Gotta be honest wit' ya, the hype preceding the U.S. release of U.K. DJ duo Groove Armada's Vertigo album was so over-amped -- endorsements from Sir Elton John and Madonna (right!), so hip they played Norman Cook's (a.k.a. Fatboy Slim's) wedding -- that I was already ovah it before I pressed ""play."" Their profile is straight outta U.K. DJ central casting: two amateur musicians/DJs (Tom Findlay, Andy Cato) from the sticks come to London, join forces, set up a massive house/funk music club (Groove Armada), turn out Ibiza, become Top 20 sensations, yada, yada, yada.
Vertigo's opening tracks ""Chicago"" and ""Whatever, Whenever"" -- the former a rather translucently-thin slice off of '80s-era Prince, the latter seven years passe acid jazz rap -- only confirm pre-judgement. Attention wandering... butt antsy... must find remote... control. But then, what's this? Feels like Augustus Pablo melodica reggae dub, 'cept with jazzy trumpet, fatback drums, synth flute, bata drum, Fender Rhodes... Whoo! A two cheek-slapping wake up call, ""Dusk You & Me"" turns things around and ends up being just the first of 10 great cuts to come. Check out ""At the River""'s seductive mix of languid trip-hop beats, wistful trombone, and a ghostly Patti Page vocal loop (""If you're fond of sand dunes and salty air/Quaint little villages here and there""), the fervid, Larry Heard-esque jazz-house-Latin ambient subliminals on ""Serve Chilled,"" the original 808 State-rumbled, Gram'ma Funk-dusted (""Shakin' that ass, shakin' that ass, shakin' that ass"") Latin Freestyle version of ""I See You Baby,"" and Fatboy Slim's 180 degree '60s mod rock-JB funk Big Beat remix.
Vertigo ain't the ""greatest thing since whatever."" What it is is more down to earth -- music to drive-chill-dance-cuddle to. Groove Armada knows how to set it off.
