Groove Armada Spin Soundboy Rock
A Massive Party-To-Go from Ever-Evolving Dance Electronica Outfit
Aug 11, 2007
Tim Findlay and Andy Cato formed the British dance duo Groove Armada in the mid nineties. Soon after, they opened a club of the same name and began spinning their own material.
With the release of their fourth album proper “Soundboy Rock”, they enhance mixing different sounds and influences into one continuous party.
While not a perfect album, “Soundboy Rock” incorporates elements from hip-hop and rap to old school 80’s euro cheese, ambient techno and downbeat. Songs seamlessly merge from one to another casting you into a world that ever evolves, creating a portable party.
After a brief intro, hardcore dance beats from “Get up”, their first UK single from this dance/ techno music album, thump through the speakers overcast in a fast-paced rap by Stush and Red Rat.
“Save my Soul” drives like a smoking Harley down a highway of base, mesmerising synths and scratches reminiscent of whale mating calls before a soft spoken voice tells you to relax. Then you hit the pavement once more for a pulsating ride.
“Lightsonic”, a dance highlight, features a hypnotising and energising refrain that sounds like a mood soundtrack to a film montage. You can’t help but feel surrounded by sweaty hot bodies on the dance floor as this track pumps through your headphones. Pure magic, if this song doesn’t inspire you to hit the club nothing will.
From Dance to Regge to Dance
From the grooved out dance floor, the album slips into more reggae-inspired territory. Title track spins a yarn straight from Jamaica. Coming off the more energised vibe of “Lightsonic” the transition doesn’t work well since both tracks vary in tempo to such a degree they seem picked from different albums. Not a bad song when isolated, however, sandwiched between the aforementioned “Lightsonic” and the darker club anthem “Drop that Thing”, “Soundboy Rock” loses its effectiveness.
This package’s gem comes late. “Song 4 Mutya” featuring ex-Sugarbabes beauty, Mutya Buena, possibly the album’s only pop oriented track, tells the story of a girl scorned by an ex-lover. “Driving fast / I feel so fine / I got Prince singing hot things to me / I know every line,” Mutya belts before discovering her ex-beau with his new girl.
Complete with spinning synths and 80’s inspired dance beats, this track is poppy, upbeat and more a cause for celebration than the lyrics would lead you to believe. “Song 4 Mutya” deserves radio airtime and claims a spot as the summer anthem of 2007.
While the album looses momentum towards the end, the lounge trance closers wean you off the high energy of the rest of the album and leave you feeling contented and ready to push repeat album on your player.
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