Rudimental: Home

While this four-man drum ‘n’ bass band from the UK is relatively new in the music industry, it didn’t take them long to become noticed. 2012’s single “Feel the Love” with singer John Newman become a booming success during the summer, paving a way for the debut album. Although Home took nearly a year to be released, the people who fell in love with the number one single last summer didn’t forget about Rudimental. The quartet has kept their name buzzing with three other successful singles being released over the last year.

For the most part, Home paints a positive image. The songs feel uplifting, with soulful vocals and tight, quick percussion. The production takes interesting turns at every corner. The sounds are bold and ambitious, and borrow from a plethora of other genres. Look at the song “Spoons” for instance. The song is structured around a simple beat played by tapping spoons. Yes, actual spoons were used to create this song. Add in some great singing by the featured MNEK and you’ve got yourself a hit that’s not only enjoyable for its simplicity, but also admirable in the way it was crafted. Syron is also featured on “Spoons”. This harmony of male and female vocals gives the track a mellow sensuality that sucks the listener in.

The award-winning Emeli Sandé is featured on two tracks, “More Than Anything” and “Free”, both of which have already been racking up the view counter on streaming sites. “Waiting All Night”, which features the 19-year-old British singer Ella Eyre, is one of the standout tracks on Home. Featuring a fast paced beat and surprisingly commanding vocals from the young Ella Eyre, “Waiting All Night” challenges you to not tap your foot along to the beat as you listen. Rudimental appears to be pulling influences from many places, as tracks on Home mix in elements of electronic, house, drum and bass, and soul. The four prove to make up a versatile band, and in turn their music provides a little something that could be accessible to fans of many genres.

The biggest problem for Home seems to be that it can’t get comfortable. Rudimental covers a lot of ground over the course of these 12 tracks, and never can quite focus in on one sound or mood. Home doesn’t successfully balance variety and cohesiveness, and as a result, Home sounds more like a collection of songs than a listening experience that is meant to be heard front to back. The focus tends to shift more towards the singles, as Rudimental aims to get more individual tracks in rotation on the radio and buzzing on the internet, rather than have all the pieces come together as part of a cohesive album. The live instrumentation and bold production statements pair with some nice collaborations from features to offer an enjoyable listening experience. Positive lyrics and upbeat tempos make Rudimental’s Home an album that you can listen to if you’re looking to feel inspired.