Faithless - No Roots

After a decade as one of the world's most successful dance acts, Faithless's distinct sound has put them at risk of becoming dinosaurs. Thankfully No Roots doesn't rest on the laurels of former glory and delivers something quite special. Sister Bliss's shrill, semi-hard-house synth stabs are all but gone, replaced by less dated sounds and more thoughtful use of them. Tempos are lower and song structure plays a more valuable part, for No Roots is in fact only two gigantic, epic songs, with each track a progression on the previous one and clever segues leading into the next. The only song that doesn't fall into "Parts 1 & 2" is the lead single version of "Mass Destruction" tacked on the end; it's a funky, breaks-based tune with Maxi Jazz's trademark vocal (used sparingly throughout the album) over live bass and guitars.

Anyone who's seen Faithless live knows how they can jam around their back catalog, making medleys and breakdowns of epic proportions: No Roots is a studio realization of that. Highlighted by "I Want More," downbeat tunes build until their climax when an uptempo number will kick in. "Sweep" is simply a 909 drum and percussion loop with synth flourishes that drops into "Miss U Less, See U More," a classic house tune that closes part one of the album. Something other than a collection of hands-in-the-air floor-fillers and downbeat songs to chill out to, No Roots should be listened to in its entirety. It's a cohesive body of work that builds and dips in all the right places. --David Trueman Amazon.com

 Mixing up the old with a bit of the fresh
Faithless fans rejoice, here's a release that won't simply rehash the same tired old synth beats...this one's got a dash of funk and jazz and light hip hop mixed in with that comforting, reliable staple of dance sensibility we've all come to expect from these folks. Although they're old, they're not dead--not at least on this release. It's a good, solid pop release with great, upbeat lyrics that will keep you hummin all day. January 3, 2007

 Better Then You Could Expect
For those who thinks that Faithless always makes the same thing, "No Roots" is actually not like other Faithless albums, for good and bad. It's a more direct album with more dance vibes but still less Club songs for the hit charts with catchy beats and hooks. The sound of this album uses less synthesizers and more modern house/club music with a flavour of modern soul and funk, new member LSK also adds some reggae to it. Each of the songs also segues into each other, which makes you unaware of when the songs starts and ends. This album didn't really get much attention by the media and few songs made the hit charts, but it's one of their most fascinating albums with deep thoughtful lyrics and as a concept it works all the way. Which may also be the problematic part. Only "Mass Destruction", "I Want More Part 2" and "Miss You Less, See You More" stands out on their own and most of the other songs are just part of the concept without getting much attention by themselves. "No Roots" is much better then the disssapointing mess of "Outrospective" but it takes time to grow on you and it's only for the most committed fans. If You're new to the band, start with "Reverence", if you're an old fan, you may like this one aswell. September 10, 2006

 Hypnotic and Soul Cleansing
"More oneness, less categories,
Open hearts, no strategies.
Decisions based upon faith and not fear.
People who live right now and right here.
I want the wisdom that wise men revere."
~I Want More - Part 2

No Roots is filled with lyrics rooted in truth and "I Want More - Part 2" is especially meaningful in that regard. While Sweep knocks you off your feet and leaves you a little dazed, Miss U Less, See U More is surprisingly refreshing. "How could I continue to be the sky without my earth." So romantic...

Filled with social commentary and stories, this music is beautiful and meaningful. The wisdom reaches the heart of the matter and is very palatable in a variety of musical styles.

"You will always be a friend to me
My love persists over land and sea, through centuries"
~No Roots

No Roots slips and slides in musical waves that branch out into wide-open spaces of sound and becomes hypnotizing. You are not sure where one song ends and one begins as the song morphs into "Swingers" as the energy increases and the pace grows ever more rapid. Truly quite fascinating but very intense leading you into a dreamy "Pastoral." You can hardly believe the same band is producing such a variety of moods and musical places. One minute they are rapping, the next floating in dreamy soundscapes of ultimate piano perfection and then delving into club moods. This album is a much more intense album than Outrospective but has some interesting lyrics I enjoyed.

~The Rebecca Review
July 13, 2006

 Outstanding!
I consider this the best Faithless album, building with symphonic intensity from song to song and highlighting Maxi's literate, INTERESTING soft rap. I am about to check a box certifying to Amazon that "I am over the age of 13" but don't mind sharing with readers the fact that I am over the age of 57 and still recommending this electronic rock album with enthusiasm. This group is very difficult to classify over it's four CDs and multitudinous remixes - and the playing times of its songs preclude any significant radio exposure - so Faithless isn't easy to "come to" through commercial channels. But if you are here, reading listener comments, thank fate and buy the CD. December 24, 2005

 excellent album
Definitely a different album from Faithless, but great nevertheless.

Although some may think it's too politically involved, however art has always been a form of communication, emotional or political.

I can confidently say that all songs in the album are good songs, and certainly some (No Roots, I Want More: Part 1, Miss U Less See U More, Pastoral, ... and my favorite In the End) stand out. I love the album and listen to it without getting bored everytime.

I highly recommend it, and as a final note, I must say that this album is a whole. It has a completely different feel to it when you listen to it from Track 1 to the very end. June 16, 2005

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