Try not to cringe at "Rendez-Vu," the opening track of Basement Jaxx's house magnum opus Remedy. Yes, that is a Spanish guitar behind those disco rhythms. No, there is no excuse for native English speakers singing "I've got you in my heart/I've got you in my head/Let's make a rendezvous," much less printing it on the sleeve. But don't cringe, because in a few listens, you're going to find yourself bopping along, doing your best vocoder voice. "Rendez-Vu" is irresistible, and it actually gets better with repeated listens.
Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliff have been given a great gift - the ability to translate the immediacy and uplift of "garage" (that's basically house music with vocals for you rock fans out there) for those of us who are usually repelled by the genre's cheesy stench. Some people are calling it punk garage, mutant disco, nu house ... whatever. Remedy is the first house LP to charm the DJ trainspotters and the girls in capri pants, and it's one of the best albums of 1999 in any genre.
Like "Rendez-Vu," first single "Red Alert" sounds like unforgiveable disco excess at first listen, only to reveal itself as delightfully funky, undeniably charming disco excess. It's got the best slap-bass breakdown of the year, hands-down. "Jump 'N' Shout" is even more lively, fusing ragga and house like only true Brixton boys could, and "Same Old Show" and "Bingo Bango" pile on the dancefloor dynamite until roof-removal becomes an inevitability.
A few well-executed soul grooves give the record pacing and continuity, but this album's spirit is straight from the dancefloor. The fact that it sounds so good on your walkman or your living room stereo is proof that Remedy is one of the finest house LPs ever recorded.
If you like Basement Jaxx, check out:
Cassius 1999
Faze Action Plans & Designs
Los Amigos Invisibles New Sound Of The Venezuelan Gozadera
Dubtribe Bryant Street
Daft Punk Homework
Various Artists Respect is Burning Vols. I and II
