Finally, we’ve got our hands on the 16 tracks that make up Back In The Dog House by the collective of Orin ‘Afronaught’ Walters, Paul ‘Seiji’ Dolby, Kaidi Tatham, Daz-I-Kue, Alex Phountzi, Cliff Scott, Mark G-Force, Matt Lord and Mikey Stirton, aka Bugz In The Attic.

Depending on who you believe, these are the best of an original short list of between 90 and 200 tracks! Which I don’t suppose is that many really looking at the amount of band members or that they’ve been together now for 10 years! But a quick recap, ‘Booty La La’ (with vocals by Bembé Segué and M’pho Skeef) was Worldwide’s track of the year two years ago and they’ve previously released the single ‘Move Aside’ and a limited sampler of ‘Sounds Like…’/’Once Twice’.

All four tracks a worthy of buying the album but what of the rest of it?

Strangely enough, for a group that’s been on the cutting edge of creating the West London/Broken Beat/Bruk sound, this is a somewhat return to your roots feel of Prince and the badddest of them all, Rick James. I’m not saying that’s bad, it’s just a little surprising.

So while I’d like to say, ‘Knocks Me Off My Feet’ will knock you off you’re feet it falls into this retro-funk bag with ‘I’m Gonna Letcha’. While ‘Consequences’ is like straight-mix of an eighties disco funk 12” and later on there is a cover of Yarbrough & Peoples’ ‘Don’t Stop The Music’. The old folks won’t know what’s hit them when I play this one out next week!

Michelle Escoffery adds his soulful voice to a particularly heavy bass on ‘No More’, which like ‘It Don’t Work Like That’ is an interesting combination of styles.

The spacey broken soul of ‘Once Twice’ is sounding very strong again and ‘Sounds Like…” is more of what we’ve come accustomed to in a Bugz release. Gilles managed to get ‘Sounds Like..’ on his Gilles Peterson Back In Brazil compilation so it’s already a big track.

Not so sure about the track ‘Redhanded’ but the album has a broken bugz flourish at the end with ‘Happy Days’ (vocals by Yolande), Inna Row, the ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’ styled ‘Worla Hurt’ (vocals Don Richardo) and the irresistible as ever ‘Booty La La’.

Even though there are a few Hectic gripes, it’s definitely a must have album, Booty La La all the way to the Dog House and try and make launch party next week at Neighbourhood.

Live Dates
11 July - Neighbourhood, London [Album Launch] 12 Acklam Road, W10, (Westbourne Park / Ladbroke Grove),
22 July - Lovebox, Victoria Park, London
30 July - Hi Fi Festival - Leeds
05 Aug - Big Chill, Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire www.bigchill.net
26 Aug - TDK Kings Cross Festival, London

Hectic Mix nomination - Inna Row / Don’t Stop The Music

Reviewed: Bugz In The Attic - Back In The Dog House (Nurture Music/V2 Recordings) Cat. No. NURT1036312P Release Date: 24th July
Tracklisting:
1. Intro (1:45)
2. Move Aside (3:02)
3. I’m Gonna Letcha (3:24)
4. No More (3:20)
5. Once Twice (3:25)
6. Redhanded (4:20)
7. Doghouse (Interlude) (1:30)
8. Knocks Me Off My Feet (4:04)
9. Consequences (4:00)
10. It Don’t Work Like That (4:13)
11. Sounds Like… (2:07)
12. Happy Days (4:04)
13. Don’t Stop The Music (5:04)
14. Inna Row (4:30)
15. Worla Hurt (4:46)
16. Booty La La (7:25)

Links
www.bugzintheattic.net
www.myspace.com/bugzintheattic
Gilles Peterson : Tracklisting Sunday 11 June : Bugz In The Attic & Detroit Electronic Music Festival Special
Bugz in The Attic - ‘Move Aside’ (V2/Nurture)
Bugz in The Attic - ‘Happy Dayz’ (Bugz Boot) (Fonz)
Bugz in The Attic - ‘Redhanded’ (V2/Nurture)
Gilles Peterson : Tracklisting : Sunday 18 June : Sonar
Bugz In The Attic - ‘Knocks Me Off My Feat’ (Nurture/V2)