Album: DJ Sneak

Housekeepin', MAGNETIC

DJ Sneak is probably best known as the self-proclaimed "Mad Skunk Burner" from Basement Jaxx's Remedy album, so it's perhaps understandable that this third solo set from the Puerto Rican should follow the Brixton duo's distinctive Latin-house crossover style on tracks such as "Can't Wait", "Salsa Elektrika", and the single "Que Pasa", the monumental bumping salsa-house party groove that leads off Housekeepin'. Co-written and co-produced by the former LFO man Mark Bell, it also bears the imprint of Bell's Chicago and Detroit electro influences, with echoes of Derrick May in the hypnotic synths of "Inside", and a Rockers Revenge-style staccato keyboard figure punctuating the popping funk-house groove of "Incredible". As with the Jaxx, the vocals are spread around a diverse set of contributors, from Ive Mendez's sultry tropicalismo serenades and Tyra Fennell's beach-based invitations to the dance, to Sneak's descriptions of nitrous-oxide parties ("The Gas") and memories of sci-fi movies ("I

DJ Sneak is probably best known as the self-proclaimed "Mad Skunk Burner" from Basement Jaxx's Remedy album, so it's perhaps understandable that this third solo set from the Puerto Rican should follow the Brixton duo's distinctive Latin-house crossover style on tracks such as "Can't Wait", "Salsa Elektrika", and the single "Que Pasa", the monumental bumping salsa-house party groove that leads off Housekeepin'. Co-written and co-produced by the former LFO man Mark Bell, it also bears the imprint of Bell's Chicago and Detroit electro influences, with echoes of Derrick May in the hypnotic synths of "Inside", and a Rockers Revenge-style staccato keyboard figure punctuating the popping funk-house groove of "Incredible". As with the Jaxx, the vocals are spread around a diverse set of contributors, from Ive Mendez's sultry tropicalismo serenades and Tyra Fennell's beach-based invitations to the dance, to Sneak's descriptions of nitrous-oxide parties ("The Gas") and memories of sci-fi movies ("Inside"). Best of all - or most outlandish - are Bear Who?'s contributions to "Que Pasa" and "Fix My Sink", a fanciful account of how well he sorted out some ladies' plumbing, related over a twitchy, horn-punctuated groove that's like a mad cross between James Brown and George Clinton. Infectious fun from first to last.