Groove Armada
Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub)
On Sale Now
For $13.48

Groove Armada originally formed as a UK duo way back in the mid-nineties. DJ/musicians Tom Findlay and Andy Cato began their collaboration spinning vinyl but soon turned their attention toward recording their own music. Since coming down from the worldwide success of their debut album, Vertigo, and the smash hit, "I See You Baby," Groove Armada have re-surfaced with a brand new disc, Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub), and nine live musicians who are ready for the road.

On Goodbye, Findlay and Cato continue pushing the sound by fusing styles (including rap, disco, jazz and funk) into a series of loopy electronic beats, rhythms and atmospheres. Along with a heavy list of musicians including Nile Rogers (guitar), Richie Havens (vocals/ guitar) and the Urban Soul Orchestra, GA have actually managed to beat the sophomore slump and take it to the next level.

While tracks like "Drifted" spend time laboring through semi-detached kick pulses, most songs here stamp firmly on the 4/4 without hesitation. These are not all gassed up dance tunes, but they all click in one way or another.

"Superstylin'," the first official single, pushes a heavily accented rap (courtesy of M.A.D. and M.G.) between big beats, horn blasts and explosive sound effects. But when the tempo drops on tunes like "Little by Little" there's no doubt that somebody somewhere is gettin' some action.

This is where the Armada draws its power. The love of different styles of music fuels the battleships and beats that make this disc so cool. Whether it's the slippery electro space of "Foqma" or the sultry voice of Celestia Martin and the soulsexy moves of "My Friend," all the pieces slip together without a hitch.

The magic of Groove Armada's Goodbye Country (Hello Nightclub) works wonders as it cross pollinates and electrifies the genres that it pulls into its sound. Whether or not this one will score the boys another car commercial remains to be seen. But these twelve vocal and instrumental tracks stand on their own--on the dance floor, in the living room, in the bedroom or even while cruisin' down the freeway in a brand new car.

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