*1/2 The Wiseguys

THE ANTIDOTE

(Ideal Records)

The debut album by this British-based beatmaker proves that the English aren't totally inept when it comes to hip-hop. The Wiseguys' sole member, DJ Touché, cooks up tasty beats that bob and bounce like a rap track should, and his cut-and-mix technique piles on call-and-response chants that would satisfy any crowd. But don't expect to hear Touché's beats on hip-hop radio anytime soon. The album's silly and all-out stoopid attitude feels like a blast from the D.A.I.S.Y.-age: Touché is on a late-'80s Native Tongues trip instead of a late-'90s pre-millennial tip. At an attention-span straining 70-plus minutes, The Antidote also makes a good argument for the return of dance music to the 12-inch bin. Although most of the 15 tracks have enough British sample-delic cheek to rock the discotheque, the disc barely deserves to make it past the halfway point on the home stereo.

-- Michael Endelman