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Rating:
Arriving in 2007 wealthy (with 4 wonderful albums and a best of), famous (live and DJ sets around the world), and happy, Groove Armada wonders what the future of electronic music might be in a scene dominated by the more minimal techno or chart-topping house aimed at making only a few poor fools dance.
The answers to their questions thus become 15 tracks (17 in the bonus track version) with a diverse taste and flavor, each with its own underlying idea that isn’t obsessively repeated, but rather the duo amplifies their expressive power with a carefully chosen collection of rhythms that are never banal (a certain passion for vintage breakbeat and the dear old big beat can be noted), interactive pads, leads used like guns for the happiness of electronic music enthusiasts. But, finding ourselves light-years away from minimalism, the fact that each track is spread with vocals, strings, guitars, winds, and whatever else you can think of brings fans and new listeners into a whole new world made of parties, color, joy, sex, friendship, endless drinks, and afters at strangers' houses, well described right from the album cover (curated by the great master of pixel art eBoy)... What a pity the real world isn’t like that!
Groove Armada has in the past created guidelines for genres like house and chill-out (quite an odious name) always with style and elegance, and as with every work by the duo, here again, they are clearly distinguished into two main streams: Uptempo and Downtempo which, however, never merge into a single track as a fusion but remain separate, running parallel in opposite directions.
The intro of the album is nothing but a charming falsehood to lower the pressure that then seems to explode the temples in the next song: the massive single "Get Down" shows no mercy with its trumpets but especially with a killer bassline, in fact, Andy and Tom seem to burst into laughter while you unleash on the dance floor like a madman jumping with your hands in the air thinking about lots of white rabbits invading your thoughts (editor's note: the video). Among the various more incisive and danceable tracks, besides the opening single, are "The Things That We Could Share" (house a bit too forced), "Save My Soul", "The Girls Say", "Lightsonic", and "Drop That Thing" (which incorporate electro rhythms lived as a revival). Also noteworthy are "Love Sweet Sound", with a spectacular groove and soul-infused vocals, and "Song For Mutya (Out Of Control)", almost an anthem to bliss and happiness with the voice of Mutya from the Sugarbabes (!!!!).
This leaves the more "peaceful" part that gives personality to the album, unfolding through the funk of "See What You Get", the lounge of "Paris", and the ballad "From The Rooftops". Then appears the title track "Soundboy Rock", representing an interesting reggae/dub detour with an unlikely harmonica, and perhaps the most introspective piece and backbone of the album "What's Your Version", present even in duplicate with the final reprise, coddling with Jeb Loy Nichols' warm voice and a very well-constructed final string ensemble.
Thus, the GA has produced a unique album that rightfully enters their discography as their most mature production, it’s a pity they’re signed to Sony/BMG, I hope a major never influences their ideas as they are so beautiful and pure... I write 4 stars but the real rating is 4 and 1/2!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Get Down (03:51)
RED RAT (announce):
Well it's confy musical dingle
Groove Armada, featuring Stush and Red Rat, of course
MC STUSH:
Dip and galang
Dip and stand up
Body basic
It wont dance more though
Dip, galang, stand up
Every man in the world light up [bridge]
So they just dip
Galang
Stand up
Every man in the world light up [chorus]
Girls all stand up and watch me
They want their sushi
Move and try looking bushy
And I miss you, they just cut me
May have big booty
They are sweet like tutti frutti
Lips feel just like cherry
Angels and thats why I'm screeching
What I wait among the pressure
Jump and sing for lure a pedon
Body freeze and I pitch you up
Then boy, easy flick her off
Cause of this some girls get envy
Even then try mess up your party
Love, but be warned if you beat me
There is no need to compete
[chorus] 2x
So me I chill in the VIP suite
See my DJ playing my beat
Every newscast adverting me
The dancefloor is where we will meet
All over the world, they're feeling
Is so sweet, MIB
Pop Style, well I'm free
All jealousy, is for me
Their contribution fell on the finite
Why you're smiling? Cause of my defeat
Left all the love alit by the magic
Then when I boom, then when I freak
Find my commotions gone through my teeth
Working the last of style for a beat
Bow now break to be the elite
Jealousy I'll be nice and sweet
[chorus]2x
[bridge]
[chorus]2x
06 Paris (05:36)
ooohhh
I gave you my love,
and you took it.
well....
I gave you my love.
You said all you wanted,
just wanted to be friends.
well.....
Now you say, you want me back.
wooohh.....
It’s a little too late for that.
I gave you my love,
I was so good to you.
well....
o....baby
Who’s crying now?.... who?
Who’s hurting now?
[intermezzo]
12 Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control) (04:09)
(Outta control)
You're gone, now, I feel fine
17 months, yeah I feel fine
What about you? I betcha been cryin'
I bet ya been goin around town lyin'
I'm drivin' fast, I feel so fine
I got Prince singin' "Hot Thing" to me
I know every line
So I pulled up to the red light, sittin' here in my car
I look up to my right, and there you are
Sat there with some new girl, what is this?
(Don't panic, panic, Mutya don't drive erratic)
That's who has replaced me, what a diss
(Don't panic, panic, don't act too manic, manic)
It's a sure fire way to ruin my day
Just as soon as I'm on top of my life, there you are again
But don't react now, you can't go back now
Don't panic, panic, Mutya, just look ahead now
(Outta control)
Let's cut to it, my girl for lunch
I was feelin' on top of the world, and I just got a hunch
That you were sat behind my back, didn't need to turn 'round
I felt sick at the thought, you're laughing loud
Sat there with some new girl, what is this?
(Don't panic, panic, Mutya don't drive erratic)
That's who has replaced me, what a diss
(Don't panic, panic, don't act too manic, manic)
It's a sure fire way to ruin my day
Just as soon as I'm on top of my life, there you are again
But don't react now, you can't go back now
Don't panic, panic, Mutya, just look ahead now
(Outta control)
It's a sure fire way to ruin my day
Just as soon as I'm on top of my life, there you are again
But don't react now, you can't go back now
Don't panic, panic, Mutya, just look ahead now
13 From the Rooftops (04:48)
My emotions fly, away
A voice, away
You are mine
From the rooftops there's a voice that fills my head again
You're the reason I am waiting
Let the feelings overtake, beware I'm falling
It'll be my life that you're saving
My emotions fly, away
A voice, away
You are mine
From the rooftops there's a voice that fills my head again
You're the reason I am waiting
Let the feelings overtake, beware I'm falling
It'll be my life that you're saving
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