While commentators and critics alike have bemoaned the ten-year gap between this latest Stereo MC’s release and Connected, I can’t help but admire their attitude. They were the first band I’d ever heard who could take hip-hop/lo-groove out of America and make it entirely their own; I’ll never forget the first time I heard ‘Elevate My Mind’ from their 1990 Supernatural album. Not as good as good sex, but better than the best drug.

So the deal seems to be, if you don’t have anything to sell, don’t try to sell us anything… Cute idea, but with the release of Deep Down And Dirty the sale is now on.

The title track you’ll have already heard by now, classic Stereo MC’s complete with vocalist Rob Birch’s almost Lydon-like delivery, challenging us not to get the message, but it’s not the only gem. ‘Breeze’ features some of the quaintest scratching I’ve heard in years, ‘Graffiti Part Two’ is the sound of a souped-up Philadelphia while ‘Stop At Nothing’ is pure theatre.

So it’s flawless? ‘Course not, since ‘The Right Effect’ is so closely related to ‘Connected’ that a team of top surgeons would be necessary to separate ‘em, and ‘The Right Effect’ is the twin that would perish, but I’m bitching.

Buy the album, sway to the sound, check out the sleeve pics that show them rehearsing in a real rehearsal room (Love that!) and go see ‘em at Witnness.