House, R&B, Soul & Rap > UK House House, R&B, Soul & Rap > 5 GBP to 10 GBP

Advantages: Original, intelligent, different to most other predictable, cheesy dance music thatis around at the moment.
Disadvantages: One track: Bingo Bango. Let's the side down a bit.

So. I'm white dot bloke am I? What kind of stupid system is this? I'm not impressed with Ciao at the moment, what with crappy pay systems, derogatory community ratings, etc. but I was bored, so I decided to put another opinion on the site. So I looked through my music collection. Because my music collection rules. Apart from my Limp Bizkit CD, but the less I say about that, the better. But sifting through my albums, some of which are scattered across ...
...And remembering how much I liked it last time I listened to it, I put it on. And somehow, after about a year of not listening to it, it sounds even better than it did before. Perhaps this is a result of the sad state the music industry is in today, which has forced me to lower my standards musically. But one thing that is for sure is that this album is a classic. Everyone should own this. And if you don't own it, why not? The Basement Jaxx boys, ... Read review

Advantages: some great tracks, totally original style
Disadvantages: sounds better in a club than on the CD player

A munching gorilla set against a background of stars and vivid pink isn't a look that too many music stars would go for on the front of their albums. However, Brixton's Basement Jaxx aren't your orthodox band. Known to their mothers as Simon Ratcliffe and Simon Buxton, they have been producing music together for almost a decade, although it was only with 1999's 'Remedy' that they fully hit the big time. Whilst Ibiza anthems like 'Red Alert' and 'Rendezvous' ...
...the height of its powers, 'Rooty' was released during a period when only trance seemed to be making an impact on the charts. Unfortunately, due the public's wish to by songs featuring anonymous blonde women singing cliched lyrics over a dull and recycled tune, 'Rooty' wasn't as big a success as it should have been. However, it remains one of the better dance albums to be released this decade. The album begins with 'Romeo', which was the first song ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent songs
Disadvantages: Not full versions

This is an excellent CD, as you would expect from such dance music pioneers as Basement Jaxx. All the biggest hits are here from 'Romeo' through 'Good Luck' to 'Do Your Thing'. The sheer variation in tracks is excellent, and there is no doubt that it is the distinctive sound of Basement Jaxx. There are literally no bad songs on this CD. My personal favourite is the dark and funky 'Rendez-Vu', whereas the weakest link is possibly 'Jump N Shout' or ...
...the songs that even the weakest songs are still good. The only downside is that sometimes the radio edits are the versions used in an effort to cram as many songs as possible onto the CD. In summary, it is a collection of the biggest hits from a seminal pioneering band. ... Read review

Advantages: A couple of good tracks
Disadvantages: Repetitive beats

...from them. The albino toaster, King Yellowman, from Jamaica gives some Dancehall influence on this Dub-style tune, but it really doesn't work for me at all. **One Star** 6. "Can You Rock It Like This" Going from one poor tune to another, after failing at Regae, Run-D.M.C. return to some Rock here and you have them come with the type of stuff which you know them for as DJ Run and D.M.C. alternate turns in MCing, and they complements each others ...
...you have few positives in it. **One Star** 7. "You're Blind" Although I have complained about their repetitiveness through this, and their past material, here I foudn that it seemed to be rather effective in this one. The beat for this one showed a different side to the group as they come for something rather stern and tough from them, and out-of-character. I felt that it really worked for them as the content of the raps was focussed upon some ... Read review

Advantages: Strong beats
Disadvantages: Lyrics aren't the best

"Hoodstar" came out in 2006, and is the third release from the St. Louis, Missouri rapper, Chingy. Up to this point in his career, Chingy had done very little but come with strong club tunes, and here he goes for nearly a full release with tunes directed specifically for this purpose. 1. "Intro" 2. "Hands Up" In order to get into the feel of the album from the very start, here you have some hard beats from Poli Paul, who provide the rapper with ...
...of this release. This one is one to get you loose and ready for what is about to come in the record. **Four Stars** 3. "Club Gettin' Crowded" Here a big club tune to get you moving and it has Chingaling performing with the Dirty South veterans, Three 6 Mafia, in a track which has them attempt to get Chingy's gangsta status up. I liked it, however it tended to lose its energy at certain points during it, these inconsistancies lose the power of the ... Read review