Album Review: Faithless – The Dance
3 min read
Sister Bliss, Maxi-Jazz and back seat guru Rollo bring their invigorating and electro charged stylings back to the UK dance scene in the form of The Dance which sees its physical release through Tesco stores nationwide this week.
I’ve always wondered what that was about. First The Eagles and Woolworths then Paul McCartney and Starbucks and now Faithless and Tesco – not really collaborations you would expect but each to their own I guess.
The Dance is Faithless at their most commercial and pop provoked since the days of Reverence and is a record igniting the greats of UK club life back into the spotlight with 11 long playing tracks displaying catchy and creative radio-lovin’ gems (Not Going Home), diverse world numbers (the jamaican infused (Crazy Bal’Heads) and closing bonus track Scandalous) and synth filled Ibiza club hits (Sun To Me).
There are a lot of highlights on this record worth noting in particular where some impressive collaborations are involved.
Comin; Around with The Temper Traps Dougy Mandagi has got to be one of these. The haunting falsetto crescendos throughout the song make this a top track and one of the catchiest Faithless songs since big game players Insomnia and We Come 1. The Temper Trap frontmans vocals are a perfect combination and compliment to this track.
Not Going Home, which is the first single to be released from the album, is the big one for the record and the album contains a superior lengthy version to its radio release. Already a favourite on the club circuit this is the album stand out and true testament to the craft of Faithless.
Love is My Condition is a very whimsical track featuring vocals by rising star Mia Maestro.
Faithless family member Dido also features on 2 of the best tracks on this record and the songstress and sister of Faithless mastermind Rollo is in top form. The last time we heard Dido with Faithless was on the monster single One Step Too Far back in 2002. She lends her vocals to 2 tracks on The Dance – the energy fuelled club floor filler Feelin’ Good and the following mellow induced North Star.
Faithless are in top form here. Though the majority of the record is not quite as tight and epic as some of their earlier work they are still at the top of their game.
Maxi Jazz’s MC skills are as great as the day these guys first hit the scene and the production of their work is undated and deserving to be in the same league as dance scene heavyweights such as the Chemical Brothers and Underworld.
Lets just hope they decide to let the album branch outside of the Tesco grip and get the chance to live a broader and more accessible life that’s deserved.
Buy ‘Faithless – The Dance’ from Amazon
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