Emergency On Planet Earth by Jamiroquai

Jay Kay from Jamiroquai became something of a figure of fun in the 90s, known for his taste in fancy cars and even fancier headwear, earning the nickname of the Prat in the Hat. However, they managed to get at least a couple of very successful earworms into the charts so they must have been doing something right.

How does this album hold up nowadays? Surprisingly well, to be honest. They are channelling a lot of the jazz funk feel of 70s era Stevie Wonder, which is quite a feat for someone from Lancashire. It’s not doing anything particularly revolutionary, unless you count going against the 90s zeitgeist of grunge and Britpop as that.

I think I enjoyed it more today than I did back in the day, with a new appreciation for jazz funk and fusion styles. The only grating element is the use of the didgeridoo which is both cultural appropriation and has unfortunate associations with a certain disgraced (and now deceased) Australian cartoonist. Given the choice, I’d listen to Stevie Wonder or Herbie Hancock, but these are a pretty good alternative.

Hat-tastic!