Jaxx rated live show

If hotpress knew Basement Jaxx well enough to have to buy them a present, we’d be in a right old quandary. What do you get for the band that has everything? For it seems the Jaxx – Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe – are entirely pleased with their lot at the moment. So much so that they don’t really have that much to talk about. It’s not they’re rude or anything, it’s just that they’re in that ‘in-between’ place – after the well-received ‘difficult second album’ and before thoughts turn seriously to the third album – the one where it goes all progressive rock. Or not.

“Well, the thing about the next album,” says Simon, the quieter of the two, “is that we’re thinking about doing a double album.” A double album? “Yeah, with one side,” says Simon, before Felix hops in with a “chilled, one side chilled, and then one side with full-on energy.”

The double album idea is really just a way of simplifying things for ourselves,” he concludes, “that was the only way we could work it out for ourselves. We were thinking about doing separate albums.” Simon deadpans, “Yeah, the ‘Orange’ album and the kind of ‘Violet’ album.”

“We got lots of different sides to what we do, so packing it onto a single album will be quite difficult,” muses Felix. Difficult but interesting.

Indeed, there are so many different sides to Basement Jaxx one wonders how they fitted them so effectively onto their first offering, 1999’s Remedy and last years day-glo soundclash, Rooty. In the off chance that someone reading this hasn’t actually heard either of the pair, hotpress will run through the usual associated phrases once more: punk, house, jagged, reggae, pop, unique, Latin, funky, mad, jazz, garage, r’n’b and Brixton. What’s missing? Opera. But they’ve been there too.

“We did one with opera samples three years ago for Remedy,” reveals Felix. “We probably should have put it out. We did like a fast jazz, 170bpm opera thing that was a bit noodly, but we should have put it out because, eventually, someone else will do it. And that’s happened before – someone else will beat you to it.”

Does Brixton really play such a big role in their music? “Well, yeah – the environment is a big influence,” says Simon. “It (the music) wouldn’t have the mix that it has if it wasn’t for Brixton.”

The best way to experience what the pair are trying to cram onto vinyl is to go and see their live show. It’s a riot – a mini-street party transported from Brazil to a field/shed near you. hotpress makes the comparison between the Daft Punk live show (circa 1997, kids) – two blokes, a bank of gear and enough raw energy to take your head off – and the fiesta that is the Jaxx. Opposite ends of the spectrum – but two of the most effective, emotive performances yer average dance fan has ever seen.

“It really grew out of people going on the mic in the clubs really,” says Simon. “It’s more people related than anything else. That’s how it evolved.”

How did they feel about making the shift from 12”/club act to stadium house act? “We were happy to make the move,” says Felix. “Definitely. When we were doing the Urban Haze EP (early Jaxx 12”), it seemed we had made almost a mini-LP there was so many different sounds in there. Even though it was made for DJs.

Does the fact that they’re signed to a major-of-sorts XL dictate what they do?

“No, they’re so cool,” enthuses Simon. “It’s funny, because they were like a fading rave label when we signed to them. They had the Prodigy, which was great, but that was about it. And now their roster is amazing – it what’s been happening in music in the last six months.

It seems pop and r’n’b fire the pair’s imaginations more than house these days. Aside from their well-documented love of Timbaland, The Neptunes et al, I mention the acoustic mix of the pop-tastic ‘Romeo’ – so far removed from the traditional Basement Jaxx sound - and the pair become animated.

“Yeah, yeah,” says Felix. Turning to Simon, he says: “Did I mention that? I went to a stag night in a pub, and they were playing that and it sounded so nice. It sounded so good, so simple, really moving – I was so proud.” Simon looks pleased. “What I like about that,” continues Felix, “is that we tried to do different things with it – almost do what a ‘normal’ band does with a song – and when we did a thing for BBC Radio 1, the kids voted that mix their favourite – which was really cool. But there’s not that much going in house on that interests us,” he continues. And Rooty certainly went somewhere house hadn’t been before.

“Yeah – but some people think we packed too much onto Rooty, that there were too many styles on one album compared to Remedy, considers Sam, “I think some people find Rooty a bit challenging for them – but I think that some of the greatest albums have been the ones that challenge you that little bit. I think good albums should do that.”