Kish Kash

by

Basement Jaxx

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Basement Jaxx is a duo I've always admired, but I never thought they totally deserved all the praise the press lavishes upon them. For sure, they released two really solid albums of jumpy, nervous disco featuring club anthems like "Romeo" and "Rendez-Vous." Are they pretty good? Yeah. But are they knock-me-out brilliant? Nah. However, the London duo's third outing, "Kish Kash," could be the disc that finally justifies the hype. I think it's their best album yet. This time around, the Jaxx rope in a slew of guest vocalists, and they all make great impressions on this disc. Like the songs on their predecessors "Rooty" and "Remedy," the grooves on "Kish Kash" bounce from edgy house to acid-dipped funk that recalls George Clinton and Prince. Meshell Ndegeocello makes two vocal appearances, the better of which is the sensual, clap-your-hands-together jam "Right Here's the Spot," while goth queen Siouxsie Sioux lends her vocals to the abrasive title track, a rush of punk energy Avril Lavinge and Pink would die for. JC Chasez of, ahem, NSYNC makes a near-unrecognizable appearance on the funky "Plug it In," while "Supersonic" (featuring Totlyn Jackson) is an out-there slab of electronica that also stands out. "Kish Kash" is, in my view, the duo's most consistent joint to date, and it easily eclipses their last two efforts. Grade: A-

Basement Jaxx are a London DJ duo and since their 1999 debut release "Remedy", their CDs have featured consistently edgy and deep house/club sonic nuggets. "Kish Kash" is no exception, but this time they take their cue from the likes of Prince -- which is never a bad thing, since Prince has always been an artist known to experiment with his sound. The Jaxx do the same on Kish Kash and they come up with some mixed results.

One thing that keeps the Jaxx sound fresh is their revolving door of guest vocalists, and this works perfectly to showcase each track as individual masterpieces. "Right Here's the Spot" is a funk thump of a number with Me'Shell Ndgeocello lending her basso voice. "Good Luck" is a disco number by way of punk thanks to Lisa Kekaula's gravelly growl. Kish Kash also features such varied artists as JC Chasez ("Plug it In"), Dizzee Rascal ("Lucky Star"), and Siouxsie Soux ("Cish Cash").

Kish Kash works fantastically for all these reasons and for its genre-defying sound, but it can also work to its detriment. I can acknowledge them for the successful effort, but unfortunately, it didn't grab me like their previously hypnotizing and infectious work like "Remedy". I guess I like songs that have a little more structure in their lyrics. If there's no order in the likes of a chorus, bridge, etc, then the soundscape has to be the hook. Unfortunately some of the album's tracks were too experimental for me to grab onto. I realize it's unfair to compare their latest efforts with past works, but because I'm familiar with and in love with their previous projects, I can only give Kish Kash 3 stars; but make no mistake it's a rock solid CD.