Propellerheads' "decksandrumsandrockandroll" may be a mouthful of a title, but it only touches on a few of the elements that make this hectic bump and grind so much fun.

On its U.S. debut, Bath, England duo Alex Gifford and Will White create a chaotic collage out of funked-up beats and inspired dadaistic samples. "Bang On!" snips dialogue from a vintage espionage film to set the stage for an explosive, high-bpm dance track; "Spybreak!" puts vocal fragments on a collision course with a racing bass and horn section, echoing the frenetic pace of a spy-film denouement. "Velvet Pants" turns a recorded coffee klatch of Doors-era groupies into a horny, rhythmic discourse.

Musicians themselves, Propellerheads can also appreciate the value in fusing old samples with live elements. White's drumming lends a funky immediacy to the album's looped beats, just as guest Shirley Bassey's warm, sensual growl adds soul to "History Repeating" and a rap from De La Soul's Posdnuos drives a tribute to old-school hip-hop, "360º (Oh Yeah?)."

Decksandrumsandrockandroll is more than an exhilarating electronic roller-coaster ride. Like Ian Dury's 1978 single "Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll," it captures the spirit of its time, and right now that spirit is all about using rock, pop and hip-hop as embarkation points for diving headfirst into the musical unknown. Decks and drums are sex and drugs. And it's wicked, baby. (RS 784)

NEVA CHONIN