Groove Armada
Soundboy Rock
(Columbia)
In their latest offering, Andy Cato and Tom Findlay harness the eclectic vitality of their annual London festival, Lovebox, further eroding the pair's former reputation as kings of quiet, drizzled ambience in the process. Although colourful and multi-textured, the results enjoy varying degrees of success.
Indeed, there are moments when the party vibe takes over and quality control seems to go out the window.
Most surprising is the collaboration with former Sugababe Mutya Buena, Song 4 Mutya, on which the eternally scowling singer recalls with schoolgirl horror the minutiae of witnessing a former squeeze with his new lady. For a moment it seems that Groove Armada's teenage nephews might be manning the sound desk. There's a fine line between what makes a song a guilty pleasure and an instant castaway, and not even Groove Armada's sonic sensibilities can save this perverse misstep.
