Artist Spotlight: Rudimental

Rudimental, (aka Piers Agget, Kesi Dryden, Amir Amor and DJ Locksmith) have busted out of East London’s underground music scene with sheer force. The pioneering melting-pot collective have received their first ever BRITs nomination in the British Single category for their 2012 smash drum & bass meets-soul anthem and No. 1 single, “Feel the Love” ft. John Newman.

While you may be familiar with Rudimental’s music, there’s a lot to learn about this talented East London group. The boys, who have all known each other from growing up in the same neighbourhood, treat each other like brothers. They know each other’s quirks and habits, like DJ Locksmith’s dislike for all things salad on his burger. But while they’re a close, cohesive unit, it’s the individualism of each of the members that make Rudimental one of the most interesting collectives of the year. 

While Kesi (keyboard player/percussionist) is a self-confessed hip hop head, former Deja Vu FM DJ, Piers (Hammond, keys) names jazz and blues as influences alongside grime artists like Dizzee Rascal. Leon (DJ) remembers using his dinner money to purchase the latest vinyl and attributes the band’s success to an ability to retool and subvert the best of UK underground music (garage, grime, dubstep, drum & bass) in their own style. Fellow band mate Amir (guitar and keys), grew up in Camden and won a PRS song writing award in 2001. He spent the winnings on a guitar and via a mentoring scheme, met Plan B who taught him how to play his first chords aged 16. He went on to earn nods as one of NME’s ‘Top 20 Hottest Producers’.

Taking a traditional songwriting approach as much as an electronic one in their music, the band mixes live music instrumentation with digital programming. As Piers says, “our sound is organic. It’s the result of years of raving, listening to pirate radio, listening to dubs, to tapes older brothers would bring home, and being inspired by all of it.  We’re products of our individual musical journeys and of London”.

They’re currently working on their debut record, out later this year which promises to be a fresh mix of electro, hip-hop, funk and pop and are working with some of the UK’s hottest artists, including none other than BRITs 2012 Critics’ Choice winner, Emeli Sandé. In the meantime, enjoy their 2013 BRIT Award nominated single. "Feel the Love" below.