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Basement Jaxx - Scars

Album Reviews

The kind of feelgood party you will enjoy enough at the time but probably struggle to remember.

XL Recordings, 21st September 2009 / By Becky Ross
Basement Jaxx - Scars Basement Jaxx’s latest doesn’t exactly ignite the party from the word go, which is what you might rightfully demand from a band who’ve brought us some of the bounciest, good time dance music of the past decade or so. In fact opening (and album title) track ‘Scars’ is a moody mooch of a song, like the type of party guest who would slouch in the corner munching Twiglets all night and ignoring everyone instead of the ludicrous party monster we’ve come to expect from the Jaxx. However, the worry that this most upbeat and bubbly of electronic bands has turned introspective thankfully doesn’t continue longer than you can say ‘pass the glowstick, chuck’.

Whilst there’s nothing which will happily knock you out such as previous instant floor-fillers ‘Do Your Thing’ or ‘Where’s Your Head At’, things perk up with ‘Raindrops’ - a big goofy puppy of a track, lolling around with its tongue hanging out, chasing its own tail endlessly. It’s a thrilling poptastic dance track, job done, just what you want to put on your stereo on a dull Autumn afternoon. ‘She’s No Good’ swings along like an old jazz classic spiked up with a jolt of acid; uber cool chanteuse Santigold adds her sultry vocals to ‘Saga’, while Sam Sparro crops up to do his groovy guest vocal stuff on ‘Feeling’s Gone’ which is a helium balloon of a pop gem, spiralling ever skywards, powered solely by its self-generated euphoria. Elsewhere thing’s aren’t always glittery pop perfection, though – Lightspeed Champion’s contribution ‘My Turn’ seems to wander up an endless path in a fruitless search for any kind of hook; ‘A Possibility’ (featuring Amp Fiddler) is very much a groggy hangover of a track, the soundtrack to that inevitable queasy feeling morning after the night before.

All told, ‘Scars’ is like the kind of feelgood party you will enjoy enough at the time but probably struggle to remember anything about the next morning. Rating: 6/10

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