Dusted

Dusted is the new, laid-back, down-tempo project of Rollo, the man behind house super-group Faithless. Stepping far away from the energies of Faithless, Rollo has come up with an album best described as ambient soul. With vocals from Rachael Brown and Luke Garwood, the album is a meditation on modern relationships. Some of the songs are quite beautiful, with lush chords and sweet harmonies. Many of the tracks have a gospel feel to them. Tracks like "Time Takes Time," the single "Always Remember to Respect Your Mother Part 1," which features Rollo's now-famous sister Dido and a 12 year-old choirboy, and "Under the Sun" are catchy and peaceful songs. "The Oscar Song" is the funniest thing I've heard in a long time, a "thank you" to every deity on the planet, as well as the singer's shoes, potted plants and bananas. This is clearly music for after a night out, not before or during. By the end of the 13 songs, I had difficulty looking back and sorting them out; none of them really stand out, since so many of them sound very similar. A bit more variety would have helped this album.