You wouldn’t expect a Brit band to be so markedly R&B-oriented, but this album has announced the arrival of a band that disowns the helium of pop to chisel a defined domain in the staccato rhythms of hip-hop.
“One Love”, “Riders”, “You Make Me Wanna” have that founding R&B cadence, but that’s all they have in common. Each is moulded differently from the other in pace and composition. “Right Here Waiting” and “Without You” (reminiscent of the Backstreet Boys) are probably the only digressions towards pop, but otherwise, even the ballad with Elton John, “Sorry Seems To…” falls in line with the ranks. “Supersexual” and “Get Down” get two thumbs up.
The lyrics are not going to win literary prizes, but with crafty mixes and novel tunes, this one is a winner.
This article was first published on 15 Dec 2002.