Bonus Bait

You’ve had you’re “Ninja Tuna” now get hooked by “Bonus Bait”. (You see what we did there..?). Typicla innit? Mr Scruff, the wobble-bottomed beggetter of the beat, took yonks over making his last album, the critically-acclaimed, commercially successful and way fonky “Ninja Tuna.” And then delivered far too many tracks.

Rather than waste ‘em, Ninja Tune and oor Scruff decided to release them for download only (unless you live the the United States of Obama, in which case they’re on a second shiny silver disc). And here they is.

What we feel obliged to tell you is that these tunes are just what you’d expect in the best possible way. The Stockport Stunna makes dance music with a funny, unique, amiable and distinctively British sound which will start parties, destroy dancefloors and soundtrack your tax return lowpoints so marvellously you might even enjoy paying the final bill.

As well as marvellous funk-disco-wonk like “Rocking Chair,” JBs-style instro-jams (“Fix That Speaker”), two versions of the surprisingly squelchy “Cat & Mouse,” a dub and some quality b-side action, the Scruffster also reminds us he likes his UK hip hop by inviting Broke ‘n’ English and Skuff and Inja to join him (the latter offering a surprisingly comprehensive ode to the Ninja back catalogue). It’s a really fantastic little record, a bonus, yes, but something which stands up in its own right.

Mr Scruff’s combination of taking his music very seriously while managing not to take himself too seriously has made him unique in British dance and has helped him forge a sound and philosophy in which drinking tea holds mythological status and where it’s always the music which gets you high. If “Ninja Tuna” was his finest work to date, “Bonus Bait” shows he can keep you hanging on his line as long as he likes. Oooh, missus.