SCARS Basement Jaxx

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Basement Jaxx: Scars

Basement Jaxx's Scars arrives after a troubled gestational period, with the duo citing numerous changes, both personal and musical, as leaving them feeling 'a bit lost'. After four albums and with many of their contemporaries having faded from the public view somewhat, it seemed that the Brixton duo had reached something of an impasse. Having dabbled with a darker minimalist sound, it was as currently as the turn of the year that the duo decided to up the positivity, citing their hearing of Dizzee Rascal and Armand Van Helden's 'Bonkers' as a inspiration for this change.
Consequently, lead single 'Raindrops' was intentionally written in the mould of singles like 'Romeo' and 'Red Alert' etc. Perhaps naturally, it's no revelation musically, but it is undeniably great dance-pop; arriving on waves of fuzzy synths, subdued bass-heavy verses bursting into a typically catchy chorus that is at once glistening and pounding. Disappointingly it is the only track to feature the band's Felix Buxton on lead vocals, as he is easily the equal of many of the guest vocalists. Despite being heavily auto-tuned he provides one of the album's most sensual moments when he proclaims "Your moisture drips upon my lips just like a waterfall straight through the heart of me".
Follow-up single 'Feelings Gone' is a sumptuous up-tempo ballad dripping with sentimental string samples and a surprisingly affecting vocal from Sam Sparro. It's the first track in a trio of early-to-mid album tracks which demonstrate that Basement Jaxx didn't completely forsake the melancholic roots of Scars. 'My Turn' sounds almost like one of guest vocalist Lightspeed Champion's own, the marriage between taut distorted synth bass and his genteel acoustic picking sounding suprisingly natural. The beautiful 'A Possibility' features gossamer-delicate slide guitar that may fool you into thinking you are still listening to Lightspeed Champion, although vocalist Amp Fiddler utilises more soulful intonation while the languid pacing coupled with electronic tics recalls Sophtware Slump-era Grandaddy.
It's a typically expansive roll call of guest vocalists to match. The album opens with the Timbaland indebted title-track featuring Kelis, Meleka and Chipmunk. That's two vocalists too many, and the song lacks a focal point, but the emphatic low-end, crisp beats and irresistibly sweeping choral-synths win out in the end. 'Saga' is a successful experiment in crossing grimy synthetic breeds of dancehall and ska with Santigold sounding suitably embittered for a track which Buxton says he wrote quickly as an act of mid-separation catharsis. Of the lesser-known guest spots the decision to get Lisa Kekaula (of The Bellrays) to purr over Junior Boys-esque blocks of hazy synth and crisp frigid rhythms was particularly inspired.
Inevitably there are a number of less successful tracks. Paloma Faith's sassy vocal contribution on 'What's a Girl Got To Do?' feels forced and the cabaret music further makes Faith sound unfortunately like the fourth Puppini sister. 'D.I.S.Tractionz' boasts fantastic string/vibraphone interplay, but is let down by singer Jose Hendrix's lack of presence. The highest profile guest slot is undoubtedly Yoko Ono; the stridently simple beat, driving bass and aqueous synth washes make 'Day of the Sunflowers (We March On)' one of the musical highlights and Ono's chanting on the chorus is infectious. Unfortunately her nonsensical rantings about "20,000 fishes flying down from the sky" on the verse will make you cringe, whilst her simulation of orgasmic gasping near the song's climax (ahem) will simply make you shudder.
Scars' abundance of collaborators doesn't really allow Basement Jaxx to stamp their personality on the music, which is a shame, especially considering its fraught origins However, perhaps this is a little too much to expect from a duo who specialize in maximalist dance floor fillers and whose boundless energy and eclecticism is a form of catharsis in itself. If Basement Jaxx want to hide their scars behind such esily enjoyable and well constructed pop music, then long may they continue.

'Scars' Basement Jaxx, Album review

"Scars" (Ultra/XL), the fifth album from British production duo Simon Ratcliffe and Felix Buxton, again matches an array of guest vocalists with globe trotting electro beats. Emerging from the ‘90s U.K. rave scene and its futuristic take on Chicago house, the Jaxx began edging into pop district by showcasing distinctive vocalists on their 2002 landmark “Kish Kash.” Tying together hip hop, indie rock and all points in between, “Scars” continues in that vein. The duo gets the most out of some sassy newcomers (Yo Majesty, Santigold), and throws a bass rattling update of her classic “Walking on Thin Ice” at Yoko Ono, who warbles like only Ono can in a mesmerizing performance. But when the duo veers off the dancefloor and into more nuanced, low key district on tracks fronted by Lightspeed Champion, Amp Fiddler, Jose Hendrix, Jose James and the BellRays’ Lisa Kekaula, the lack of rhythmic punch derails the album. Perhaps Ratcliffe and Buxton are striving to prove they can do more than just throw a great party, but their songwriting is more persuasive when the beats are booming.

Basement Jaxx Scars

Some bands enjoy years of success, with all the canonical peaks and troughs; yet over time become disorientated with the original plot the rudimentary goal which drove them to their craft to begin with. Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe have been on a decade long journey which has awarded them ticks in all the desired boxes. But not until now have they felt the full effects from the long slog."There's a good reason why the new record is called Scars," said Felix in our recent interview. "Making it has been a grueling process. When we completed recording, it felt like we'd come out of a boxing ring". It translates. Scars is a meticulously well thought out record that reflects patience and a genuine scholastic approach to the genre; although not the record that they initially intended to write. "It's a very different record to the one we originally set out to make, it's changed a lot in the last six months." The original catalyst was a chance meet and great with Yoko Ono, which over the the weeks, evolved into a musical collaboration. That track 'Day of Sunflowers' sees a powerful stanza delivered by the shrieker of peace over a robust bass line - a stand out track on the album.The collaborations flow in a creative stream throughout the whole record. Eli Paper Boy Reed contributes driving '50s style vocals over the top of an addictive foot tapper. 'She's No Good'; a personal reflection piece for Buxton, touching on the subject of a relationship abroad and the lamentable ending to which it came. 'Saga' is topically similar with a beat that plays to guest Santigold's strengths. Yo Majesty, Paloma Faith and Sam Sparro make cameos elsewhere, the latter on most recent single 'Feeling's Gone'.

Initially concerned about the album taking a dark direction, Buxton and Ratcliffe strategically placed the no brainer 'Raindrops' into proceedings. "The idea was to do something that felt similar and make a track for clubs," said Simon. For anyone who was magnetised to the Basement Jaxx sound via previous floor filler 'Where's Your Head', 'Raindrops' follows suit. As dance music continues to evolve at a rapid rate, the mainstays are few and far between. Basement Jaxx continue to sample from the fountain of youth and remain at the forefront of popular music as a result.

Basement Jaxx and Hockey to Music Weekly

The dance duo talk about working with Yoko Ono, plus there's music from Portland noise poppers Hockey

This week, we kick off with chat from Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe, better known as dance duo Basement Jaxx. The boys return later this month with their fifth album, Scars, and Alex Needham spoke to them about get togethering with Yoko Ono, why Brixton is losing its edge and how they have managed to sustain a working relationship for 15 years.
Fast forward to Singles Club and Paul MacInnes is joined by Rosie Swash and Michael Hann to discuss the excellent in new music. There's dippy funk pop from the Phenomenal Handclap Band's 15 to 20, another slab of noise pop from LA duo No Age's single Losing Feeling, and Battles singer Tyondai Braxton offers a bonkers 10 minute solo constitution.
There's more chat with Portland's Hockey, the band behind summer smash* Too Fake. They're just about to release their first appearance album, Mind Chaos, and Rosie finds out their favourite live experiences, which include a flesh hanging party. Really.
Paul Lester signs off with Feature With No Name, in which he recalls the Swedish dream pop radical the Radio Dept.
So that's your lot. Tell us what you think of this week's show, guests and music, while we play you out with an exclusive version of Hockey's Song Away, performed live just for you.
*By "smash" we really mean, "You'll likely hear this and go 'Oh, I've heard this song before, didn't know it was by Hockey'".

Editors, Basement Jaxx: Fatboy Slim to launch Oxjam gigs

Editors, Basement Jaxx, Just Jack and Fatboy Slim are among the acts announced to launch this year's Oxjam month of music, arranger have announced.The acts will play gigs in a secret Oxfam shop in London with a 150-person capacity in aid of the charity this September and October.VV Brown and Tony Allen are also set to play gigs to start the Oxjam month of music. The gigs will help kick off thousands of other fundraising music events to take place across the country in aid of Oxfam.The 2009 Oxjam month of music will climax on October 25, with the Oxjam Takeover, which will see more than 2000 musicians fill over 150 venues in more than 20 cities to raise funds for Oxfam. As well as raising money for Oxfam, this year's campaign will be focusing on climate change, with gig goers being encouraged to sign up to Oxfam's blue faces campaign. By encouraging people to paint their faces blue, the campaign aims to get the government to take action on mood change before it's too late.The following acts are confirmed to play Oxjam gigs so far:

VV Brown, Just Jack (September 28)

Tony Allen, Nitin Sawhney, Shlomo (29)

Fatboy Slim, Basement Jaxx (DJ set), Stereo MCs (DJ set) (30)

Editors, Good Shoes (October 1)

Tickets for the shows go on sale this Friday (September 4) from 9am.To look what Oxjam events are happening near you, head to Oxfam.org.uk/oxjam.To check the availability of Oxjam tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.
Editors tickets:
Sep 06, 2009 12:00 at Myrtle Park, Bingley - Buy from Seetickets
Oct 19, 2009 19:00 at Colston Hall, Bristol - Buy from Seetickets
Oct 21, 2009 19:30 at Hammersmith Apollo, London - Buy from Seetickets
More Editors tickets
See Editors play at an O2 Venue. Remember if you're on O2 you can get antecedence Tickets to The O2 and O2 Academy venues up to 48 hours before they go on general release. Register at o2.co.uk/priority. Terms apply.