NEW YORK (Top40 Charts/ Plus One Music) - 'There's a good reason why the new record is called Scars,' says Felix Buxton. 'Making it has been a grueling process. When we finished recording, it felt like we'd come out of a boxing ring.' His bandmate
Simon Ratcliffe nods in agreement.
But, as they say, the grind only serves to sharpen, and Basement Jaxx are back with dance music with serious edge - the kind that has been lacking in a techno dance scene that became, for various reasons, dark and minimalist in the three years they were away. For their part, the band was a bit disillusioned with even their last effort, 2006's 'Crazy Itch Radio,' and their decision to tour with Robbie Williams at the end of the same year. 'It felt like we'd strayed too far into pop territory,' says Simon.
On the contrary, Basement Jaxx's fifth album is a return to the kind of form that saw them blow dance music apart in the late '90s/early '00s, with tracks such as Red Alert, Romeo and Where's Your Head At. Of their first single, 'Raindrops,' says Simon: 'The idea was to do something that felt familiar and make a track for clubs,' says Simon. It felt good. They revisited 'Feelings Gone,' something that Felix had written early on, and reworked it into a much more up-tempo version, featuring a soulful vocal from Black and Gold singer Sam Sparro. Basically, they stopped trying to fight who they were, realizing that big, up-tempo club music is what they're good at, not to mention what people want from them. 'Scars is very much back to the kind of thing we used to do,' says Felix. Simon agrees: 'It's something we haven't done for a long time.'
Personal trials contributed to this record, too. For a glimpse into Felix immediately after a relationship-ending fight that spilled out onto the street, take a listen to 'Saga.' While recording 'Twerk' with Yo Majesty, Simon was told his wife and daughter were taken ill and had to be admitted to the hospital. 'I told them what was happening and they grabbed my hand and we joined in a circle to pray,' he remembers. 'So we're standing there and they've got their Jack Daniels and their spliffs and we're saying prayers. It was surreal. That was the moment I think I realized having a child meant I had a whole new set of priorities.'
Beyond the extremely personal stories encoded in this music, 'Scars' features an impressive roll call of guest vocalists, including Philadelphia MC Santigold, burlesque dancer-turned-pop starlet Paloma Faith, aforementioned lesbian rappers Yo Majesty, Black And Gold singer Sam Sparro and the legendary Yoko Ono. The punch-the-air chorus and pulsing dance groove on lead single Raindrops is vintage Jaxx, Twerk is a rowdy house jam while Day Of The Sunflowers (We March On), featuring Felix's surreal lyrics voiced by Yoko Ono over a muscular bassline, is one of the most ambitious things Felix and Simon have ever done.
From the smash hit summer anthem of 'Raindrops' featuring Felix's twisted vocals, to the string-drenched, grime-esque title track 'Scars' and the gorgeous 'My Turn', which features Lightspeed Champion on vocals, Basement Jaxx deliver an album that outshines any dance act in the UK.
The tracklisting for 'Scars'
1. Scars ft. Kelis, Maleka & Chipmunk
2. Raindrops
3. She's No Good ft. Eli 'Paperboy' Reed
4. Saga ft. Santigold
5. Feelings Gone ft. Sam Sparro
6. My Turn ft. Lightspeed Champion
7. A Possibility ft. Amp Fiddler
8. Twerk ft. Yo Majesty
9. Day of The Sunflowers (We March On) ft. Yoko Ono
10. What's A Girl Gotta Do ? ft. Paloma Faith
11. Stay Close ft. Lisa Kekaula
12. D.I.S.tractionz ft. Jose Hendrix
13. Gimme Somethin' True ft. Jose James
