music, with a slowed down intervene speeding up to regain the excitement which is not regained in the consecutive ballad "Whats Your Version," a slowed down, tip toe relaxed consort adjoined with what sounds like a heartbroken male talking vocals. The up beat is rejoined with fresh faced break up song "Paris." Desired uptight drums and piano bites really make the track, spreading a coolness denying the regret in the lyrics and how Paris itself accounts for not only being a city of love, but in hardship too. Candi Staton’s presence in "Love Sweet Sound" (purchase/download) brings about a Disco alternative, with jolting electro spasms calling all the good vibes back with a bridge so built up your left wondering what to do with yourself when the drop comes back. Groove Armada are definitely in charge of your musical inclination with the greatness of each and every track, this is continued on ‘the girls say’, a funky hip hop, electro super Mario joint with Rhymefest on the vocals, really making the tune.
Awe is induced to the ‘lightsonic’ creation, enlightening sounds of airy, light water in a timely intro which then kicks in to a fulfilled spray of light uplifting reggae notion in ode to light ‘spark up a light’ throughout. This compromises the true influences of so many genres, adding pop to the line up with 80’s pop track "Song 4 Mutya" (purchase/download) featuring UK songstress Mutya Buena and for those that know of her with big gold earrings and sultry soul voice this really opposes the rest of the album but fits in well maintaining the flow. "From the Rooftop’s" could not be felt anywhere else. Piano, finger clicking make up with slow floaty vocals defiantly drifts you out on to the rooftop and on to the next entry "See What You Get," lavishly introducing a live band with accompanying moany English lyrics, competing with the drums and punchy trumpet really complements the fantastic jumbled up production. Soundboy Rock really prevails no disappointments with its fabulous 1 futuristic theme, but with so many sways, you would never think you are listening to the same 1 artists album. These guys are veraciously talented and there is only hope they will continue to create great music such as this. A pure pleasure.
Released April 23, 2008 on Strictly Rhythm Records
