Basement Jaxx 'Scars' album

Basement Jaxx's fifth album, Scars, 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." Now, Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe are back to dance music with serious edge - the kind that has been lacking in the techno dance scene that became, for various reasons, dark and minimalist in the three years they were away.

Of their first single, "Raindrops," Simon says, "the idea was to do something that felt familiar and make a track for clubs." 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. Personal trials contributed to this record, too. For a glimpse into Felix's life 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...it was surreal."

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. From the string-drenched, grime-esque title track to the gorgeous "My Turn," which features Lightspeed Champion on vocals, Basement Jaxx deliver an album that outshines any dance act in the UK.

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Basement Jaxx - Scars