As an artist it’s hard to keep above the game and be seen as something original, refreshing. There’s the constant pressure of being labeled the ‘already done it band’. But some acts can surprise you when you listen to them.

Enter Flowriders. Amsterdam’s answer to music was always going to be something trippy and hypnotic, music that could be heavily influenced by a culture of chill-out and illicit substances. R.U.E.D.Y. offers just that.

Undoubtedly the funkiest thing you’ve heard in a long time. Flowriders’ brand of broken beat/hip hop/acoustic jazz/electronica is one of a kind; think Marvin Gaye crossed with Missy Elliot, and throw in a good measure of jazz legend Miles Davis and you start to hit the mark.

An album of highs and lows, this collection just doesn’t quit, instead showing just how crazy Flowriders are prepared to go. From the word go it’s a mash-up of confusing beats, with its catchy tunes reminiscent of early Motown, yet with the unpredictability of Jimi Hendrix, and the attitude of Missy Elliot to boot.

Twangy acoustic guitars, out of control beats, random piano and soulful lyrics make this album what it is. And that’s everything. Flowriders have taken so much that they know about music, about different types, and not limited themselves to doing just one thing.

Listening to the album is quite a surreal experience because you’re not sure how they’ve managed it all; one song can sound like a soulful ‘50s jazz tune, and in the next breath you’re listening to Craig David, who pops up as a collaborator on the album.

There are some brilliantly crafted songs here. I Think I Know sounds like a ‘50s blues track mixed with R N B styled vocals, whereas Roll On is an epic electronic soul crash of rhythm.

No track sticks to a steady structured beat, which is a good thing here. Instead, they change and twirl through each song like a carnival, keeping listeners on their musical toes instead of letting them slip into stride.

But, like everything original, R.U.E.D.Y has its bad points. Even though the music is imaginative with its variation, you cant help but feel like you’re listening to the same song twice, or even three times.

A number of tracks seem to have similar sounds and beats, just set to different speeds. After a while you can begin to switch off, and if it wasn’t for one or two exceptional high points on the album, it would be nigh-on impossible to keep listening.

Nonetheless, overall it’s a great album from Flowriders, whose strengths and avant-garde musical tastes and abilities show through here. A pure passion for not just one type of music, but many. Ingenious.