If Everybody Looked the Same - Groove Armada, Cato, A.
Serve Chilled
I See You Baby - Groove Armada, Cato, A.
A Private Interlude
At the River
In My Bones
Your Song
Inside My Mind (Blue Skies) - Groove Armada, Berlin, Irving
I See You Baby [Fatboy Slim Mix]
While the tempos on Groove Armada's Vertigo vary from Fatboy Slim-ish party rockers to Air-like downtempo ambient grooves, the songs themselves are downright simple, sample-laden, and sugary sweet. And though those adjecti... more »ves would be fightin' words in many contemporary dance subgenres, it is not meant as anything other than praise here. The sophomore full-length by London duo Tom Findlay and Andy Cato is unabashedly pleasurable--this is straightforward, hook-heavy stuff, aimed perfectly for the airwaves. Entire six-minute songs are crafted from just a few samples. This approach may strike some as lazy, but the music is invitingly melodic, modern dance-pop, and you'll want to hear the songs over and over, especially the uptempo "I See You Baby" and the mellow "At the River." --Mike McGonigal« less
While the tempos on Groove Armada's Vertigo vary from Fatboy Slim-ish party rockers to Air-like downtempo ambient grooves, the songs themselves are downright simple, sample-laden, and sugary sweet. And though those adjectives would be fightin' words in many contemporary dance subgenres, it is not meant as anything other than praise here. The sophomore full-length by London duo Tom Findlay and Andy Cato is unabashedly pleasurable--this is straightforward, hook-heavy stuff, aimed perfectly for the airwaves. Entire six-minute songs are crafted from just a few samples. This approach may strike some as lazy, but the music is invitingly melodic, modern dance-pop, and you'll want to hear the songs over and over, especially the uptempo "I See You Baby" and the mellow "At the River." --Mike McGonigal
"First and foremost, anyone who is expecting a fat-boy slim album, read the next review. Secondly I'd have to say that this album is superior to any fat boy slim album yet released by a wide margin. It's an album that deserves to be taken on it's own terms, in that it is different from anything else out there. Yes, there are comparisons to air, moby(?), and whatever else. But, anyone who makes those comparisons obviously listens a little too hard to find similarities because it makes them comfortable. Upon listening to this album more than ONCE, one should come to the conclusion that it really is cohesive, flowing, and well put together. IF one is looking to make a comparison, i personally would say Alpha (on melankolic) with the rhythmic sensibility of Basement Jaxx, and even that's a stretch. The chill-out tracks are better than the up beat ones. JUST BUY IT."
Slowburner of gems
Dogville | Sunny Island | 06/08/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Groove Armada has achieved cult status...with people like Elton John and Madonna prasing their worthiness. And madonna has roped them to do a remix for her forthcoming single, so there must be something great about this dance/electronica duo. Well at first listen, it may be nothing impressionable. However, repeated plays will have you craving for more of the funk in Groove Armada. Don't let the Fatboy Slim-ish sounding I See You Baby fool ya, cos GA is very different. They are rooted in heavy beats & rhythms and draw their influences from dance/electronica to triphop & hiphop. The recommended tracks are of cos, I See You Baby, If Everybody Looked The Same, At The River, Dusk You Dusk Me and more... A bonus CD that surfaced in some editions contains the infectious FATBOY SLIM remix of I See You Baby, Elephant remix of Inside My Mind, plus 2 other remixes of Chicago & A Private Interlude. GREAT STUFF!"
Groove indeed...
waldig | austin, tx | 03/04/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"first, you have to be ok with the fact that these guys are all over the place. if you have any subgenre obsessions or hangups, don't bother with groove armada. but if you like a little funk, a fair amount of house, and a whole hella-va-lotta air-esque atmospheric groove, then these are your guys. as long as it's this well done, they can mix in whatever they like. definitely one of the best things in this style since moon safari (which will, of course, probably never be beat), but distinctively more british. if you're trying to decide whether or not to buy this one, don't try to scan through the first minute of each track. that would be a terrible gauge of the cd...it demands a little more, but it gets so good and it's oh so worth it."
Pure Groove
Ian Creamer | Dublin,Ireland | 04/04/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Rarely has a word in a groups title been so apt.If I was given only one word to describe this c.d.,it would have to be "Groove".It's a chill out album,it's a dance album-it's poppy yet never over commercial.It's disco but it's also got that funky sound. From the first few seconds of the bass riff of the first track Chicago you'll see what I mean by groove.It's nicely laidback yet also powerful enough to make the floor vibrate when turned up loud enough.The disco comes in with the Chic style guitar riff.It's a berautiful 7 minute opener.Track 2 is straight out of D.J. Shadow-so they've got good taste.Track 3 is a real chilled instrumental piece.Track 4 has a brassy,funky feel that groups like Weather Report would be proud of.Then we have two really poppy,dance songs-If Everybody Looked The Same-already hugely popular over here on t.v. adverts and also in clubs.I See You Baby is even heavier on the rythhm-strong dub bass riffs and excellent vocals-just a great dance track.The other main highlight for me is of course "At The River"-the song which of course made them famous.Everything about this song is simply stunning.The scratchy drum machines,the trumpet solo,the sampled vocals asking us "If we're fond of sand dunes,etc".It's just a song that has to be destined for lazing on a beautiful beach while watching the sunset. This is a c.d. of amazing variety.It has tracks of every type of D.J. influenced music.List any type of music of this particular genre and it's here.What's more it's able to change styles without the c.d. ever sounding like a disjointed mish-mash.Basically this is a c.d. that caters for all tastes and one which I would have no doubts recommending to anyone.Buy It!!"