Dance Bitch - Fatboy Slim

The mix album Dance Bitch was released in honor of Fatboy Slim's 2009 tour of Australia, landing just as Norman Cook was supposedly retiring the moniker in favor of his new project, the Brighton Port Authority. Being exclusive to the land down under shouldn't be taken as a fault since this one is right up there with all his global releases, falling somewhere between his Bondi Beach: New Years Eve '06 mix and the great On the Floor at the Boutique from 1998. Funky breaks from Chromeo and a remixed Santogold bring the big beat sound into 2009, slightly older tracks from X-Press 2 and Aquasky provide some familiarity, and the Chemical Brothers' "Hey Boy, Hey Girl" is the past and future wrapped into one thanks to the Soulwax remix. The speaker-ripping bassline from "First Stroke" by John Acquaviva is a techno-based highlight, while Hervé's "Cheap Thrills" blends old-school jungle beats with a sample of Michael Jackson's "Thriller," making it a brilliant track with a brilliant title. The BPA's own "He's Frank" gives you the delicious experience of Iggy Pop singing an old Monochrome Set tune, and even if Cook's selections are now closer to the average Ministry of Sound compilation than the cutting edge, the mixing and pacing of the set deserves high praise. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide