Rudimental, We the Generation - Album review

Download: Bloodstream; Rumour Mill; New Day; Go Far

Rudimental play their headline slot (Danny North/Snowbombing) (Danny North/Snowbombing)

Rudimental’s follow-up to Home is not quite as impressive, though in fairness, most of the contributing vocalists lack the charismatic tone that John Newman brought to that debut album.

Additionally, there’s rather an over-reliance here on scuttling drum‘n’bass grooves, which rather saps interest. The style does, however, suit perfectly the remix version of Ed Sheeran’s “Bloodstream”, evoking the loved-up MDMA buzz.

But the more notable tracks take different tacks: cooing vocal harmonies, soft metallic beats and rising trumpets are ingeniously blended into a slinky flow for “Rumour Mill”, while the late Bobby Womack’s testifying about a “New Day” is set to skeletal stabs and slashes of organ, guitar and drums cemented together with horns. “Go Far”, meanwhile, recalls the anthemic style of Bobby’s sibling Womack & Womack, and Lianne LaHavas lends jazz chops to “Needn’t Speak”.