"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
"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]
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 Observerreacted less positively to the song, stating that it took the duo's "dalliance with Balkan-derived party music too far".[11]
^ abCrazy 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)