Basement Jaxx: Basement Jaxx back on the beats with tour, 'Scars'

Basement Jaxx, the British duo responsible for some of the most infectious dance floor anthems of the last decade, is following the release of its latest studio album with a series of rare North American DJ dates this fall, including tonight at the Congress Theater.
For "Scars," the group's fifth album, Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe enlisted Yoko Ono, Kelis, Santigold, blue eyed soul newcomers Sam Sparro and Eli "Paperboy" Reed, Amp Fiddler and Bellrays singer Lisa Kekaula, among others.
The album kicks off with an operatic intro before the title track's stuttering half time beats compete with the band's signature kitchen sink of noise. "Twerk" is an electro-laden floor-filler that riffs on "Maniac" from "Flashdance," anchored by a Yo Majesty rap. "She's No Good" turns Lightspeed Champion's vocal chant into a funkified call-and-response, while "Raindrops" gives Buxton's own vocals the Auto-Tune treatment. Ono lends her vocals to "Day of the Sunflowers (We March On)," while Santigold's ska-tinged track is called "Saga."
The group also recorded a second, still untitled set of "Pink Floyd-y, more ambient-y stuff," according to Buxton. "That's going to come out as probably a mini LP afterward, more for bathtime music."
Fans at tonight's show will see the band's massive, circus like show, which includes an ever evolving crew of 20 or so singers and dancers.

Basement Jaxx new music report

The “Christian Rock” pick in this week’s New Music Report (contributing editor Christian Hoard’s current fave) is Scars, the fifth album from British house duo Basement Jaxx. The group’s 2001 album Rooty featured the hit “Romeo,” which charted in the States thanks to its synthetic yet warm vibe, and Scars is their best album since then. All the tracks are all sung by guest vocalists including Santigold and Kelis, as well as smaller names like Paloma Faith, who takes the lead on “What’s a Girl Got to Do.” It’s a song that’s ready for an iPod commercial with its clipped disco groove, keyboard stabs and rejiggered New Orleans brass.
The beats on Scars are often stronger than the songs, but when Basement Jaxx get a hot beat and a hot tune together you get something magical: progressive pop. It is dance music that can venture into the cheesy — but it’s a good cheesy.