Avoid buying Back In The Dog House on vinyl – your CD programme function was made for albums like this. Despite being thoroughly cohesive in sound and form, the West London DJ collective’s debut proper is best appreciated as a collection of great moments rather than a consistent album. Sure, it keeps up a decent minimum standard throughout (although it is a little too Jamiroquai in places - cheap shot? Perhaps), but the highlights do dwarf the remainder somewhat.
Bugz In The Attic sound contemporary, yet retain a relatively retro vibe. The group’s polished, spangly disco-soul is always spruced up with some scatter-gun rhythms and hip-hop attitude, and their sound manages to gel particularly well on a handful of tracks.
‘I’m Gonna Letcha’ is a syrup-smooth Prince-esque number, with helium-treated soul vocals, and a more languorous pace than we’re treated to elsewhere. ‘No More’ is devilishly exciting, pumping soul music, with rhythms that crack and fizzle like an exploding firework. ‘Knocks Me Off My Feet’ is a slamming disco-pop number, with a diamond-hard pop hook – the last and best song on the album’s opening half.
The quality control dips slightly after this, but the Bugz manage to finish in fine style, with two superlative closing tracks. ‘Worla Hurt’ is a wonderfully cheesy piece of melodrama, with a terrifically bombastic string arrangement – though I could have done without the hackneyed ‘Peace On Earth’ lyrical theme.
The closing track (and hit single) ‘Booty La La’ is almost two years old now, but well worth getting re-acquainted with. The vocals (courtesy of Bembé Segué and M’pho Skeef) are achingly cool, yet still giddy with excitement – this swaggering, infectious pop song is still comfortably their best work.
Not quite the consistently stellar listening experience we might have expected, then, but perhaps it’s better to deliver sporadic moments of brilliance than consistent mediocrity.