October 23, 1999

Basement Jaxx : Jump n' shout

These are champion athletics from the [B]Jaxx[/B]; they say: jump. You can only say: how high?

Big beat is dead. It is! Even Norman Cook's weary of having
'it' largely, apparently. Oh, go on, just wring its lager-swollen neck quickly, then, and please spare us the wacky sound effects. The silly season's over now: the nice Spanish people in Ibiza have crept out from their idiot-proofed cellars to the welcome sound of a balmy southwesterly blowing through deserted streets, and dance saviours Basement Jaxx have an important instructional message for you: jump, and shout.

If you've got the Jaxx's life-changing 'Remedy' LP, you'll recognise this as the third inter-dancehall volley from its ranks. But there's two new tracks here too, holding cries of album-milking sharp practice at bay. 'La Foto' has Dimitri From Paris going all Gainsbourg over some fab dub garage rhythms, and 'I Beg U' consists of some splendid Latino house shape-throwing. They're pure quality, but they are small beer compared to the star attraction. A snake charmer's pipe adds some sinuous hip motion to this sprung-heeled, ragga pogo-inducer. These are champion athletics from the Jaxx; they say: jump. You can only say: how high?

Kitty Empire