In May 2012 the track ‘Feel the Love’ hit the airwaves for the first time. It debuted on the charts at number one in June after selling over 90,000 copies and being dubbed Zane Lowe’s ‘Hottest Record in the World’. The tune quickly became one of the summer’s anthems. To say it was a surprise was understatement – especially to the four unknown Hackney producers responsible for the mesmeric sound.
Rudimental, also known as Piers Agget, Kesi Dryden, Amir Amor and Leon Rolle, grew up together in Hackney, London. They came from fairly ordinary backgrounds and had ordinary jobs before they began joining forces in 2011. The foursome were signed to Asylum Records and began mixing up guitar solos with drum and bass. In a recent interview Amor commented that ‘labels didn’t want us because they didn’t know where to put us – I think we scared them off a bit’. The labels were made to eat their words when Rudimental’s debut Home Charted at number one in April this year.
Image Credit: bbc.co.uk
Home is a diverse album which masterfully balances drum and bass, rap, soul, gospel and pop. It’s a brilliant mix of songs, opening with the steady backbeat of the title track that ooze before launching into the anthemic ‘Feel the Love’ which with the help of John Newman’s vocals creates a party feeling of excitement and adrenaline that gets any dance floor grooving. Whilst not as fast paced, Angel Haze’s slick rapping on ‘Hell Could Freeze’ showcases the producer’s ability to mix it up and lay down house-infused hip-hop beats.
Home slows down in the middle with songs like ‘Spoons’ that can be best described as a trance-saturated haunting song that showcases the strong soul influence on the record. In fact, some of their soulful songs are at least equal to their anthems. The strings and piano in ‘Powerless’ add a softer note to a striking vocal that hits home like a hammer blow on the chorus.
Anthem fans fear not, Home picks up as it heads for the end. ‘Not Giving In’ sees returning John Newman deliver a powerful vocal performance, while the ubiquitous penultimate track ‘Waiting All Night’ marries catchy lyrics, blaring trumpets and a throbbing DnB to form a perfect pop song. Home finishes as it started: with a soulful voice and a beautiful tune. The climax track ‘Free’ demonstrates the eclectic talents of the producers as it tones down the electronic feel of the hit singles in favour of a more vocal-orientated sound that makes it all the sweeter to listen to. It’s a beautifully mellow end to a very exciting album.
The standout feature of Home is not just the blend of music on the album, but the wonderful mashing and moulding of genres. From the trumpet blaring over a drum and bass beat on ‘Not Giving In’ to the piano riff on ‘Right Here’, Rudimental show a love for all kinds of music; it is this fusion that makes them stand out in the monotonous pop music scene. There isn’t another sound like them around and whilst the theme of drum and bass/electronic music is the main event, there’s something for any listener to latch onto and enjoy.
They may not be the bookies favourites but Rudimental have what it takes to win the Mercury Prize. They’ve come from nowhere to produce an album where every song is unique and fantastic. It’s more than just the jaw-dropping vocals; it’s the brilliance of the production, and the skill of matching the vocals to music. And it is this marriage of originality, craftsmanship and quality that ensure Rudimental stand as much a chance of winning the coveted Prize as much as anyone of the shortlist.
Thomas Davies
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