Rooty
(XL Recordings)
One listen to Rooty and chances are you'll wonder what the hell's going on. But five or six plays later and you're hooked. Fun, funky and full-on, Brixton duo Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe create a carnival on disc.
Two years after their debut Remedy returned house music to its Chicago roots - packed with energy, vocals and tunes - Basement Jaxx's follow-up is aimed straight at the dance floor. There's no chill-out, lounge-friendly numbers here, as the pair put their foot to the floor for a ride which starts with the garage romp Romeo featuring Kele Le Roc.
It's clear Basement Jaxx, who built their careers making dance floor hits and remixing, haven't lost their knack for a catchy hook. Not all of the 13 tracks succeed, but at least half a dozen hit the spot. A desultory trumpet over a Latin groove gives Broken Dreams an instant appeal, while Get Me Off and Where's Your Head At show the duo's harder edge.
Do Your Thing is a bouncy track which gets you jumping more than dancing, with guest singer Elliot May singing: 'I don't need no TV, I don't need no news/All I need is a bumpin' beat to bump away my blues.' And that, in a nutshell, is exactly what Basement Jaxx provide.