Rudimental, a UK based drum ‘n’ beat group have been tearing up the charts lately, with their pop infused, easy-to-listen take on the genre. To actually pinpoint the actual genre their music belongs to is hard, especially when they have trumpet and guitar solos infused into electronic beats.

As far as accolades go, they were nominated for a Mercury PrizeΒ in 2013, and won several awards including the Brit Award, and the Mobo Award for Best Album (Home).Β Rudimental also received nominations at the MTV Europe Music Awards for Best New Act, and Best UK and Ireland act.Β Rudimental have achieved multiple Platinum awards for record sales in several countriesΒ including in the United Kingdom and Australia.

All this instant success has strangely left the band un-fazed and still very down to earth. The boys are currently working on their next album and a new festival they’re launching with Disclosure. Lucky for us, we’ll be seeing them perform a DJ set later this month in Bangalore and Delhi for the Emerge Music & Arts Festival.

In an effort to educate you about this fantastic and talented group, here are a few things we think you MUST know about Rudimental.

 

1. 4 piece band in the studio, nine piece on stage

Yup,the quartet consists of Piers Agget, Amir Amor, Kesi Dryden and DJ Locksmith (Leon Rolle). But when they’re on tour performing LIVE shows, they take at least two vocalists, trumpets players…whoever they can fit into their tour bus.

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2. They metΒ John Newman at a random bar..

…and a year later, Feel the love was made, putting them on the map as one of the best new artistes around.

 

3. Right at the beginning,Β Rudimental was a duo.

Yup, it just started out with Piers Agget and Kesi Dryden, who were making music a few years before they met Leon. Amir Amor entered the scene when they met him in a studio in Hackney. The rest, you can say, was history.

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4. Featuring in their own videos is not something they’re interested in

If you haven’tΒ Β noticed, you won’t find them in any of their own music videos. As quoted in an interview with Guardian, there is a reason for this concious choice –
“No one actually recognises us, we’re not in the videos, we like to stay behind the music and let that speak for itself. We can go out and enjoy the festival the same way as everyone else does, we are going to get into the crowd and watch Snoop Dogg.We were with Ed Sheeran the other day and as soon as he stepped out on the balcony there were people screaming and people snapping outside the studio. I can’t imagine living a life like that, it’s quite hard, so it’s good for us because we’re not the hottest boyband. It’s actually nice to stay behind the scenes and just focus on the music.”

 

5. Rudimental have some mean covers up their sleeves


 

6. They co-wrote a song with Ed Sheeran, can you guess which?

“Bloodstream” comes in a acoustic version and a rudimental-y drum ‘n’ bass banger


 

 

7. They just recently launched a brand new festival

In collaboration with Disclosure, Wildlife will debut this June in Briton, UK.Β The line-up is off the hook!

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8. Rudimental prefer working with lesser-known vocalists for their tracks

The band is quite active is sourcing vocalists (like John Newman and Emeli Sande’) than need and deserve the attention, asΒ Β have mentioned in a few interviews. “We like finding unknown artists. When we get the chance we like to go to talent shows to try and pick up some unknowns.Β It’s good to go and see raw talent. You never know what you’ll stumble across.”

 

9. The boysΒ are all about “giving something back” to their community

For Rudimental, they understand the difficulties of growing up on harder side of the streets, i.e. East London. Giving no heed to their fame, the boys work as mentors at schools, using music and instruments as a way of engaging kids to reveal what the actual issues are. Piers also runs a community studio in Tottenham for this purpose. In fact one of their mentored kids got the chance to perform on their debut album, ‘Home’.

 

Catch a DJ set of Rudimental at The Emerge Music and Art Festival, this February 28 and March 1 in Bangalore and Delhi, respectively.

Grab your tickets now!

 

vivo Presents Emerge Music and Art Festival