Exit Planet Dust

I usually listen to my daily album while I’m exercising so days like this are fun.

Classic 90s electronic. Alive Alone was great stuff altogether. Decent listen, probably won't return but may check out more of Chemical Brothers' discography.

They’ve got the sound but not the hooks they’d have later Still would sound great if I was 20 and in a club rather than 44 and watching Antiques Roadshow

Listened to this while playing Scholars of the South Tigris. I lost. This album totally brought me back to my early college years. Not as great as some of the other similar albums of that era...but still super fun!

3.1 1x worth a second listen

Gear: DCA ÆON 2 Noire Artwork: 👍🤠🛣️ Production: 🤷‍♂️😐👍 Music: ⚗️🔥🕰️ Rating: 🌍🌍🌍/5

If you like walking around feeling like you are in the Matrix - this is the album for you.

An impressive debut with better still to come

There is a harder edge to this debut than the later albums that I’ve heard, potentially with less of an eye on being a commercial success. Not a criticism of either mode - both are great. The first half is full of unforgiving, relentless beats. Each song digging deep into a groove and never letting go. Three Little Birdies Down Beats goes particularly hard. The Manchester influence is there, shades of Baggy in Chemical Beats. The second half flexes to something a little more airy and open. I like the female vocals on closer Alive Alone providing a beautiful contrast to the thick clicks, thrubs and snaps around them. An impressive debut!

The right sound for the right setting. Mid-day lunchtime listening not advised to give it a fully honest and measured review. Still…I can dig this when my next rave comes a callin’.

I liked how this started, but like the rest of this genre it all just got way too repetitive for me. I’d probably prefer this to others in the same category, but wouldn’t ever choose to put this on.

A solid electronic album that would benefit from listening in the right setting. Examples: hacking a mainframe; infiltrating an underground vampire rave; coked-out crime spree. Hits a bit different while doing finance things in front of a computer as your kids scream in the background... still an enjoyable listen, but not likely one I will revisit unless partaking in the aforementioned activities. 3.25/5

While listening to this I was walking to the gym and it gave me big 90s runway energy.

You Wouldn't Steal A Car... Chemical Brothers have always been on the cheesier side of electronic music for me. Kinda like Fatboy Slim, iconic and beloved but not quite my jam. Is it maybe just Big Beat electronica I don't like? Just find it all a little bit naff. This album in particular I find unremarkable. I like One Too Many Mornings and Alive Alone.

mal wieder so ein "Mjoah, weiß nich digga" Album. Hat mich nicht überzeugt, aber hat sicher seine Zielgruppe. Ich gehöre nicht dazu, fühlte mich aber auch nicht missbraucht beim Hören - 3 Sterne

Good album though I'm not sure I'll return to it a lot.

Fine. A couple standout tracks. But this album’s inclusion on this list feels like another example of the book’s bias. Exit planet dust? More like: ex, it plane, T dust.

This is a fun one. I desperately wanted to be back in a big city during college, but was instead in Colorado Springs. I missed going to clubs like I did in high school because Germany does not give a fuck about how old you are around alcohol. Fortunately I spent roughly half of my college years across Germany and no matter how small the town, you could find some abandoned factory site that had been repurposed for club nights almost entirely for the kids, crazy stuff. Big beat largely missed those spots, so I never heard the Chemical Brothers or their compatriots at FABRIK or whatever, but back in Colorado, this at least sounded like what I thought going to a club might be like circa 1996. But back in reality, this just ended up being really good music to study to. A lot of this kinda sounded dated by then, which is not inaccurate - a lot of the record had been kicking around clubs for a few years before Astralwerks pressed it up - and I mostly looked to the Bros for their collaborations with britpoppers and the occasional dispassionate female singer. My favourite track on this was always the least big beat, “One Too Many Mornings” the kinda sorta remix of a forgotten 4AD band - Swallow - who had released a set of dub remixes of their only album, which the Bros borrowed from liberally here, but in service of creating some new. It’s impressive to hear the original songs, the subsequent dub versions, and then how they pulled that together. I still checked in with the not Dust Bros over the next few records and I’m not sure they ever pulled together a single cohesive album, which feels like the product of how they worked, putting out singles and EPs which couldn’t all hang together as one. Strike while the iron’s hot and such.

I prefer my dance music to lean into funk, rather than electronic. I find this lacking in soul. But I can picture the rave culture having fun with it.

This is good for the electronica that’s on this list but it manages to over correct, so instead of being boring and tedious it’s exhausting and tedious.

This was enjoyable, nothing wrong with it.

Pretty good 90's EDM

Decent old school EDM. It's kind of what I expected. Pleasant though.

Techno? Reminded me of the Tekken 3 soundtrack, which is awesome, but kinda bogged down at the end.

I'm a fan of the genre, and enjoy a lot of stuff from The Chemical Brothers. That being said, I feel a lot of these tracks need a little more substance. They lean heavily on repetition, so the listener is left with the same beat for sometimes minutes on end. The tracks that incorporate lyrics seem to provide additional depth, which helps. The Chemical Brothers would refine their approach on later records, but this one still tastes like it needed a little more time in the oven.

Transported me to the 90's. I felt like I was watching The Matrix while I was listening to it. I felt like it dragged, though.

Not all bad. A bit like the soundtrack to a Guy Ritchie film.

This is outrageous.

Retrospectively can see where the outstanding album, in my opinion, surrender evolved from. Could listen to it bit it didn't capture me as much as the chemicals later albums

I understand why people like it, but I don't. It's not terrible, but it's not for me. Favorite song: alive alone

An interesting listen. I know some of the hit singles by The Chemical Brothers but has never dived into any of their albums. It is a pleasant listen with many shifts in style and beats throughout the album. Favs: - Leave Home - One Too Many Mornings - Alive Alone

Erg sterk begin zoals vaker gebeurt hier. Veel nummers hebben echt een goede groove. Ik ga zelf wel beter op artiesten zoals Fatboy slim uit dezelfde tijd. Vind veel nummers nogal vergeetbaar. Ik zal zeker terugkeren naar dit album voor een evt update.

Ijzersterk begin, de eerste 3-4 tracks gaan heerlijk in elkaar over. Het voelt alsof ik naar een erg goede DJ set luister en in het publiek sta om mee te genieten. De tweede helft heeft gevoeligere en rustigere nummers, hier zit een goed nummer tussen, maar de meeste zijn helaas teleurstellend

I enjoyed this but not any more than any other halfway decent electronica album from the mid 1990s.

Rather enjoy this type of music from time to time. There were some sections that became annoying repetitive, so it was hard to listen to at times. Overall worth the listen though.

Pozadinska muzika. Bolje od prošlog albuma koji je bio pozadinska muzika. Ali još uvijek samo pozadinska muzika. Žao mi je što ne mogu dati polovičnu zvjezdicu.

Þetta er nú aldeilis prýðilegt dansiballapopp. Ég þekki einhver af lögunum og þótt ég hlusti ekki mikið á svona tónlist skil ég vel af hverju öðrum þykir hún skemmtileg.

This is a pretty industrial sounding techno album from back in the day. That being said, it still has groove. I'll always prefer Dig Your Own Hole to this one, but this still has its moments. Chico's Groove is the standout for me. Kind of has that slightly wistful sense that Chemical Brothers came to be in later albums.

Not bad. Chill electronica.

I'm not super high on electronica or big beat, but this is decent. My favorites were "One Too Many Mornings" and "Alive Alone". Still, a lot of it is just too repetitive, which is tough for the largely instrumental tracks. 3 stars.

I enjoyed this one too. I liked the other one by them a bit better but they seem to be an exception in this genre in that I like the music.

Not bad for doing work, but pretty standard electronic music. Feels very 90s. Also it is odd when we get an album from a somewhat well-known band or artist but the album doesn't have any of their most popular songs.

6/10 - it was not great but kind of faded into the background when working. I enjoyed overall listening to it

The hard on that this list has for mediocre 90s electronica is ridiculous

Standard 90s electronic album. Could be better or worse depending on what you're doing or where you are as you're listening.

hectic and eclectic.

This is pretty fun. A bit dated but still enjoyable.

Exemplary construction of beats. Might be the highest ranking I will give an electronic dance album.

Sounds like the other one.

Some of the bass on this album is PAINFUL to listen to (sub wise). I also don't give a shit that you guys do drugs, stop yelling it in the group AND album name. Acid basses are ok I guess but the main problem which I knew was going to be the case is that there's just too much damn repetition, which isn't always bad but the whole songs are just really short sections, like sometimes a 1 bar loop which is probably cool live I guess, but its REALLY boring to actively listen to. (to prove a point, the Chico's groove song really doesn't loop that much and feels like its progressing and I think its probably the best song on here). Favourite songs: leave home, song to the siren, fuck up beats, Chico's groove, one too many mornings, life is sweet, alive alone (BETH ORTON IDC what the instrumental is like) Overall around 6/10

Great background music, but not good for driving if you’re even if a bit drowsy - it will lull you with it’s hypnotic beats.

I enjoyed this in a banging British block rocking beats way. Not my thing, by any stretch, and I'm not going to listen to it again, but it's part of a British musical movement that is worth noting.

good listen, would add a few songs to my playlist

The first half of the album is annoying and the second half is kinda nice.

Wish there was more hype in this album, it started well and just fizzed out over time. It's like a weird balance between club music and your more typical electronic album which might work in niche environments but not in most occasions.

A little bit too repetitive for me.

Kind of fire?

Classic 3 for me, not bad, bits that are interesting, would not object to revisiting.

A pretty good album, I liked Chemical Beats the most.

Pretty cool but a little same samey after a while

Big Chem Bros fan, but this album is just okay... Dig Your Own Hole is much better All in all, The Chemical Brothers are definitely in the top-5 brothers of the 90s along with Dust, Mario and Wayans

Almost had a panic attack to Three Little Birdies Down Beat. Otherwise, good subway reading music.

Cool album, not really my thing.

A bit too industrial and tedious, but it did lay the groundwork for a lot of good things to come.

304/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑

https://youtu.be/JwZwkk7q25I?si=--Y7Kn7-7qtNThtY

Pretty meh. Some decent beats but nothing really to get excited about.

If the longs weren’t so long while having very little variation throughout it would have been a 4, but I think that’s an issue with the genre altogether for me

I can never fully get into these alternative dance 90s electronic beats that are so expertly crafted and at times undeniably effective. I respect the hell out of it though, even if I really can only enjoy this kinda music in small doses

This was pretty good, my experience with Chemical Brothers is that they usually have 2 or 3 real standouts per record and a lot of repetition. I’d say this album follows suit, with the first three tracks establishing a great energy. Listened to the record twice and can’t really remember too much else about it, but I will certainly return to it again. Rating: 3.0

This genre just doesn’t really hit for me, the songs tend to blend together for me. Nothing really to dislike but nothing I’m impressed by.

*Exit Planet Dust* is worth listening to for mostly three reasons: it sets up the Big Beat sound with which the "brothers" would later fully hit the charts ; with classic opener "Leave Home" they had a visit card that proved their potential in that realm -- the sort of potential that would be taken a notch further in *Dig Your Own Hole* ; and with closer "Alive Alone", they made an interesting foray into their own electronic version of ambient psychedelia, later further explored in *Surrender*. The thing is, between those two tracks, everything pales a little in comparison to their later output. Back then, it was a small revolution for British electronic music. But they did better, went for catchier hooks, and left a more memorable imprint with their two following albums. There's a reason no track from this record is present in the ten most played songs on Spotify. There are acts where this sort of absence doesn't really matter. But for that particular music style, it speaks volumes. 3/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums. 8/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3) Number of albums left to review: around thirty or twenty, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book. Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 464 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 279 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 335 (including this one)

Very enjoyable background music. Will listen again

It’s the sort of thing you’d hear at 1990s UK house parties, presumably. An event like this is a worst nightmare for me, but the actual music in question isn’t half bad. It’s ‘just’ 50 minutes of electronic, bassy, ‘big beat’ sound. There’s nothing spectacular, and there’s nothing too awful. It’s a 1990s British album, so it’s the sort of thing that blokes in their 40s wank over, much like the britpop of the time. And that’s fine, just don’t come near me and wax lyrical about your Oasises and your Blurs. There’s some good music hidden amongst the general festival-goer 1990s British scene, this album doesn’t really fit the bill. But at least it didn’t make me feel ill, the way some of the other stuff does. I’ve turned this into a general hate letter to britpop. This isn’t that, it’s Big Beat. And the beats are big. That’s for sure.

Better than I would have expected for an electronic album. I like how each song blends into each other, as I'd the whole album is one big song. But there isn't much variance from track to track, so it does start to get stale by the end. Good for club music or exercising, but boring if you actually want to pay attention to what's going on. Definitely better than more standard EDM, so I do have to give props where they're due.

Sure, fine

Good, albeit cliche, 90’s electronic. I’m just glad this one didn’t overstay its welcome. 50 minutes was a good length.

listening to this feeling like the protagonist of a 2010s CBBC show. Didn't think I could enjoy techno this much?

A good listen that starts great but gets tiring in the long run. It doesn't really stand out. I think their later works are better than their debut album.

pretty cool overall. i never have much to say with techno albums but these guys are always a good listen

Both dreamy & acidic, some songs meander a bit but I enjoyed it.

3.8/5

pretty good but not for me.

It's fine. Nothing really stood out.

Agent Smith stands no chance when I pump these jamz.

high 3, couldn’t quite crack 4 for me, but still legit

Fine, fun, playful tracks that are sorely missing a rad MC.

A good start

i’m not much of a techno person but this wasn’t bad

A bit redundant after 10 minutes in but not bad for background music.

Trippy! But there's better chemical brothers albums out there

It’s a dance album, I’m not in a club, I’m not on drugs. It’s a decent dance album but I didn’t make it to the end.

Would be a banger vg ost. Chicos Groove and One Too Many Mornings is so killer

I much prefer their later stuff, but I still enjoyed this album generally. This one is more rave-y and repetitive I’d say, where they developed songs with more substance and structure in their later albums. I thought this would be a nailed on 4, but sadly not.

Why did anyone even bother to write a soundtrack for The Matrix, when this album already fit the bill perfectly? There’s some cool breakbeats and some fun music in this record, it’s not something I really care for. I can respect how groundbreaking this record was at the time, but it’s just so boring in retrospect. Electronic music is a genre that has evolved so quickly and so violently since the mid 90’s, this just feels antiquated, and not in a charming way. It’s fine I guess. 2.5*

Music for planning a heist and/or character selection screens in ps2 games. It’s kinda fun but it’s kinda meh. 6/10

Competent, but only sometimes interesting.

very good music to be active too 3.5 stars

Not bad.

It's fine

Previously rated: Dig Your Own Hole (3/5) **************************** I forgot I heard one of their albums already. Starts off strong, but with most electronic music, it just slowly fades into the background and it eventually ends. If I get another Chemical Brothers album in the future, I'll probably forget I've already heard two.

Not bad this one. Indierock fro night clubbing. WOuld have liked more vocals, but still there is a lot of cool groovy stuff going on here

Kinda interesting I guess

Video game music

Inoffensive, but endless repetition just isn’t my thing.

I didn't like this album so much. It's the band's very first and they've grown so much since then! It's a shame really that I have to downvote it, but for electronic music there have been so many advancements since the 90s I can't say it's any good. The band is fantastic though - 10/10. I'm starting to think this is a flaw with this book/list. The list was published in 2005, and it considers albums you "MUST LISTEN TO BEFORE YOU DIE" so they must have had the time to really hit the public. I'm afraid it sadly means it's mostly 70s/80s and dad rock :( anything outside that time/genre will probably suck.

Holy shit! A techno record under an hour long! They tried to respect my time!

Big beat debut the Chems. Think I prefer the second album but it's engaging stuff.

Exit Planet Dust is the debut studio album by The Chemical Brothers, originally released in 1995. I'm generally not into this type of music, but this was OK. The Chemical Brothers are pretty legendary figures within the electronic/house music scene. This was strong for a debut record. The first half is more hard-hitting and hype while the second half I found focused more on ambient and slower tempos. It was cool to hear that kind of range on here. They don't overdo it on the samples (which so many of the electronic artists from this era did). Some cool interludes between tracks too. Important album that definitely belongs on this list. And that album cover is absolutely sick.

Not what I’d usually listen to but I didn’t mind it.

Great music to work to. Pleasantly suprised

EDM or whatever you call it isn’t my thing. But I don’t hate this for background music.

Too repetitive and boring. I’m sure there’s a time and a place for this, but it was not today 2.5

Decent.

Elektrik

The high profile timeline of the Chemical Brothers. A solid output for their own album which would bled into the 90s collaborations.

Comme souvent en electro, on travaille la répétition, l’accumulation, la progression. Mais on n’est pas dans un régime percussions implacable, il y a de la texture et des variations, des nuances

Listened Before? N Pretty good for EDM. I don't necessarily groove on the repetitive lyrics but the beats are nice and something I probably wouldn't have given a chance without this list. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Leave Home

Thirty years ago, the Dust Brothers were ready to shed their skin. They’d already made waves in Manchester and London’s DJ and club scene, been approached by the likes of Manic Street Preachers, Charlatans and Primal Scream to make remixes, released EP’s and 12 inch singles to wild acclaim and hype, toured with the Prodigy and Orbital. On the strength of one of their new songs, “Chemical Beats”, and perhaps the threat of a lawsuit from the other Dust Brothers (LA-based Beastie Boys producers) they opted to make a slight alteration to their name… and one of the most enduring bands of electronica and big-beats was reborn. “Exit Planet Dust” is the debut album proper by the Chemical Brothers, featuring many previously recorded tracks in one mostly satisfying package. It’s the bombast of this brand of electronica that helps me to enjoy it much more than so many of the band’s peers or successors, and it’s most apparent in the first half. The opening six tracks, from the popping “Leave Home” thru the live “Song for the Siren” to the swaggering “Chemical Beats”, were designed to run into each other in one fell swoop. The effect is solid and ensures no momentum is lost, but by “Fuck You Beats” I was struggling to distinguish each track from the last. The true test of “Exit Planet Dust”, then, is whether the Chemical Brothers can stick the landing in the second half after diverging from big beat. The mid-tempo, laid back feel of “Chico’s Groove” is a great diversion, with its relentless one note bass-riff and long holds on the synth lead (suggesting that rarest of beasts in electronic music: A CHORD PROGRESSION) “One Too Many Mornings” takes this further, with an indecipherable ethereal vocal floating over the top. It’s like the Brothers drafted in Brian Eno and Cocteau Twins. Then “Life Is Sweet” and “Alive Alone” are full blown bona-fide songs, with straightforward structures, hooks and sung-through vocals. They may not be the most memorable tracks here, but they’re crucial for showcasing another side to the duo. I’d love to say I experienced this album as it was intended: at an all-night lysergic rave, or a ket-fuelled bender, or losing my head at a festival with ten thousand people. Alas… today, “Exit Planet Dust” soundtracked my absolutely chaotic London commute. We’re talking nine a.m rush, delayed trains, changing at Westminster, faces in armpits, uncontrollable back-sweat… if you don’t know the drill, you’re very lucky. Somehow, though, the big beats and titanic sound of the Chemical Brothers fit perfectly. No longer do I see this band as music for the club alone: this is, in every sense of the word, a true rush-hour album.

Bien a secas. Los dos siguientes son mucho mejores, me parece.

Kinda boring at times

I've never heard this before. This is okay, but doesn't really resonate with me. A soft 3 stars.

It was OK, but no real highlights for me.

I think up until now I've only really heard their newer stuff, so this didn't sound how I expected it to. Having said that I still enjoyed it.

It’s a fantastic electronic album it’s just not for me

Best Song: Three Little Birdies Down Beat. Just a truly undeniable groove. Worst Song: Playground for a Wedgeless Firm. I really didn't like that buzzy background sound that permeated the whole track. Overall: Pretty fun electronic album. Nothing too novel, but still great at quickly and efficiently diving into chunky, toothsome grooves. Great music for focus, working, exercise.

Decent. 3/5

The album cover had me thinking I was going into a country or a classic rock type album then the first play is a 90’s underground club soundtrack. Goes alright for the genre

This music made me want to steal a car or pirate a movie Robbie music

this sounds like something you’d heard in the matrix movies.

Good old music

Hvis man vil ha elektronisk, så er det vel godt nok

Sounds like it would make for a pretty good workout tape, or a mix to listen to while driving (though that might lead to speeding tickets). Fun enough to move to. It's possible that part of my problem with electronica is that I mostly know the genre through use on TV or movies. So the songs all seem about a minute or two too long. After about 3 minutes, I feel like we've established we're in a club/crime scene, Keanu Reeves has shot a bunch of guys, Vin Diesel has flipped a car over an orphanage, I get it, let's move on. That's not really fair to the music, but it's the cultural reference I have.

solid album, cool concept, i liked how the songs blended

...

It was a journey but it didnt amaze me

Kinda fun for a while, but ultimately fails to keep me interested. And occasionally, it’s annoying. Not good.

some sick beatz. fun and wouldnt mind rolling them again

I wasn't really in the mood for this, but it was good when I did listen to it.

I remember liking Chemical Brothers more

Some great tracks

It was okay, definitely was not what I was expecting it to be. This was really electro and all that, while i thought it was going to be folk/country by looking at the album cover. Anyways, it was okay! 6.8/10.

Not terrible

yea, no. but you do you.

It's difficult to say if this is any different to Dig your own hole (which has more bonafide 'hits'). Still, I like these guys........

Started off strong but then there were no new peaks. Enjoyable, but felt like something I’d put on as background at work than something I’d listen to normally. Better than the other electronic albums I’ve listened to though but it’s just not my genre.

I like chemical brothers but i did not like this that much

This sounds like something that would play in the intro of an early 2000s kid/teen cartoon drama. The Chemical Brothers have a distinct sound and I believe I’d be able to pick them out of a crowd of other electronic artists, but electronic music just isn’t my thing and I my tolerance for it is low. All that being said, though, this is good. It is quality. It is unique and original. It is not exciting. 3/5

Sounds like the 90s. A lot to listen to all the way through.

Pretty good.

It's really great bop around music. It makes you move and jam but in a cool way. There's so silly arm flailing hip shaking here, it's a subtle body undulation with a bad boy head nod. Solid 3/5 in the purest sense. Didn't find much that I didn't like, but also didn't find much that I really loved.

This felt like a good album to chill and vibe out to. I liked it. Favorite songs were Leave Home, In Dust We Trust, and Life Is Sweet.

"Fuck Up Beats", "Chemical Beats" and "Alive Alone" are the tracks I liked. 3.3 stars rounded down.

This may be the only electronic music I actually like.

could i write poetry to this? n

Here we go again! Another example of a first album by an artist(s) being chosen for this list ahead of much better later releases. This is a really good album. A breakthrough for Big Beat Techno music, incorporating elements of Rock Music in an Electronic genre. However, the subsequent albums, "Dig Your Own Hole" and "Surrender" have actual hits on them. They are better developed and, I believe, are more essential than this one. Three and one-half stars, just because that's what I think it's worth in comparison.

It was a good listen, and is overall some pretty good background music

Sounds like the soundtrack of most PS1 game main menus

I love some of their stuff. This album is a bit of a mixed bag for me

Not bad big beat techno. Not their best though.

Funny this came up so soon after dj shadow, similar feelings for me. Some cool stuff but largely background music, a step or two away from being ambient music

Nice instrumental.

Decent listen

Fínasta tónlist og stuð. Rúllar bara mjög vel og þægilegra áhlustunar en ég átti von á. 3,5.

besser als es andere eletronic zeug here

The more straightforwardly beats-oriented Chemical Brothers album before they started branching out to give Gorillaz all the inspiration they needed.

It's not bad but not something I'd listen to a lot. Many of the songs repeat the same things over and over.

I enjoyed it. 3.5

Nothing too special here. It's pretty chill electronica, but nothing so innovative that it pulled my attention from what I was doing. My favorites were probably Leave Home and One Too Many Mornings.

I think Exit Planet Dust and a lot of this sort of stuff depends on where you are/were when listening and what memories or feelings it evokes. Last time we had one of the Chemical Brothers' records I listened at the gym and it worked, today I listened shortly after getting some bad news and it didn't. It's creative and upbeat, it's not my favourite of the genre and I think Dig Your Own Hole was better, but this is probably still a 3.

Seeing the Chemical Brothers live at Glastonbury was one of the best sets I've been to, but I do struggle listening to them outside that context (although some of the shorter songs make for decent running music). They only played Chemical Beats from this album (plus a bit of Leave Home in a big medley), and I get why - this is less accessible than some of their later stuff, but definitely still decent. When you're listening to it sat at home behind a desk, it's too repetitive, but it still on occasion hits a spot that most of the electronic/dance albums we've had haven't managed to. 3/5.

Fun listen, expected club music was surprised to enjoy this

Didn’t mind this, but the either the first half is better than the second or I just got bored

Enjoyed it but wasn't too focused on it either. This kind of music is more enjoyable as a live experience.

The kind of music I don’t really like but done well enough that I enjoyed it and found it interesting. Maybe a 3 is harsh but I’m a bit of a bastard

Solid!

Really good overall; am not a dance music aficionado and found it a bit same-y to do a whole album, but I do like their sound.

At first I thought this was funky and fun and then the next song sounded exactly the same. By the time I git to the third song I was pretty sure I could be their drummer because it's the same pattern over and over and over....

listen. This is good background music. i definitely much prefer this to the rave music we have now, and it’s kind of crazy how modern this still feels despite being from the mid 90s, because i could easily hear this at a party and not think twice, maybe only that it’s a bit nostalgic. I don’t really have a top 3 though bc it’s hard for me to have certain songs stick out when they all sound very similar and there’s no emotional peaks, which i know isn’t the point, but still. I’d listen to it to study tho.

This was pretty solid. It blended all together for me and ended up sounding like a big wall of white noise but it was cool sounding white noise.

Guy Ritchie soundtrack. 3.25

Decent

Soundtrack for 1990s tech movie

I was expecting to dislike this, but it was fine and even pleasant at times. I actually added a few of the tracks to a trancey focus playlist I have. The first half of the album was a lot weaker than the second half to me.

fine but not amazing. this is the second chemical brothers album on the list that I've listened to, and while i did enjoy this one a bit more, i guess i just don't really care much for these guys either way. some of the songs were kinda groovy as background music but most were just long, boring, and repetitive. favorites: leave home, in dust we trust, one too many mornings

Decent enough for background music for work

Feels like I should be hacking windows 94, or escaping a 1990’s gangster.

3.5 probably my favorite electronic album so far. It still has the same problem all electronic albums have but to a lesser degree, too much repetition

Good!

Good for what it is, but not my groove. It will probably get more than this by an electronic music fan, and probably rightfully deserves it. But for me , the repetitiveness and nervous energy grates too much 3 stars

Good electronic album but not enough excitement for me

Cool instrumental

This really was something when it was released, but in retrospect I have to admit their second album is a lot better and is the one I still put on my record player every now and then. The first four songs on here have luckily really stood the test of time, but after 'Three Little Birdies Down Beats' the album drops off in the middle with uninteresting and at times - dare I say it - even boring beats, but luckily picks itself up again with Life is Sweet. Still, it's nice to hear this again after all these years. No matter how many synthesizers, drum loops and samples are used on this album, almost everything sounds warm and organic and lively. It's a 3,5* album

Wasn't expecting to like any of this...but... Leave Home - I give it 5/5 In Dust... 4/5 Song to the siren - 0/5 Three little... - has to be 3/5 Fuck Up... - 0/5 Chemical Beats - 2/5 Chico - 2/5 ...starting to get fed up with this drum machine. Overall a surprisingly decent 3 star

Decent. But not prime Chemical Brothers

Great party album, one of the first of it's kind. Doesn't sound too bad, even now, considering how many groups have come and done the same thing. Not as interesting or exciting as it was though. 3/5 for me.

Good, but I like other chemical brothers stuff better

Boring but not bad.

I liked this as far as background listening while doing tasks (Grant seems to feel the same way though I wrote this before reading his review)

Fun Big beat / electronica to have on while doing stuff. Reminded me of fatboy slim, I could see a connection to homework by daft punk as well.

Kinda of like being in a Matrix movie

I repeat myself when I repeat myself when I repeat myself when I I I repeat myself myself self self I I I repeat myself when I repeat myself when I repeat myself

Fine. It's accessible house music for the masses. Dated with the technology but, as someone else put it "perfect for mindless work tasks on a Friday morning."

Started great but started to get bored after a while

This is fine, but I expected a bit more hype

Would be great at a festival or concert but at home it just doesn't hit quite right

funky

Electronica isn't usually on my list of music to seek out, but listening is fine most of the time when it's not too repetitious or annoying. Exit Planet Dust from the Chemical Brothers was a relaxing and easy listen and I actually enjoyed it. At least, I didn't feel like I was stuck inside a video game.

Not really my thing but, I listened to this while playing stardew valley and it definitely enhanced the experience. I also feel like that's the only reason I like it so idk.

This was fine as background music, but nothing special.

Want to give this 3.5 I think because I feel like I should like this more than I do. Think some of their later stuff is better but this all gets a bit samey. Disappointing

Ganz cool. Irgendwie anders als ichs mir vorgestellt habe, weil ich nur neuere Sachen kannte und davon wenig. Aber kann man mal hören.

Maybe it was my mood today, but this wasn't quite as difficult to listen to as my last adventure with the Chemical Brothers. Though objectively there are still some screechy, sireny noise, I felt this was more of a soundtrack to flying a spaceship over an alien landscape. As nearly all of it lacks lyrics, it is hard to differentiate tracks, but Chico's Groove was a bit more low key and something i enjoyed. Overall a fine adventure this time.

3 stars, decent 90s electronic

I don't get into much EDM but there's something about The Chemical Brothers that gets me going - must be the harder sound that differentiates them from the rest. 3/5.

Enpä ole tainnut kuunnella koskaan näin vanhaa TCB:tä. Viihdyttävä ja tasainen setti.

Perushyvää kemikaaliveljiltä

Those are some pretty big beats you have there, it'd be a shame if something happened to them.

It was alright it kinda felt like one song that was the length of an album

Even being a huge fan of them, the album has not aged well over the years and feels quickly repetitive. 3.75

3.5/5 Fun album, maybe a little to repetitive at times. Not a huge amount of variation song to song. Favorite was one too many mornings, great track.

A little too much as an album but still enjoyed some of it

Seems like a good record just not my favorite genre.

I liked this album more than I thought I would- I am not usually into this type of music, but it was a good one.

Interesting but sort of repetitive

Alright workout album. Solid beats and good tempo, not necessarily any major standouts

90's. Mega 90's.

A very interesting duo. I didn't really listen to this lot at the time of its release, but I remember all the buzz around them as The Dust Brothers. It wasn't until their follow up when I was made to listen to them properly as they had radio airplay by then. To fuse electro/ samples and psychedelia together was quite novel. Anyway, this effort is pretty solid for a debut. The standout track is 'Alive Alone' which could have been for Beth Orton's great vocals.i don't think it's as strong ad later efforts, but still pretty good for a mid 3.

Not horrible but I always feel like I need a shower after having listened to this genre of music.

This album definitely has some cool sounds, but even though they call it 'break beat', I consider it an offshoot of techno - and like techno, it's overly repetitive.

I am not the right person to jugde this album. The whole thing felt like being in a club, and I think that is where this music fits best. If I walked into a club playing this, I would not be offended. Probably wouldn’t stay too long either. However, there are some highlights towards the end (One too many Mornings and Alive Alone.)

Favorite song: the one that went beep beep boop bop Least favorite: the one that went bop boop beep beep boop bop

Okay vibe. I enjoyed it.

i'm not an edm fan, per se, but it was an enjoyable example of that genre

Ok album

This album is packed with great beats and grooves. I don’t think this is an album to actively sit and listen to, it’s more suited to background music. Not really my cup of tea, but still a great album.

I was into it when it started, but I think a whole album of whatever you call this type of beat was kind of wearing on me by the time I got to the end.

Okay I thought this was gonna be another blugh and while it’s not my favorite music style, I was pleasantly surprised to let it flow in the background. Good stuff. 3.5.

3 - So intense, feel like I need to be on something to really get into it. Felt like I was 9 again playing Tekken 3

3.5/5

3, war nicht schlecht, aber nicht unbedingt mein genre, würde es zwar auf einer party hören, aber so jetzt nicht mehr unbedingt, aber album cover is geil

Das Album hat mir überraschend gut gefallen. Im Normalfall höre ich weniger solche Musik. Habe das Album während einem Workout und danach unter der Dusche gehört. Dafür hat der Spannungsbogen perfekt gepasst. 7.0/10

7/10

Accessible techno music that the right mood would serve really well.

Life is Sweet gud

Blew my head off a bit that like felt like I was on crack in the office the tunes do not go with the cover but yeno what I enjoyed it a bit 3 stars mate

Some good stuff at the beginning of the album and trails off. Gets a little boring, I’m sure dancing in a club in the 90s it was great. Primal Scream, Chemical Brothers…god I hope Prodigy is not next!

Exceptional start. Then becomes a bit boring.

This went unnecessarily hard. Life is sweet was a banger right into playground for a wedge less firm

New genre for me. Wasn't the greatest for general listening in the car but I can see how it is an enjoyable album

This is one of the more tolerable electronica/techno albums on this list. At 49 minutes of runtime, the album doesn't overstay its welcome, which is so popular with other albums in the genre. This music also has a back beat, or pulse to it which is absent from so many other electronica acts. Most of the songs on the record flow into each other, making this record feel like one big concept album. This is neat, but makes it easy to zone out and miss a few song transitions making it hard to rate individual tracks. Overall, surprised to say that it wasn't bad. Nothing spectacular, but average. Favourite songs: Leave Home, In Dust We Trust, Song to the Siren, Three Little Birdies Down Beats, Chemical Beats Least favourite songs: One Too Many Mornings, Playground for a Wedgeless Firm, Chico's Groove 3/5

4/10 Not for me

Early Big Beat album. Enjoyed it at the time especially the collab with Beth Orton

Ok but not really my thing

Good, very mid-1990s sounding acid house/electronic/psychedelic album, which aged quite well and doesn't sound dated in 2023. I liked the second half of the album more than the first one. Overall it's weaker than their next album. Strong 3+.

Has aged pretty well for an electronic album. Not bad at all.

Not bad. Not my favorite kind of music, but albums like this are tough because you really have to be in the right mood to enjoy it. None of the songs stood out over the rest. 3/5 Probably won't listen again.

Wel geinig. Zit een lekker tempo in

Good! Just a bit repetitive.

Dated now

Best geinige muziek dit hoor. In mijn oren is het een doorontwikkeling van allerlei jazzy instrumentale (film)muziek uit met name de jaren zestig. Die track 'In dust we trust' hoor ik een riff van filmmuzikale eindbaas John Barry (Vendetta, helemaal leuk in de uitvoering van de Belgische gitaarmafketel Pierre Vervloesem). Maar goed, dat is mijn associatie. Wel valt het album in herhaling. Soms hoor je minuten lang hetzelfde. Hier had af en toe wel even de schaar in gekund.

"Oooh, while I work out, I'm going to listen to something to remind me how monotonous and repetitive it feels!" The only context I can think of where this makes any sense to listen to is while dancing or working out... And yet it would be at the bottom of my list for both of those things. Cool beats though. I think they achieved what they were going for, I just don't know why anyone would go for that.

I liked Surrender back in the day. This isn’t as good, and is kind of dated sounding, but still solid for what it is.

Not quite as good as their sophomore album but still quite good

Exactly what I would have imagined the Chemical Brothers' debut album to sound like. Big, energetic dance music. None of the hits are on here, but it's commercial, accessible and fun throughout. Turn this up to 11, add a big lightshow and you can't fail to have a good time. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Leave Home Date listened: 05/08/23

ASMR for GenX. 5/10, 3 stars

Love the chemical brothers but.for this album, it just sounded like one same song

not a genre i normally listen to, but honestly pretty listenable as background music. would consider listening to it again. not bad.

If you have seen my previous review of Fatboy slim, this is the exact same review. Techno. There we go.

First half of the album just made me feel like I was watching "blade" with Wesley snipes. Then a few real nice chill tracks. Then more forgettable trancey stuff.

on se croirait dans un film tout le long de l'album

Not much remarkable, but nothing I didn't like either. Chemical Brothers were on my radar from when they first became popular, and this is much like what I remember hearing in the 90's.

Still not into this style, but it had irs moments. C

A decent start for the Chemical Brothers, if less propulsive than their later work. Surprisingly dreamy.

Fun! Fine!

Time to "ketchup" on a few albums I forgot to review lately (that's a pun because the best one in the batch was Emperor Tomato Ketchup). Always enjoy the Chemical Bros, this album has one of my favorites from them, "Playground of a Wedgeless Firm." Very cool album, maybe not as explosive as I'd hoped, but still a good listen. Favorite tracks: Playground of a Wedgeless Firm, In Dust We Trust, Three Little Birdies Down Beats. Album art: A couple walking along side a car, seems very '60s or '70s. Nothing crazy to this one at all, very unassuming. 3.5/5

Pretty fun! Enjoyed it much more than I was expecting to. I’m not sure why but in my head this was gonna be a bit of a harsh and glitchy listen but I was pleasantly surprised at how strong some of the grooves were. Some great sounding blips and bloops but ultimately nothing that’s gonna have a lasting impression on me. Regardless, some fun bops I can definitely see myself getting silly to in someone’s shed. Calling it 3.5 Fav track : chemical beats Side note I forgot to add yesterday that the devendra banhart album was a 2.5 not a 3, but also might downgrade it to a 2 idk

High energy, electronic music. It was alright, everything kind of blended together to me, their other album on this list is better.

The Chemical Brothers take you on a journey of their electronic home planet on this, their almost soundtrack-like debut album. I find it hard to stay engaged through it all, but my head keeps bobbing and their sound is just classic.

Is this what it feels like to chew five gum???

Not my style of music.

"The brothers gonna work it out." -Leave Home, the first track, opens with that well-known Chemical Brothers pace and cadence. Since listening to this album, I've learned that the Chemical Brothers had to change their name to not conflict with the famed the Dust Brothers (both great names, IMO), early collaborators with my beloved Beastie Boys. Song to the Siren is an electro-jam! Very fast paced, 90s club music vibe.

I didn’t hate

In truth an entire album’s worth is a bit too much sensory overload but in bits and pieces can be a lot of fun.

Beth Orton’s vocals close this out so euphorically - a nice callback to having Central Reservation to listen to earlier in the week - and I made a delicious ciabatta while listening to this record. Great vibes, would background-listen again.

Ovo bi vjerojatno bio 10/10 album da sam nadrogirana Leave home - I hope the Brother worked it out Im dust we trust - funky ahh ime Song to the sirena - bome je sirena i malo drugacije zvuci od prve 2 Three little birdies down Beats - dobar transition al to je vjerojatno jer sve zvuci isto Odustala sam od rejtanja individualnih pjesama at this point Bilo mi je fora na prvu sad mi vise nije fora Opa kakav plot twist zadnja pjesma ima tekst Neočekivano

da moram birat, ne bi ovo slusala, iritantno i sve mi isto zvuci, al aj kao ok "one too many mornings" -najslusljivija na albumu, moze proc "life is sweet" - kao mellow verzija prodgyja (al sam mal zbog glazbe) "alive alone" - najbolja mi na albumu

the brother's gonna work it out - subjective genitive

В целом интереснее Нью формс, но сверх впечатляющего не нашел, так что 3+

Like so many electronica albums on this list, I listen to a lot of live DJed electronic music that album stuff just never works as well. It's fine but I've heard a lot better.

Great BPM, great momentum, unique sound perfectly fine poppy dance from the noughties computer drum-machine era. Serviceable for them that likes it

Makes me wish I could have gone to a garage party in '96. Loses point because their next two album are much better. Not sure what the obsession with debuts are on this list.

90s action movies called- they want their soundtrack back.

I only listened once which is not a fair reflection but it sounded good. Felix & I rocked to it ! So 3*

Meh

My college roommate played this album all the time and I feel this album belongs on the list because they helped to bring club culture to the forefront in the 90's. So this isn't my type of music or sound, as I do prefer more vocal-oriented club music.

Molto figo

Electronic vibe music. Kinda like Mobey. It’s better than that Goldie nonsense. Doubt I will re-listen but I wouldn’t say it’s bad.

Je l'ai mieux aimé que l'autre que j'ai eu d'eux, beaucoup plus mon vibe, mais reste que le big beat n'est vraiment pas mon genre préféré d'électro.

Kind of a strange choice for a representative record from this era and from this band - I can see though how it's kind of a bridge between the earlier and more 'underground' electronic music (Orbital, Underworld) to the late-90s 'big beat' stuff that became so mainstream (Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada, Prodigy).