Kish Kash - Basement Jaxx

Nobody knows how much I was waiting for "Kish Kash" - Basement Jaxx's new album to be released. Their last offering "Rooty" lived in my CD player for months without being removed! And don't even get me started on "Remedy". Basement Jaxx are one of my favourite bands ever (after Coldplay of course!). I love their music because everything is always different, they will never release a song that sounds similar to the last. ...
...usually get different singers to feature on their tracks but one half of the Jaxx; Felix also provides the vocals on a lot of their tracks.

Ever since "Remedy", Basement Jaxx have managed to stay fresh and original with every release, which is pretty hard to do, but instead of sticking with the same house element which can get tiresome, they incorporate different kinds of music into their funky songs, such as reggae, pop, ... more

Nobody knows how much I was waiting for "Kish Kash" - Basement Jaxx's new album to be released. Their last offering "Rooty" lived in my CD player for months without being removed! And don't even get me started on "Remedy". Basement Jaxx are one of my favourite bands ever (after Coldplay of course!). I love their music because everything is always different, they will never release a song that sounds similar to the last. Simon Ratcliffe and Felix Buxton make up Basement Jaxx. They usually get different singers to feature on their tracks but one half of the Jaxx; Felix also provides the vocals on a lot of their tracks.

Ever since "Remedy", Basement Jaxx have managed to stay fresh and original with every release, which is pretty hard to do, but instead of sticking with the same house element which can get tiresome, they incorporate different kinds of music into their funky songs, such as reggae, pop, garage and punk, and this is why I think they're so successful, not sticking to the same formula. I also think their music has a sort of camp quality, which makes it so fun.

If you have read reviews for this album you've probably noticed people are very half and half on it. I bought this album without looking at the reviews and I'm glad I didn't read them. I personally think people were expecting quirky tunes like "Do your thing" and "Bingo Bango" but has nobody heard of progression? Or experimenting? If they had come out with an album similar to "Rooty" and "Remedy" I would have had a lot less respect for them but thankfully they've gone out and tried something different. The album is a collection of very memorable but different tracks. The album consists of 11 songs and 3 interludes.

The album opens with the second single off the album. "GOOD LUCK" is most definitely a stand out track with a cool beat gelling brilliantly with Lisa Kekaulas gravely voice. This song draws its influences from so many different types of music, from motown, rock to disco. The verse is quite slow and highlights what a great voice Kekaula has, but as soon as the chorus starts it's much more dance influenced. To fully appreciate what a great track this is, it should most definitely be blasted just so you can hear the brilliant tune, beats and the great voice of Lisa Kekaula.

The next track "RIGHT HERE'S THE SPOT" features Meshell Adegeocello. This song is a mix of distorted vocals and weird sound effects but rather than it turning into a clashing mess, it actually works well. You will need to listen to it a few times before you get into it though. I like the way this song has been funk influenced while still having that dance element. Adegeocello's vocals are very impressive and suit the style of the song perfectly. I would recommend this track to people who like their dance songs quite funky, it's not really very Basement Jaxx but they still make it work brilliantly.

The next track was one I loved the first time I heard it! "LUCKY STAR" is a cool garage song with an Eastern melody. The track features Mercury music prize winner Dizzee Rascal. If you're into the Bollywood flavour that has taken the music world by storm then you will absolutely love this song. The chorus is a melodic tune whilst the verses are much more aggressive with Dizzee Rascal rapping in his usual style. I love everything about this song, as it's a new twist on the Eastern influence going through the music industry. I like the way Dizzee Rascal brings a funky element to the song but at the same time his vocals do not clash at all with the tune, which happens a lot with songs like these. Definitely one of the stand out tracks in my opinion

"SUPERSONIC" is exactly what you would expect a song to sound like with a title like that. It's a mixture of dance and funk, with some crazy sounding beats thrown in. This track has a fusion of sounds meshed together, and if it wasn't done properly this could easily turn into a mess but it manages to work. Instruments that are present in this track range from a harmonica to an electric guitar. I wasn't too fond of this song to begin with but the more I listened to it, the more I loved it. Totlyn Jackson's over the top vocals suit the song perfectly, although I don't think she's on the track enough.

Now we have a cameo from a member of N'Sync. No not Justin, the other one, JC Chasez. Don't let the fact that he's in a boy band but you off because this song is plain brilliant and definitely one of my favourites. "PLUG IT IN" is produced in a similar way to those dance anthems Basement Jaxx are so well known for, although it has impressive vocals and still manages to be original. I haven't really heard much of JC Chasez's voice but I have to say I was impressed. This song is a feisty dance floor creation which I can imagine hitting the clubs very soon. I like the way JC has a kind of deep voice, which goes very well with the dance element of the song. The song doesn't have a loud, dance tone throughout the song but definitely becomes louder when the chorus drops. This was one of those songs that I instantly liked due to its catchy chorus.

Next up is a slightly more chill out song. "IF I EVER RECOVER" features Felix on vocals. This song to me sounds very 80's inspired. The song isn't a mix of lots of different sounds mashed together but kept very simple which strays it away from the usual dance music style. It is produced in a chill out style and the tune does make for some very easy listening. One thing I like about this song is that behind the signature dance beats there's a tune made up of violins, which adds a different spin to the song, it adds a much softer tone.

Now we come to one of my favourites on the album "CISH CASH". It's a fast song with a very energised sound. This song is a different kind of collaboration of punk meets electronica. It features Siouxsie Sioux who does bring a punky element to the song, which just goes to show Basement Jaxx are being different with this release. Her voice is very distinct and quite contrasting to the other singers featured on this release. The punk sound goes well with the repetitive tune and dance music element but also creates something new and brilliant. If someone else had sang this song I don't think it would have had such an edge, that's what makes it stand out, Siouxsie Sioux's definite punky style.

The next song is like to be labelled a chill out song. "TONIGHT" features Phoebe who has a very distinct, gravely voice which goes well with the dreamy nature of the song. This song stood out to me because of the slow tone of this song, it has a hazy, dreamy quality about it but what makes it different to other chill out songs is Phoebe's voice, which in a way clashes with the style of the song but it still manages to work perfectly. The song is a mixture of strumming guitars and violins at the beginning but the tone does pick slightly toward the end. This song is quite simple compared to a lot of the other tracks, which is why I think it was misplaced, because from this we go to a rather upbeat track.

"HOT 'N' COLD" is one of my favourite songs as not only do you get to hear Felix on vocals but you also get to hear a brilliant singer called Emily Oldfield who has an absolutely kick ass voice. The first half of this song is the very feminine sounding Felix, but the second half is Emily singing and I have to say I think she has a brilliant voice. This song is quite reminiscent to all those fun dance songs found on "Rooty". This song is a mix of dance and funk with some very cool beats and a repetitive but memorable tune playing in the background. Though this song is dance inspired it isn't very fast but still a great track!

The guitar driven song "LIVING ROOM" didn't strike me as a Basement Jaxx song but I was very impressed. It sounds like something you'd expect to hear on album by an alternative band, most definitely not a band most related to house music. I was also impressed by Felix who managed to sound very different, as I figured the singer on this track was some American alternative singer. This song would appeal to people who prefer guitar driven alternative music, if you're into what Basement Jaxx are so well known for and that's house music, I don't think this song would appeal.

The album finishes off with the very chilled out and hazy "FEELS LIKE HOME" which also features Meshell Adegeocello. This song has to be the most simple and least produced song on the whole album. It's a quiet song, which is different to anything else on the album. The vocals are kept to a minimum while the signature Basement Jaxx beats are in short supply, but that's a good thing as it separate this song from the rest. I think this song was very appropriate to finish the album with because it's nothing like the other tracks and because it's more likely to be labelled a chill out song it leaves the listener feeling quite tranquil. I also like the way that they finished the album with a song that could not be more different to all their other songs, just proves they can create different types of music.

I can only praise Basement Jaxx for trying something new. Some may complain there aren't as many memorable pop anthems that "Remedy" and "Rooty" had such as "Romeo" and "Where's your head at?". "Kish Kash" is definitely not on the same wavelength as their previous releases, but if you listen to it this album, you'll realise it isn't just a collection of anthems but a collection of songs to suit different moods. There are a few tracks on this album that will satisfy any dance music lover. There are several different influences, which makes this album stand out from the run of the mill dance tracks out there. Though this album features quite a few collaborations I'm glad to say Basement Jaxx haven't changed their style. I've had this album for months now and I still love it. It's still my most played CD.

Those of you who aren't into house music don't panic. This album isn't strictly for house music lovers. This isn't just a mish mash of noise, but it has some very cool tracks, which definitely don't sound the same. Most people who aren't into house expect a song to be made up of the same beat repeated with one line being sang over and over, well this isn't that, trust me! Having said that though, this album won't be what house music lovers would expect, I think you'd need to appreciate different types of music to like this album.

Overall I thought this album was fantastic with some absolutely brilliant tracks. In my opinion "Rooty" was an instantly likeable album, but "Kish Kash" was a grower, that's not a bad thing as the more I listened to it the more I loved it. I guess I was expecting that signature fun Jaxx sound I was so familiar with but instead I was met with something very different. There is such a wide variety of different songs on the album there is bound to be one track that will appeal to you. I recommend this to people who love Basement Jaxx but please do not expect this album to be a collection of songs with a repetitive tune and one chorus, because it really isn't! I guess I should really stop labelling this album as house anymore as they are so far past house music, they should call it something else.

"Kish Kash" is available to purchase from www.cd-wow.com priced £8.99

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