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One of the best feelings in music is the late-night drive through the city. When the city lights reflect off of the steel roof of the car. Hair blowing in the summer night as the traffic lights line up perfectly leaves you with goosebumps. All this imagery couldn’t be captured without the perfect music and the perfect music comes in the form of Rubber. Nothing short of pure slow R&B while, among times, blending unique sounds of funk and hard-hitting drums. Rubber know-hows to create the perfect soundtrack to keep you driving until you hit the shore.
The Philadelphia-based duo of Andrew Looper and John Della Franco know their music. Tucked into the smallest of chords, you can hear the pop influences that tend to lurk in the background. Like many other bands in Philadelphia, Rubber draws from the city’s unique jazz scene that dominated during the mid-20th century. Their music brings you in close and showers you with memories of long-forgotten childlike innocence. Andrew’s voice carries you seamlessly until you forget the EP finished 3 minutes ago. In today’s music, the lack of storytelling and connectivity is very apparent. With the growth of social media and the fast pace of the internet, artists are moving farther away from full EPs or albums. Maybe 1 or 2 good songs, leaving the rest to fall to the wayside.
Rubber’s music stands out, from EP to the latest singles released. With the release of their first EP in 2019, Rubber Baby, the duo was quick to establish their sound while still leaving room for growth. Every single track fits perfectly into the next. Along with funk and R&B, soul plays a major part in their music as shown on their 2020 EP, Buggy Bumpers. At times, the project speeds up the tempo and transition into a more 80s funk-inspired track, and keeps the whole project grounded.
It seems Rubber shows no signs of easing off the pedal just yet. Back in January, Rubber released their 3rd EP, Left Out. The duo also released three singles, “Root Rot” the latest, as the Spring and Summer season approaches. With hot summer nights comes the need and hunger for cool soulful music to manage the heat. The right playlist sets the mood for the entire evening. With the recent rollout of new music, here’s to hoping Rubber has something special cooking.