Released in 2010, Groove Armada’s sixth album Black Light was something of a rebirth; after more than decade of successfully riding hip-hop’s late 90’s renaissance and the chillout movement which went hand-in-hand with it, Tom Findlay and Andy Cato signalled a major shift to a more song orientated direction, taking an ambitious stance.
Whilst not exactly dissappearing – the duo for instance continued to curate the Lovebox festival which they introduced in 2002 – the last decade since then has been a largely barren one in terms of releases, unless you’re fond of the crate-digging fringes of Discogs.
The long wait then is over. After a ten years in which UK grime has asserted it’s authority in Britain and in a year punctuated by social, cultural and political turmoil, what lense will Groove Armada see it through and how will they react? Edge of The Horizon answers the questions emphatically: Findlay and Cato have enveloped themselves in a cocoon.
If you enjoyed Black Light, you’ll probably enjoy this, although it’s nowhere near as dramatic or compelling. Empire of the Sun’s Nick Littlemore returns for a couple of tracks, but seems either a little unsure of himself, or the material. This pattern – guest collaborators struggling to breathe life into their alloted projects – is a constant dulling pull, although She Keeps Bees emerge with come credit for the title track and Paris Brightledge nobly rescues the sole banger Dance Our Hurt Away. It seems that for Groove Armada ten years was way too much thinking time.
You can read the full review here.
The Voice Of Unreason 