Ursula Rucker reflects on the idea of home in Soil

Bringing together a host of legends such as Chaka Khan, Andy Bey and Marvin Gaye collaborator Leon Ware, Dutch producer/composer Stephen Emmer’s latest project has a diverse guest list and a global focus.

War Child

Proceeds from the album, Home Ground, will benefit international charity War Child, whose work provides support for children who have been traumatised and displaced by violent conflict.

Soil featuring Ursula Rucker

The album’s standout track, “Soil,” features Philly spoken word heroine Ursula Rucker. Emmer lays down a delicate bed of music for Rucker’s resonant voice to explore. The track comes complete with jazzy piano chords, thematic strings and a skittering kick and snare pattern that suggests hip-hop. Stepping confidently into a powerful vocal performance, Rucker plays with the idea of home. Not just home as a physical space, but home as a feeling of safety, love, community and family. “What is home? Not just house or country or place home, home like heart home, soul home… We all just nomads, looking to be rooted in something….real.”

[The Key - John Morrison]

Listen to Home Ground on your favourite platform here

Or click here to buy the Home Ground album on CD