Ever since they released their breakout hit ‘Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That’ two years ago, Rubber Duc have been releasing music and working on their sound while recording music for their debut album. Now, the album has arrived and features hits such as ‘Are We There Yet?’ and ‘It’s Alright’.
‘The Secret Sunrise’ is a great debut record. Not only is the record multi-faceted but it shows so much of the group’s personality thanks to its quirky lyrics and sometimes unusual instrumentals. This is a proudly South African album. Sure, it’s a pop album with an international appeal, but there are so many different African elements sonically. Being a local band, the group would naturally be inspired by music that has shaped the country so it’s great that they’ve added this into their sound. Not only does it broaden the appeal locally, but it also shows that Rubber Duc have released an album that is a true representation of themselves and when an artist does that, the audience can instantly pick it up and the connection is much stronger.
The group is also a big fan of jazz music and has added many jazz elements to the songs on the record. The saxophone makes an appearance throughout the record and adds another dynamic to their music. The interesting thing here is that the group has done this while not interrupting the overall pop sound of the record – a smart move on their side.
Lead singer Nick Jordaan is a fantastic vocalist and puts his talent on full display on this record. His vocal performance and delivery has improved drastically since he released ‘Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That’ back in 2014. Rubber Duc have also worked hard on the songwriting process and have chosen 13 of the best tracks they’ve written over the past few years ensuring a strong debut album – something I wish many more artists would do. The songs are fun, catchy and easy to sing along to which will add an extra dynamic to their live shows as well.
Rubber Duc have strategically planned every aspect of this release and the preparation shows. There are plenty of single choices on the record and it’s easily one of the best pop records to come out of South Africa this year. This is definitely a record you should be adding to your holiday playlist this December.
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