Basement Jaxx "Crazy Itch Radio" (XL)
By
Thursday. Sep 21, 12:19 AM
Dancing shoes and a bucketload of sugar.

On their fourth full length (not counting the compilation The Singles), the UK house duo known as Basement Jaxx develops a wide range of dance beats that’s well-wrapped in plenty of pop gloss and more sugar than a diabetic can take in 10 full years. With the help of Martina Bang (I know: who?) and Swedish dance pop singer Robyn, Crazy Itch Radio is one of those records so full of hooks and charms, it screams to be played at 11 in capacity filled soccer stadiums. Perhaps much of its charm resides in its shifting moods and hectic curves: after all, dance music can only serve one purpose. But for those already familiar with the past work of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe, matters like this are nothing new.

The first real track and first single of the record, “Hush Boy,” is by no means the most intoxicating cut here, plus with so many breaks in the melodies it sort of interrupts the flow of those out there purely to shake some ass. The first two seconds of what is perhaps the best track, “Take Me Back to Your House,” recalls the opening synth note of Flashdance’s “What a Feeling.” However, it quickly delves into purely Christina / Britney pop mastery with some tranquil banjo peppered evenly throughout. Gladly, the disturbing Deliverance memories this might elicit are short-lived.

Another standout track is “Hey U,” which opens with some (presumably) fake winds, a drumbeat that bounces like authentic Rio Samba, a Latin flavored chorus, and a spoonful of tango for decadent variation. The middle part before the breakdown brings to mind French masters of the eclectic, Mano Negra, with its world obsessed excesses. The paced is slowed and the lights are dimmed for the “Hit the Road Jack” reminiscent “On the Train,” this time with manly vocals. It has a simplistic jazzy backbone and warm keys, and the untimely manner with which this record is being released could bring undeserved comparisons to… what’s their face? Oh yeah, Gnarls Barkley. “Run for Cover” doesn’t run the same luck, as it is so cheery in its vocals that it recalls two of the most annoying tracks of the last two years: not sure what they’re called, but one was a single by Gavin Rossdale’s wife and the other is the fresh new FM radio deity by that White chick in that Black hip hop band.

Dance music that is so loaded with sound and not only relies on beats but on tons of layering is natural. However, judging Crazy Itch Radio by the guest vocalists kinda takes the band back to the background level. Obviously that was a conscious decision, as Basement Jaxx have never shied away from taking the back seat. Needless to say, some of this stuff could fit perfectly on a Britney Spears record: as a matter of fact, on several occasions, one of the guest vocalists (not sure if Bang or Robyn) clearly resembles Mrs. Federline’s pitch (albeit without the nasal factor). Crazy Itch Radio has more than its share of fillers, in fact many of the songs on the second half suck ass, but oh well, this is brainy stuff for mindless people anyway.
www.basementjaxx.co.uk
www.xlrecordings.com

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Hansel Merchor

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