Rendez-Vu [Single, Import]

Basement Jaxx | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 16, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Single, Import
• Label: Emi
• ASIN: B00004SALY
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,129,473 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Exploration Of Music Styles, May 6, 2004

By 

Aaron Weakley (NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rendez-Vu (Audio CD)

Basement Jaxx had a massive following in their UK homeland long before the rest of the world received their debut full-length album "Remedy". "Rendez Vu" is the opening track and rather than a pound your body disposition most people associate with dance music, it is an exploration of music styles. Like throbbing civilization meets 17th century Spanish traditionalism, it fuses an industrial sound with flamenco style guitars and just enough thump in the beat to get the body in motion
The track rouses with a tranquil, hypnotic rainforest sound before a subtle industrial resonance and whining violin chime in. The serenity gives way to the irrefutable hook of the piece - a deep, intrusive vocal arrangement, partnered by a classical guitar progression and an appropriate pulse to light the way. It is countered by a high-pitched, computer altered voice that does well to create a feeling of ruction and hysteria in the listener.
Though dance music doesn't necessarily follow normal song structure, throw-away lyrics like "I've got you in my heart, I've got you in my head, let's make a Rendez Vu" make up what would be classed as the verse. It must be said, in no way do the banal lyrics detract from the overall composition. They are merely attached to the musical extravaganza taking place, which includes an intense string section, factory-like reverberation and foot stomping, hand clapping you are more likely to find at a "Tap Dogs" show.
Basement Jaxx's masterful production and adept structuring is truly displayed in the second half of the score. After a repeat of the verse the pace slows to an interlude of entangled guitar picking and a return to forest ambience. A slowly rising instrumental tempo soon becomes a furious affair, which may in fact have relevance to the title. A climactic point is reached and the guitar, strings, violin and organ sounds all quake with a new energy. The two vocal samples tussle for a period before the outro sees all instruments slowly being removed, one by one until the dance beat is left standing with a haunting one, one-two note.
The overall orchestration has a very sexual emanation - the way it builds in fervency, reaches a paramount, writhes in ecstasy then curtails slowly back into a peaceful humanistic state by the close. What is left is a sense of satisfaction as well as enslavement to the hook. A truly superior dance song that is not for the faint of heart....