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