RUDIM3NTAL

Rudimental serve up a straight jungle and drum ’n’ bass affair on their self-titled fifth album; not a departure for the award-winning trio, instead a move that adheres more closely to their roots. In addition to the momentum-setting production, RUDIM3NTAL features a full bingo card of dance music’s most sought-after collaborators, from Jess Glynne and Rag’n’Bone Man to Idris Elba and Skepsis. Tracks like “All I Know” temper the energy of the beat with a wistful vocal performance from American R&B star Khalid, while the measured bars Flowdan contributes to “Ram Pam” play nicely off Mystic Marley’s sweet-toned hook. The multidimensional aspects that usually comprise a Rudimental project may be missing here, but the back-to-basics approach proves they are endlessly capable of maximizing their signature sound beyond any limitations.