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"Hey U"
Single by Basement Jaxx
from the album Crazy Itch Radio
Released5 March 2007 (2007-03-05)
Recorded2006
Genre
Length4:54
LabelXL
Songwriter(s)
  • Simon Ratcliffe
  • Felix Buxton
  • Adrian Sical
  • Henry Ernst
Producer(s)Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx singles chronology
"Take Me Back to Your House"
(2006) 		"Hey U"
(2007) 		"Make Me Sweat"
(2007)

"Hey U" is a song recorded by the English electronic music duo Basement Jaxx for their fourth studio album, Crazy Itch Radio (2006). An extended play featuring remixes of the song was released in March 2007 under XL Recordings, as the third promotional release from the album. It did not chart. The song features vocals from the Swedish pop singer Robyn.

Composition

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"Hey U" is four minutes and 54 seconds long.[1] Musically, it is a dance song that prominently samples the horns from "Asfalt Tango", by the Balkan brass band Fanfare Ciocărlia. The song contains elements of Romani music, Balkan music and klezmer.[2][3] It features vocals from the Swedish singer Robyn.[4] The song also features a chorus of children from Nanthomba Orphan School in Malawi.[5][6]

In 2011, the song was reworked by Felix Buxton and Jules Buckley in orchestral form on the collaborative album Basement Jaxx vs. Metropole Orkest. Reviewing the album for The Independent, Andy Gill described this version as a "riot of cosmopolitan eclecticism".[7] MusicOMH's Chris White called it an "eclectic mix of the Lambada, James Bond themes and Balkan instrumentation," and the highlight of the album's middle section.[8]

Critical reception

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The track received generally positive critical reception. Jess Harvell from Pitchfork singled out the song as the album's standout track.[2] The Guardian's John Burgess said that the song "fizzes powerfully", and while the album's "daft interludes and kitchen-sink production sound too familiar, Crazy Itch Radio can still surprise - particularly on Hey U."[9] Michael Hubbard of musicOMH called it "a riotously inventive production that cries out to be played over and over again."[10] Kitty Empire of The Observer reacted less positively to the song, stating that it took the duo's "dalliance with Balkan-derived party music too far".[11]

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."Hey U" (Switch & Sinden Remix)5:29
2."Hey U" (Jaxx Accordian Mix)5:35
3."Hey U" (High Contrast Remix)5:41

Credits and personnel

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Credits adapted from the liner notes of Crazy Itch Radio[6] and BMI.[12]

Recording and management

Personnel

  • Felix Buxton – mixing, production, songwriting
  • Simon Ratcliffe – mixing, production, songwriting
  • Adrian Sical – songwriting
  • Henry Ernst – songwriting
  • Robyn – vocals
  • Dandino Jhet – backing vocals
  • Linda Lewis – backing vocals
  • Marcus J. Thomas – backing vocals
  • Serguei Pachnine – accordion, backing vocals
  • Nanthomba Orphan School – vocals

References

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  1. ^ "Crazy Itch Radio by Basement Jaxx on Apple Music". Apple Music (PH). 20 May 2023. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b Harvell, Jess (5 September 2006). "Basement Jaxx: Crazy Itch Radio". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  3. ^ Gill, Andy (1 September 2006). "Album: Basement Jaxx". The Independent. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  4. ^ Hubbard, Michael (5 September 2008). "Robyn: "Everything's been leading to this moment. It all makes sense now" – Interview". MusicOMH. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  5. ^ "Basement Jaxx Scratches New 'Itch'". Billboard. 14 July 2006. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  6. ^ a b Crazy Itch Radio (CD liner notes). Basement Jaxx. United States: XL. 2006. XLCD205.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ^ Gill, Andy (15 July 2011). "Album: Basement Jaxx vs. Metropole Orkest". The Independent. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  8. ^ White, Chris (11 July 2011). "Basement Jaxx - Basement Jaxx vs Metropole Orkest". musicOMH. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  9. ^ Burgess, John (1 September 2006). "Basement Jaxx, Crazy Itch Radio". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  10. ^ Hubbard, Michael (4 September 2006). "Basement Jaxx - Crazy Itch Radio". musicOMH. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  11. ^ Empire, Kitty (3 September 2006). "Basement Jaxx, Crazy Itch Radio". The Observer. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  12. ^ "BMI | Repertoire Search". repertoire.bmi.com. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
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