Groove Armada
Soundboy Rock

THE REVIEW

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!