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This isn’t as spaced out as you’d think from the title. The planet is generally house but fans of their previous 12” releases will know, J*S*T*A*R*S are of their own world.

The opener ‘Ickey Plush’ was their first release along with ‘Tripping The Light Fantastic’. ‘Tripping’ got picked up for a Destination Lounge compilation but that’s certainly a strange big horn funky bounce electro lounge. It’s got a little of everything in it. The type of ‘odd’ that Rob Da Bank likes while the type I go for is the jazzy come flamenco electro pop of ‘Spanish Hustle’.

‘Is It Pepper?’ is more of a straight-forward Basement Jaxx vocoder style and duller for it. But there’s no let up as one track leads straight into the next and it’s followed by ‘Nyree’ (on a reggae tip), ‘Positronic’ (Jan Hammer?), ‘Spansules’ (funky-disco).

In fact, it’s not worth trying to put this lot in bags. They won’t let you. The last track was also on a 12” and was apparently used by the John Lewis Partnership in an advertising campaign. It’s the ‘Lilly Allen’ jazzy-umpah one, check their myspace site (see links below). I wonder if JLP knew it was called ‘Loose Nuke Threat’?

For a 12 track instrumental (mostly anyway) dance album, it’s impressive how the tracks keep your attention. The listener can sense the fun they had putting this together. Experimental electro with a dancefloor heritage, what Planet do you want to be on?

Hectic Mix nomination: ‘Spansules’, ‘Spanish Hustle’, ‘Loose Nuke Threat’

Links:
www.myspace.com/jstarsmusic
Blue Room : Saturday 8 July : Rob da Bank’s Saturday Morning Fever

Reviewed: J*S*T*A*R*S — Put Me On A Planet (Steel Tiger) Release date: 11.09.06
Tracklisting:
1 Ickey Plush (5:49)
2 That Hefty Track (3:35)
3 Tripping The Light Fantastic (5:23)
4 Spanish Hustle (6:40)
5 Is It Pepper? (4:43)
6 Nyree (4:25)
7 Postitronic (5:39)
8 Spansules (5:42)
9 Feberge Tang (4:18)
10 Cassidain Beast (4:14)
11 Blu Genes (3:51)
12 Loose Nuke Threat (4:45)