Dy-no-mite!

Much has happened in the four years since “space cowboy” Jay Kay and co. – better known as Jamiroquai – have graced us with a new album. For frontman/activist/partier Kay, a life of club-kid excess, his notorious headbutting incident with UK paparazzi, the (amicable) departure of co-writer/keyboard player Toby Smith, and kicking a destructive coke habit seem to have put things in to perspective for the 35-year-old artist seemingly having suffered from (or more accurately, enjoyed) a split personality. This newfound focus shines through on the band’s sixth studio album, the hard hitting and disco-drenched Dynamite.Unlike prior Jamiroquai records, Dynamite lends itself more towards straight-ahead dance anthems. True, Jamiroquai has always been known for their trademark dance/funk/disco fusions (e.g. “Cosmic Girl,” “Canned Heat”), but nowhere does such a fondness lie more so than on this release. Except for a few tracks, most songs on Dynamite keep up with heavy guitars, solid bass lines, and a quickened pace that screams “Saturday Night Fever” – and with titles such as “Dynamite,” “Electric Mistress,” and “Starchild,” how could they not?

Standout songs include the disco-driven title track, the exuberant and electric guitar-heavy “Love Blind,” and the soft, heartfelt “World That He Wants” – a jab at America’s commander-in-chief. Other tracks are fun and more than fit for the dance floor. Backed by a chorus of soulful divas chanting, “We’ve been giving hate a chance / We’ve got all this love to give,” “(Don’t) Give Hate a Chance” was made for the Love Parade… or for Cher’s comeback tour. While the absence of another “Virtual Insanity” may hinder a large American response, expect Dynamite to be a hit with solid Jamiroquai fans.