Rubies Explode From the Center

• Words: August Howard
• Label: Telle
• XLR8R Rating: 7/10

After logging nearly seven years together in Bay Area ensemble Call and Response, Rubies’ Simone Rubi and Terri Lowenthal have a solid pop pedigree. While the breezy funk and ’70s vocal harmonies of songs like “Room Without a Key” and “Too Bright” sound like Call and Response, Part 2, the duo truly shines when they veer onto the dancefloor. “I Feel Electric” is a catchy slice of electro-disco that initially made the rounds as a single on the Italians Do It Better label. Although nothing else on Explode From the Center approaches that level of danceability, tracks like “Stand in a Line” and “Diamonds on Fire” are certainly strong enough to soundtrack a dance party in your bedroom.