WOMAD

Faithless

From United Kingdom

When Faithless released their first single, ‘Salva Mea’, in 1995, they raised the stakes for other dance music acts. Here was a song with a huge range – monster floor-storming section, atmospheric intro, ethereal vocals and sharp rap - all woven into one with a big, big production from the group’s founding member Rollo. It sounded like a song that could only work in the studio – but Faithless have been able to translate it to the stage, performing with acts as disparate as The Fugees and Tricky in 1996, and returning to the live arena this year with a new album, ‘Home’, on release (Cheeky Records).Rollo (who has remixed for Björk, U2 and M People) had been working with DJ Sister Bliss for some years when they crossed paths with Jamie Catto and then Maxi Jazz to make the nucleus of Faithless. Sister Bliss also plays sax, bass, piano and violin, while Maxi had worked with Jah Wobble and Galliano. They set about making dance music that drew on blues and hip-hop, folk, jazz and rap. ‘Angeline’, for example, with flute, piano and plucked strings, would be a sore thumb on any other dance album – but on Faithless’s debut ‘Reverence’ (1996) it sounds like a natural progression. ‘Insomnia’, with its conscious echoes of Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ in the intro, moves into a minimalist form of jazz dance. You need to be on your toes to keep up with this lot.The decision to play this music live was the obvious next step. Each member of the band had stage experience, and by bringing in a full-scale 10-piece outfit, including guitars, percussion and keyboards, Faithless came up with one of the most exciting shows in modern dance music – a show with soul, atmosphere and a rootsy vibe.‘Reverence’ was a worldwide success in 1996, and was followed last year by a set of remixes titled ‘Irreverence’, featuring new versions both by the band and big names such as Way Out West.