No we are not reviewing Madonna today, but we are taking a look at the latest offering from one of the most critically acclaimed bands to emerge from the UK dance scene in the last two years — Groove Armada. Groove Armada’s celebrity fan base reads like a who’s who of contemporary pop music as well as the faces you’d see on a weekly basis on the cover of Hello magazine. Madonna, for whom they remixed her No. 1 hit “Music,” and Elton John who personally requested the group to play at America’s Interview Magazine’s 30th birthday party. Their set that evening was rapturously received by the likes of Johnny Depp, Calvin Klein, Liz Hurley, Puff Daddy and Moby.

But enough with the glitz and glamour, let’s look into Groove Armada’s artistic credentials. The band has successfully fused jazz, funk, disco and house music into an infectious sound of their own, which was by no means an easy task.

In 2001, a year that has seen numerous dance acts release disappointing sophomore albums, implying that their creativity dried up with their debut, Groove Armada on the other hand have created a third album that has as much depth as their previous two efforts.

Their last album “Vertigo” released in February 2000 was a commercial and critical success. The album spawned the hits “At The River” and the club anthem “I See You Baby” which featured vocals from legendary N.Y. Manumission MC Gram’ma Funk (and a remix by Fat Boy Slim). “Vertigo” reached the UK Top 20 and Gold status with sales now approaching 200,000 copies.

The band also nominated for a number of awards in 2000, including “Best New Artists” at the Brit awards, “Best Live Act” at the Muzik Magazine awards and won the “Best Chillout Album” award at the Ministry Magazine Awards.

Quite a good year, but lets talk about the present.

Working in the countryside for a full nine months Groove Armada have created a new record imbued with a tangible realness with Goodbye Country. Perhaps it grew from their experience of touring with a nine-piece band, something that is unorthodox in the realm of dance music.

Whatever the impetus, the duo has crafted a truly superb and definitive record, shifting effortlessly from one distinct track to another, and broadening the scope of dance music into something much larger and entirely more inclusive.

It’s the delicate layering of bright, acoustic guitar and strings on the blessed-out “Lazy Moon,” the delightfully functional beats of “Fogma,” the smoky, funk-inflected lines of “Drifted,” and the understated hip-hop of “Raising the Stakes.” Groove Armada find simple, yet concise concepts, which they study and master before building layers of accompaniment around those central themes.

The intelligence of this record is only further complemented by a few stirring moments, one of which comes courtesy of folk legend and Woodstock icon Richie Havens, whose vocal help “Little by Little” morph from somber piano ballad into a bright, acoustic song of empowerment. Jeru the Damaja also cameos, dropping rhymes on the opening track “Suntoucher,” and M.A.D. — who lent rhymes to “Whatever, Whatever” on “Vertigo” — drops dance hall-style on the slamming first single, “Superstylin’.”

Overall throughout “Goodbye Country,” Groove Armada makes all the right moves. The collaborators are chosen with care, the beats and production are immaculate and fresh. With this record the band have managed to elevate themselves beyond dance music alone, and ascended to production superstardom.

“Goodbye Country” should hit a record store near you in two weeks.