The current darlings of Britain's dance scene, the Basement Jaxx, are invading U.S. clubs next month. Hot off the release of their full-length debut, the club favorite and critical darling Remedy, the Jaxx will man the booths in clubs from Boston to San Francisco.

Composed of Simon Ratcliffe and Felix Buxton, the Jaxx worked as house DJs at a London club before setting dance floors across the country aflame with their single "Red Alert." Though the dynamic DJ duo have played New York, Los Angeles and Miami, this will be most of America's first glimpse of them.

"It'll be us DJing," said Ratcliffe. "It's like breaking us in. We'll play some clubs, and give people an idea of what sort of thing we play."

After Americans get the idea, the Jaxx hope to unleash a full stage show next year. "We want to have proper concerts and for it not to be just flashing lights and 'boom boom boom boom boom,' but to put some slow tracks in there, to have different featured guests come on, to have some kind of beautiful choreography and to make it a more human experience," Ratcliffe said. "The dance thing -- or the electronica thing -- misses the human element, and more traditional music has that. So we're gonna give it a go."

The Basement Jaxx's upcoming tour:

9/14: Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Chili Pepper
9/16: Boston, Axis
9/17: New York, Twilo
9/18: Toronto, Industry
9/19: Montreal, Stereo
9/21: Minneapolis, Quest
9/23: Chicago, Karma
9/24: Washington, D.C., Nation
9/25: Detroit, Motor Detroit
9/27: Denver, Baila
9/28: Seattle, Aro Space
9/30: Tempe, Ariz., Kind
10/1: Los Angeles, Vinyl
10/2: San Francisco, Club Release

BILL CRANDALL
(August 24, 1999)