With a CD cover like that, there's no excuse to not buy "Rooty"...

House has always appealed to me in small doses. This mainly British music form is a specifically formed “big beat” style of music – undertaking musical influences from funk, soul, hip-hop, R&b and numerous other styles of music. It’s fun, upbeat music that puts a smile on your face and gets you up on the dancefloor. And one of my favourite house artists has to be Basement Jaxx.

This British duo consisting of Simon Radcliffe and Felix Buxton hailing from Brixton in central London caused a storm in 1999 with their classic house album “Remedy”. Spawning several massive hit singles, this brilliant album was one of the best dance albums of the 90’s (check out my review). It also rocketed the boys from Brixton into superstardom, and after two years of globe-trotting the duo returned with their sophomore album “Rooty”.

First things first, this is an album crammed pack full of great songs. Scrap that, wonderful songs. Its primary aim is to get your head nodding, and Basement Jaxx know how to do this with an album with a wide spectrum of sounds that will appeal to all kinds of music fans. The ultimate highlight has to be the disco funk of “Jus One Kiss”. Beginning as a simple little funky number, the song evolves into a delightfully catchy song with an 80’s disco aura to it. Featuring a pulsating bassline and cheerful steel drums, the song bounces along without a care in the world. My personal favourite of the record, and a super smash single here in the UK.

Moving on from undiluted disco you get the blackexploitation soul of “Broken Dreams” with its sensual flute melodies and brassy horns. Female singer Sha adds some cool mysterious lyrics that remind me of 70’s style detective shows. Definitely one of my favourite tracks.

"Rooty" moves through at a swift pace, rarely meandering, and constantly switching the musical styles. “Romeo” features R&B diva Kele La Roc, and is a groovy and funky blast of a lead single. Featuring synthed up horn blasts and a funk-da-fied bassline, this leadoff single showcases the sheer audacity of Basement Jaxx in their unabashed sampling and impure style of house that melds almost seamlessly into a Pop-House hybrid.

If you’re into the NY house scene then the uncompromising “Where’s Your Head At” is the tune for you. Featuring Erick Morillo and Junior Sanchez in the background, and sampling Gary Numan, this track is an electronised rowdy club puncher. “Do Your Thing” is close to the most infectious tune on the album, with an fast, uptempo bassline pierced with carnival style sound effects, sirens, and screaming female vocals reminiscent of the duo’s past uber-hit “Red Alert”. The relaxed, feel good vibe of “All I Know” is delightful and feels very much like it belongs in the top 10.

And "Rooty" as a whole definitely shows the transition that Basement Jaxx has undergone since "Remedy". This is a much more flamboyant sophomore album, with the duo not drawing a line in their efforts to reach new kinds of house barriers. Funky, juiced up Prince-esque tracks are present and correct throughout, with “I Want U” a sizzling and saucy musical ode to Prince. The same goes for “Get Me Off”, a raucous cross between the driving basslines of hard house and seductive lyrical content of Prince.

This is a much closer album to mainstream pop than the duo’s previous effort, with this no-holds barred approach and giddily fun approach to music reigning supreme throughout. While “Rooty” can occasionally feel like it knows this too much, and hence the lyrical content of the album is restricted to the limited in depth vocals of selected (excellent) vocalists, the sheer quality and diversity of the production is something that few modern house, or music, albums can claim to have. The little touches are the best - the little cute sound effects, or vocal touches, or that cool sample - this is brilliantly produced. You hear something new everytime you listen to a song.

Overall, this may not be quite the classic many expected, because sometimes the sheer ambition of Basement Jaxx’s house-pop fusions don’t quite work, but the sheer buzz and vibe of the album’s varied sound is quite literally infectious. Definitely something to buy if you want cheering up. Plus, with an album cover like the above (check it out), can you find a reason why you shouldn’t investigate “Rooty”? I thought not…