Jamiroquai - Rock DustLight Star

Thu 2nd Dec, 2010 in Music Reviews

For eighteen years now, British acid-jazz/funk legends Jamiroquai have been producing hit single after hit single, providing an alternative style to the conventional pop song. Although the majority of their music styles are from the 1970s, the evolution of technology and instruments alike have provided an entirely new perspective of funk and jazz music, which Jamiroquai have certainly taken advantage of. Their most recent release Rock Dust Light Star highlights the advances in Jamiroquai’s instrumental palette with plenty of electronic tones being put to use. Considering it has been a little over 5 years since Jamiroquai’s last original, full-length studio recording, the time has finally arrived for another serving of funkalicious delight.

White Knuckle Ride is the first single off the album and Jamiroquai conforms to their traditional single structure, including a freakishly funky bassline, spectacularly catchy lyrics and an epic film clip involving frontman Jay Kay’s newly found helicopter skills. This track is certainly not a specifically funk track; it is undoubtedly a pop song simply infused with their trademark funk-disco style. There is a slight lacking in variation within the lyrical component to White Knuckle Ride; the repetitive chorus and bridges occupy the majority of the track with female back-up singers mimicking virtually every line that is being sung by Kay.

A slight change in direction for Jamiroquai has them now performing a soft, mellow pop ballad in the form of the second single to be released, Blue Skies. Kay’s vocals are sensually smooth and he accentuates his ability to bend the pitch of his easily recognisable voice to create a warm, seductive mood throughout the track. This mood is enhanced by the choice of accompanying instruments; the electric guitar plays smooth, single notes without any unnecessary distortion, simple piano chords are played right through and it is all topped off with the light layer of stringed instruments and vocal accompanists to add the flair and elegance that a grand ballad requires to sound that extra bit ostentatious. This track may not contain the same energy and entertainment that comes with a conventional Jamiroquai track, but Blue Skies certainly adds some diversity to the sound selection of Kay’s compositions.

For those who are accustomed to Jamiroquai, it is highly apparent that frontman Jay Kay is essentially the heart and soul of the band and like any lead singer of a highly successful musical group, his ego often gets the better of him. I can’t help but make an awful comparison to The Sleepy Jackson and Empire of the Sun’s Luke Steele, who would have taken an incredible amount of inspiration for headdresses from Jay’s incredible performance wardrobe. But back to Kay’s ego; his views and beliefs are incorporated directly into title track Rock Dust Light Star, where he ridicules religion, taunts weapon manufacturers and informs audiences that another meteor will wipe out the population back to the stone age all in the neat little package of a funk inspired rock track.

In total, the latest release surely has as much explosive power as Dynamite and almost as much funk as A Funk Odyssey, but by no means is it their greatest ever work. It has its moments of brilliance and endless amounts of musical enjoyment, which we have been expecting of Jamiroquai from their conception in 1992. Fingers crossed that there will be plenty more of funk, jazz and groove to come from Jay Kay and his ever changing lineup of highly talented musicians.