At the beginning of 2004 I received a single sampler by The Loose Cannons that stirred the rather becalmed waters of dance music. You know what they say, ‘If it ain’t broke… but if it is - create’ Two Brits (Kaiser Saucy and Lord Fader) have gone out and created something different, diverse and highly entertaining.

Opener, Entry, is by way of a highly funked-up talking intro to the participating instruments/musicians, which is amusing while providing a hint of what’s to come. This is followed by I Like It When Ya…, an upbeat song which cleverly mixes pop with R&B. Strong brass passages, wicked beats, strong melody, and some sultry female vocals complete a package that could so easily become a charting single. Superbly seductive female vocals and another set of razor-sharp beats dominate Nu Beautiful. This is the sort of song that Prince should be recording now, and with its strong melody could be another chart single. Superstars takes the band into even more interesting territory with its superb choruses, strong melody and cunning samples. Want something to dance to and listen to? This is another great example of an album track that you could play in your car, in your lounge or to get really intimate with your partner on the dance floor.

There are many highlights on this album but the one that gets my vote is the highly innovative and atmospheric Got It All (Wrong) with its mountainous melody, jaunty vibe, percussive invention, fabulous samples, and piercing vocals. This could well become a dance floor classic. Then just to spice things up a bit, there’s the mellow and downbeat lounge vibe of the quite beautiful n44, and the brooding, jazzy ambience of s.o.h.o (with a mind-boggling percussive backdrop).

MAKE THE FACE is undoubtedly the dance album of the year so far, and for so many reasons (including strong song writing). Buy it and see what I mean…

4.5/5