Dance music nomenclature can be a confusing business. Whether it’s drum n’ bass, electronica, jungle, house, techno or nü disco, the desired result is always the same – a sea of sweaty people flailing their limbs about, having a splendid time. Few acts are reaching this goal with as much consistency and creativity as London’s Basement Jaxx.
“If you buy a Prodigy album or a Moby album, you’re basically buying into one vibe, and you get roughly that kind of thing for 60 minutes,” beams Simon Ratcliffe, one half of the Jaxx juggernaut. “Basement Jaxx records tend to be all over the place.”
When picking up the duo’s third album Kish Kash, don’t expect to be channeled into any kind of conventional “vibe.” Ratcliffe and bandmate Felix Buxton make a living out of ignoring genre limitations and creating dance music full of musical diversity, emotional depth and rapier-sharp British wit. The duo’s self-labeled onslaught of “soul punk” suffices for mindless dancefloor flopping as well as introspective listening. Few artists possess such a versatile, elastic sound able to please the most oblivious raver as well as the snobbiest of the musical cognoscenti.
Kish Kash exhibits the universal appeal of Basement Jaxx more effectively than some of its earlier work, boasting one of the most eclectic mixes in the annals of feel-good music. The best example of this is the record’s opening cut – the astoundingly passionate “Good Luck.”
“’Good Luck’ went through many shapes and formations,” admits Ratcliffe. “It was quite hard to nail down. We had Lisa Kekaula from The Bellrays come over for a couple of days, and we wrote that song with her in the studio just jamming. We had this base that we thought was cool, but it sounded very traditional. It was a very laborious process.”
In keeping with the daredevil spirit of Basement Jaxx, “traditional” wasn’t going to cut it. So, Ratcliffe & Buxton took one of their most satisfying artistic leaps. After the smoke cleared, “Good Luck” possessed one of the most striking introductions of any song this year – a golden R&B string arrangement reminiscent of Isaac Hayes’ Hot Buttered Soul. The track slowly segues into a throbbing funk break, a backdrop for Kekaula’s fantastic voice.
“This song was a first for us; it was the first proper musical thing we’d ever done in a way,” said Ratcliffe. “Prior to [adding the strings], we were really coming to a dead end, wondering if the song was ever going to work. Having the strings on there renewed our enthusiasm.”
Adrenalized, adventurous and intense, Kish Kash is a seamless party. “Lucky Star” is a solid marriage of house and hip-hop, featuring underground MC Dizzee Rascal. Meshell Ndegeocello, a woman synonymous with contemporary soul, appears on two songs, the relentless Funkadelic jam “Right Here’s The Spot” and the emotive, 7-minute ballad, “Feels Like Home.” Closing out Kish Kash, “Home” is an unexpected treat, a gentle 4 a.m. chaser.
The use of interludes between songs has always been a favorite tool of Basement Jaxx. They figure prominently on Kish Kash, which contributes to the overall listening experience.
“Interludes are fun,” said Ratcliffe. “They can be like hip hop albums, and I always liked those, but they can go on for too long and they’re a bit self-indulgent, and they can become sort of assy.
“We use them because they make the album more of a story in a way – they make it more of a little dream world. We have always wanted our records to be something you could listen to from start to finish. Sometimes interludes can interject humor after something a bit intense. It can guide the mood, really, and lead you into the next track.”
When listened to from start to finish, Kish Kash is far from assy, and it never gets too heady. The tracks flow together with confidence and grace, which mustn’t have been an easy trick on an album packed with such explosive, bombastic material.
“As an album, as a whole it works better than anything we’ve ever done before,” gloats Ratcliffe, with the demeanor of a proud parent.
Whether or not you agree – we’re not sure this deserves more praise than “Where’s Your Head At?” – the duo’s created another worthwhile collection full of tragedy and heartbreak, mystery and melodrama. Cheers to another album for those nights when you can’t stop smiling, when you drink too much and attack the dancefloor like a stumbling antelope. Let’s just call it Jaxx-ercise.