Reviews (page 5 of 8)
electronic, not terrible and didnt force me to stop listening to it as i was working
Meh, I can take it or leave it.
Didn't mind this for the first little while but it got old fast
good bass. I think other things were there but can't be sure
Didn’t hate, didn’t love. Honestly these tracks were kinda crazy to listen to on my workday commute. I’m surprised I didn’t dislike it as much as other albums but hey, maybe I’m just maturing
I liked this album better than a lot of similar ones. Not entirely sure why. Felt like the Prodigy and old Toonami music. Reminds me of the old days.
I really liked this album... for the first 25 minutes. I guess it's easy to stretch out songs like this when you're just constantly looping everything. I got distracted and stopped listening after writing that first part. I picked up the second half of the album while working on a spreadsheet. That's what you need to do to enjoy this album! Breaking it up really helped, and half focusing on something else is the way to go. Couldn't do it all at once, but still enjoyable.
Imagine you visit London on a business trip. Your daughter is going to school there for the semester and you meet her for dinner. She convinces you to go with her to meet her friends who are going clubbing. You agree to go for one drink and one of those “friends” slips you some MDMA at the club and the drug kicks in. The next hour+ of your life sounds like this album. In all seriousness, I found the album to be pretty repetitive except "Setting Sun" and "Where Do I Begin" both of which had vocals. I did enjoy the bass lines in several of the songs but the drums were rather annoying throughout.
Noisy, fine but a bit bland. Probably good for work rotation
After it started, I didn't expect to like this much--but that changed quickly. I don't know as I've ever heard any Chemical Bros. Pretty fun, if you can use that word to describe techno. Grabs your ears. Endlessly engaging and inventive, often surprisingly so. I would normally think this is only good on the dance floor, but it works (for me) as background music that you occasionally drop in on and attend to.
I have almost nothing to say about this except I find it a bit wearing. I like Block Rockin’ Beats.
First, what a great name for a band (musical collaboration, etc.). Second, each song on this album is pretty excellent. And they are songs, not just sonicscapes, which I find to be true of many other contributions in this genre. But... it's just a lot in one sitting. I guess I'd say it's too much. Even if the MDMA were kicking in, I don't know that I'd hang on this vibe for over an hour.
Best served when rolling on the dance floor. But not terribly bad at my desk trying to pound through some work...not as much fun though.
More of not my style.
I've always loved the opening bass line to block rockin beats. The rest of the album falls short of spectacular. It's way too heart pounding to listen to as an old man of 53. It gives me anxiety. But imagine yourself in the '90s ,young again & a tweaker at a club. Let's drop some X and go for it. Oh to be young again.
Started off strong, but seemed pretty boring by the end. Just not my kind of music.
Respect perus electronicat
I do have a soft spot for this kind of stuff done well and there's a few songs here that work for me. But it does get a little long in the tooth.
Yes it's boring monotonic electronic music if you "listen" to it, but that's not what it's meant for. I can imagine it works really well on the dance floor. And the Chemical Brothers are influential, so I understand this is in the list. 1-2* for musical quality, 4-5* it its genre, a 3* it will be then.
Este segundo álbum de los Chemicals Brothers estableció el sonido definitivo del Big beat yendo más allá en todos los estilos (club, psicodelia, hip-hop) que meten en su coctelera. Ya sólo la apertura del disco "Block Rockin' Beats", con su fusión de hip-hop y hardcore techno , hace de este un disco imprescindible. Del resto del disco destacaría "Elektrobank" y el homenaje sónico a los Beatles de "Setting Sun".
yeah sure. i don't reach for this genre often, but i can tell this is standout
This was fine. I liked the Justice album more though. I think we've had a lot of electronic music recently, and maybe I'm just burnt out on that, but this didn't stand out to me at all as anything special.
For some reason, The Chemical Brothers were a group that cool people I liked on LiveJournal all seemed to like but I couldn't get into. They would also talk about them like they were this really weird underground unpopular band, but then Block Rockin' Beats was all over the place. I'm sure at least part of this is just how life is, but when I was younger and trying to Find Myself and ideally do so by finding unique and cooler music than everyone else, this group just didn't do it for me. Today was better, although I think a full album of it is a bit much (or maybe the last two tracks dragged more than the others).
Yeah it was fine, kinda passed me by. I like the hits, who doesn't?
Hated this at first, it felt like the beastie boys trying and failing to make their way into techno. By the end though there were some real jams
I liked this more than I thought I would. As repetitive as it is, Chemical Brothers have a certain edge to their sound that keeps me interested. This is something I wouldn't mind listening to again. 3.25/5
Some cool drum beats here, and some annoyingly repetitive vocal parts. How many times did they say "Who is this doin' this synthetic type of alpha beta psychedelic funkin'?" The lyrics on Apple Music say 20 times in a row, though it felt like more. When it's not doing cool drums or annoying vocals, it kind of fades into the background and I forget it's on, I guess as you would if this was playing at a club. Dance music isn't my thing, so it's just mediocre to me.
Pretty electronic. Pretty Dub
They present more aggressive yet more engaging and melodic style of electronic music than their British DJ friends. I knew their name beforehand and I wasn't the biggest fan. Still I respect them for creating another branch and going with it in a succesful way.
High 3
Very 90s record for sure. Had some pretty cool songs, but it was a pretty up and down experience. 'Block Rockin' Beats' and 'It Doesn't Matter' felt like perhaps the strongest songs, other than that it wasn't anything special that stuck to me. Hasn't aged nearly as well - or reach the same level of quality - as Prodigy, even though they have quite similar sounds. Think I will seattle on a weak 3.
Hard one to review for me. It has a cool sounds and "Block Rockin' Beats" is a really cool track. The rest is also fun but I have trouble knowing when I'd want to listen to it. Maybe at a rave? I think I'm missing some melody or vocals to get it to reach the same height as "Fatboy Slim" or "Massive Attack". Going to settle for a strong 3.
Cool transformative house/party and techno. 3.4
Reminds me of bring a teenager and playing video games. I don’t think this was the album I’ve listened to before but sounds like everything I remember about chemical brothers!
Sharp
I remember friends putting this one and a few other similar ones on at parties when I was younger. It's nostalgic, and reminds me of way too many long nights partying.
Good dance music, I suppose.
so much of this just blurred together for me, it couldnt hold my attention for long. not really my vibe but I can still appreciate the effort.
If the list was 1001 albums to listen while on drugs, I’d give this 5 stars.
As soon as Block Rockin' Beats came on, my nostalgia kicked in and I thought "wow, I forgot how good this song was". But then it just kept going and going and going. Then the next few songs came on and they all sounded the same, and I thought this would be a long slog. It started to get a little better after that, but overall still too long and too repetitive, and the second half really took a nose dive energy-wise. 3.5 stars
Pretty alright
A very adequate drummer we ho found a few more guys to be his backup band. Sigh. Way too much
The album starts off with a banger that makes you want to move your body. And it holds its momentum straight into the next track. But eventually, throughout the course of the album, the music takes a turn, and becomes very unsettling. Dig Your Own Hole is an apt title for the set; the further down you go, the darkness becomes more dense. The album becomes an audio assault. The beats hit super hard, and the drums are red-lining for a solid hour. I think I could have handled this in smaller bites. But by the end, my ears were waving the white flag.
Pretty nice high 3 3.5/5
Again okay
Did some head bopping. Don't mind it being over.
Kiva ettei mennyt aggressiiviseksi, vaikka olikin anteeksipyytelemätön ja tehokas meno koko levyn ajan. Eheä kokonaisuus. Ehkä vähän liiankin eheä - etenemistä ei oikeastaan huomannut, olisin kaivannut sitä että voisi kuunnella kehitystä suuremmalla mielenkiinnolla.
Enjoyed the vibe much more than anticipated …. Don’t think it’s going to make my regular rotation, but I will listen to them again !
Bien, correcto
Techno, Trance, Grunge, Wave, Punk und indrustial auf einem Album, das ist wie eine Pizza mit zu vielen Zutaten. Man schmeckt die einzelne Zutat nicht mehr heraus und ganz süßen kann man Sie auch nicht weil alles zusammen zu schwer im Magen liegt. Ja, das Album hat power und ein paar Lichtblitze, z.B. „Don‘t Stop The Rock“ oder „The Private Psychedelic Reel“ und natürlich „Block Rockin‘ Beats“ aber insgesamt versucht das Album 1 Std. den Hörer zu nerven und das gelingt ganz gut.
Soundi ja tunnelma on erittäin hyvät, mutta biisien kestosta joutuu vähän sakottamaan, koska turhan usein jäädään samaan looppiin jumputtamaan. Silti oikein kuunneltava levy ja paljoa ei jää neljästä tähdestä vajaaksi.
Need a copious amount of drugs and a dirty warehouse to get thru this
Not super into electronic music but still was a fairly decent album. Was fun to listen too.
Dit soort Eric-muziek vind ik altijd wat tegenvallen, zie eerdere recensies. Deze is nog wel geinig, het luistert vlot weg en er zit wat herkenbaar spul van vroegah tussen. Maar heel hard ga ik nou eenmaal niet op dit spul.
Het vorige album van de chemische broers vond ik verrassend goed, ondanks of juist doordat er geen bekende nummers op stonden. Dit album vind ik voornamelijk de 2 bekende nummers interessant en steengoed. Als het meer van dat soort ravend beukwerk is, dan had het zomaar weer 5 sterren kunnen zijn. Maar dit album heb ik nu al 2x geluisterd en de rest van de nummers voelt iets teveel als opvulmateriaal aan. Er zit soms wel een aardige beat in of een goed gevonden geluid, maar het is me iets te langdradig ofzo, ik weet het niet. Het doet me niks, ik sta niet te stuiteren op de werkvloer. En dan duurt het album simpelweg te lang. Het geheel is eigenlijk niet meer dan een aardige 3 en die paar goede nummers hebben moeite om dat naar een 4 te trekken. Ik moet weer eens streng zijn.
Not my type of thing at all but it was catchy and was a few songs I actually knew.
Solid album. Through the first 50 or so albums, I seem to be on the 90s, English electronica algorithm. I don't hate it. This one is solid backbeat, which I enjoyed--just not as much as the others in this genre thus far. ***
Some good tracks on the album, but it's a little monotonous as a whole.
Not my go to genre, but it had it's fun moments. A bit too repetitive for too long for me, but the high energy was contagious
Listening to this on the way home. I feel like I am in the Matrix, if instead of fighting computer generated bad guys and looking cool the matrix was about a middle aged guy driving his 2015 Honda Accord home to the suburbs. It started good. But got very repetitive
Great movie soundtrack type of record. Fine music to run to maybe. Wears on you after a while though
it did what the title says.
I really liked “Setting Sun” already but the rest of the album didn’t do it for me. I just don’t really like pure electronica that is heavy on the instrumentals.
It's ok.
Interesting! Not really for me!
Some great tracks on here, but a bit of filler. Definitely a break through record for them though and one that propelled them into the mainstream.
Honestly much better than a lot of the other electronic albums we've had. Got old quick because it's out of my normal genre circle, but still well made
This was cool. It felt like it had peaks and valleys though. The final song sounded like a jazzy formula one race. Favorites were Block Rockin Beats, Setting Sun, Where Do I Begin, and The Private Psychedelic Reel.
Not super memorable? Generally fine. I hate that I write so many reviews that are just like that.
If you enjoy music with a lot of repeated repetition and the feeling you're stuck inside a video game loop, Dig Your Own Hole is your thing. It starts off strong, with a lot of energy and hyped up beats, then the repetition begins and doesn't let up until it feels like you're in a trance. I wanted to hate this, but there was something so infectious and oddly intriguing, it was hard to dislike.
- not gonna lie i actually really enjoyed this one, even if it got a bit mmadmmadmmfasdmfjahsdjgajsdhf OH MY GOD A BEAR IS TRYING TO KILL ME ILL HAVE TO USE THIS BASEBALL BAT TO DEFEND MYSELF. - I jumped atop my desk in order to achieve a height advantage as the bear slowly stumbled on his way to attack, thinking I had entered his territory. - I dont want to do this you fucking bear! - I howled from across the room, but the bear didnt understand. It couldnt understand. As it approached me, I smacked it on its snout with my baseball bat, which enraged him. The bearstumbled backwards for a moment before pouncing on me with its huge claws. I managed to jump over him at the last second but, almost instantly, the bear turned around and made one final attempt to kill me. In one final assault the bear reached downwards to bite my head off but I managed to use my baseball bat to defend myself. As the bear bit into the wooden bat, he hurt its teeth, giving me enough time to escape. - Im sorry bear but i had to! - I yelled as I ran away.
Nope
Not my usual vibe, but really good
Starts off with a total belter but then by track 4 you start to realise that they found a formula (and a riff) and stuck with it. Enjoyed it overall but can’t see me being back. I imagine it pairs perfectly with cowies in the 90s but as a 36 year old with a bad back caffeine is as buzzed as I am happy to go. The last song was the best on the album
Quite like the chemical brothers, along with daft punk they were the only rock influenced dance music around at that time. Never listened to an album and I don't think this one offered much more than the singles, though setting sun is probably my favourite chem bros track. Good background music though. Don't feel inspired to listen to any more of their albums but I could put this on in the background again I guess.
I enjoyed parts of this album but it goes on for too long that it just got lost into the background. Highlights: Block Rockin' Beats Dig Your Own Hole Setting Sun
Quite tough to review, the singles are really good and pretty iconic but I found it a tough slog having a whole album off this kinda thing. Don't think I'd ever choose to listen to the full album again, but there's nothing offensive here. Maybe once upon a time at some ungodly hour. 2.5
I enjoyed this album. It took a couple of songs to get into it, but it has a lot more to it than I expected. I'd listened to 'Surrender' but not this album... Especially good on tracks like The Private Pschedelic Reel and Setting Sun, where the drums are furious and sound real. The Beth Orton track is a highlight, too. Not every track is memorable but overall, it's a good listen to get you up and running with a kick of energy.
Brings back memories
this sounds cool, especially the closer, but it drags on far too long imo. if i wasnt an impatient zoomer this would be like a 9/10 but my tiktok brain can only give this a 6/10
Byrjar ofsalega vel en er orðið dálítið þreytt eftir hálftíma.
I had a good enough time listening to this album, but I was ready for it to end by the time I got to the last 3 songs. The production is good, I like the sound of the drums throughout the album. I doubt I will ever listen again since this isn't really my style of music, but it was enjoyable.
Popped a molly, now I’m sweating.
Liked this a bit less than the other Chemical Brothers album I've had but still decent
Although I am a fan of the dust brothers, I have to say this album did not age particularly good and it relies heavily on songs like Block Rockin’ Beats and Setting Sun to make it an above average listen
Stränge büt ok
This is a great album for raves. Not as fun to listen on your own. Of the DJ albums I’ve gotten though, it’s one of the best, it’s just long
3.5 "Not so much, A to B to C, but more sort of A to D, and then back to A, and then to X!" Quite enjoyed this.
More Chemical Brothers? Good stuff but really?
Don’t listen to electronic very often, but this was a fun listen. At face value, The Chemical Brothers use very basic beats throughout this record, but I like how as the songs progress, they add multiple layers and nuance's that make it more enjoyable. This sounds very 90’s and that’s okay, I love the 90’s.
uncha unhca uncha
It's alright. Personally I think Exit Planet Dust is the better album. This is more of an overblown, overproduced, cacophony. Too much stuff, too many samples, just too much. If you have taken far too many "caffeine pills" you might like this, or if you are the sort of person who looks at a sunset and thinks "this would be much better with flashing lights and space lasers" then this album might be for you. If you are looking for an album that stands alone, a masterpiece in a sea of mediocrity, and still sounds as fresh today as it did in the late 90's. Go listen to In Sides by Orbital. If that album isn't on the list - then there is no justice in this world.
I need to be in a certain headspace for electronic music like this, and I just wasn't... So it didn't click much. I didn't hate, but felt not interested as it played on
Another Chemical Brothers album? I’m not vibing this one either. The first 7 or so tracks are all tuneless and frantic in an unpleasant way. I cant really imagine a scenario they’d be appealing apart from a very specific mood of rave. The last 3 songs do tickle something within me though, particularly the private psychedelic reel. Fave Tracks: Lost in the K-Hole, Where Do I Begin, The Private Psychedelic Reel 2.6/5
Have you read the big beat manifesto lately, Jez?
Meh.
Fine. Not into this so much.
Very trance-like album. Feels like it could be a movie soundtrack as the vocals are minimal. It's not something I would listen to regularly but I can see it being good study/work music to get into the zone
Didn't hate this, and found it quite enjoyable as background music to get my day started.
The opening track to Dig Your Own Hole ("Block Rockin' Beats") is what i think of when I think of The Chemical Brothers. I think I may have listened to this album before, to see what The Chemical Brothers had to offer, but I don't remember much beside feeling that the music was okay. I like The Chemical Brothers enough that I would listen to new music from them, but I might have a hard time of listening for an extended period. Dig Your Own Hole fits in that exact spot - an okay album, but my enjoyment fades in and out as I try to listen to the whole thing at once. My favorite track on this album is "Where Do I Begin", which feels a little more organic while still being fully electronic (except for the vocals). "The Private Psychedelic Reel", "Block Rockin' Beats", and "Setting Sun" were saved for a second listen too. Some of the repetitiveness in the sound production keeps the overall score below what I could round up to four stars. This album is... okay.
I remember looking into how I could be cool like so many people I admired when I was a younger person. Block Rockin' Beat was on the radio, my friends went to dance clubs. I worked at a used CD store. This is the sort of music that the cool people played at their cool parties. I decided one day to put this on in the store during a bit of a down hour so I could listen while I reorganized the shelves. My manager dropped in for a visit around track 8, "Get Up On It Like This", and told me to turn it off. There are several tracks here that are pretty good, and a couple that I couldn't stand for their duration. Beth Orton elevates anything she's involved with, and "Where Do I Begin" is no exception. On the balance, this was a fairly "meh" experience. I consider myself a pretty progressive guy when it comes to music. Listening to this again after so many years, I remember that I am not now, nor have I ever been, high enough to fully appreciate this album.
In terms of Electronic music being recommended, this has been the best so far! I’m a fan of a few Chemical Brothers songs and generally like their sound. I appreciate that there is an effort to make songs that evolve and progress as opposed to the repetition I’ve been seeing in most of the selections on this list. Ultimately there are some misses that REALLY miss for me, but I did at least enjoy the listen as a whole. Special shout out to Block Rockin’ Beats being featured in a great sequence from Ken Burns’ Baseball where Ichiro is just dicking baseballs down. Top tracks: Block Rockin’ Beats, Dig Your Own Hole, Setting Sun, Where Do I Begin, The Private Psychedelic Reel
It leaves me wanting more. I think more vocals would have went a long way (something like the prodigy) but outside a few tracks this album gets a little dull
3,5
YoU wOuLdN't StEaL a HaNdBaG
Chemical Brothers at their best. 3.5/5
Bonkers
Party drugs. Do party drugs with this one. This is a 2 for me normal, and probably a 4 on party drugs (allegedly).
The first half of this album was a bit much. I admittedly almost gave up, it was exhausting. I’m glad I hung on because the second half is where the album really shines. The way It Doesn’t Matter, Don’t Stop the Rock, and Get Up On It Like This all flow together to make one long suite was a treat. Then from K-Hole on it really gets into a cool psychedelic groove.
Kind of a mix. I knew Block Rockin Beats -- good track. I also like Setting Sun. But some of the tracks are really monotonous and hard to listen to (e.g. It Doesn't Matter). Maybe on the dance-floor with a crowd and effects it would be OK, but it's hard to just listen to.
Well, this is a decent enough album, great dance music, but I'm not sure I rate it particularly highly.
Great for what it is
Usually, when I get some electronic album, I already start it with a 1-star rating, ready to go; it's definitely the music genre that less interests me. However, for this one, I can say that I kind of like it. The rock elements here and there really made it for me. It's the first electronic album from the list that I really intend to listen to again someday. It's strange to see that the other "The Chemical Brothers"' album is 1-star. Should I give them another chance?
songs went on too long
Last 3 songs lifted this
Block Rockin Beats
Do not enjoy this type of music
Music for not stealing cars, handbags or televisions 2.7
I liked this a lot more when I was a lot younger. Some good stuff on here, Setting Sun still kicks ass but I'll let this one live in the past. 3.5.
Most of this record would be FAR better in the right setting which is not while combing through a spreadsheet trying to reconcile PO’s and invoices back to a budget forecast. But to that end it did provide some energy without creating distraction.
I think they did better things
May give it a 4 after a few listens. Pretty good.
Too noisy for my taste, but still good.
I'm really not into electronica, and it seems like there's a lot of it on this list. But in terms of the genre, this is probably the best one I've listened to so far. Most of the mainstream stuff I've heard from The Chemical Brothers I've at least enjoyed to an extent, and that has translated to this album. Favorite songs are definitely "Block Rockin' Beats" and "Setting Sun."
Vähän kuin kevyempi versio Prodigysta.
Look what I can do on my laptop. Sweet for the 90s.
I enjoyed the commercial tracks,I.e the ones that had been hits. Some of the other tracks were a bit marmite; enjoyed some, others not so much. That makes it hard to rate. Overall 2/3* Low 3*
It was... OK. It sort of washed over me rather than interested me. But maybe thats a good thing sometimes...
I really like the two big singles (Block Rockin Beats and Setting Sun) and the rest is fine
Might turn on to exercise, fun album overall.
Great start with Block Rockin' Beats. Coming out of the gate strong. What movie do I know this from? Where Do I Begin is delightfully different.
It’s not bad.
Really enjoyed the middle section of the album
Música electrónica. En ocasiones rallante. Un 3.
While I like The Chemical Brothers to a certain extent, listening to their full albums never clicked with me. It’s more of a shuffle rotation kind of music for me. I have this with most electronic artists, maybe it’ll change, It’s not of of my favoriete genres. 6 out of 10
Really interesting. Took me by surprise to hear this on this list. I had heard some of these songs before but couldn’t place them. Would probably not seek this out but I’m glad for the exposure. 3/5
Starts of really great but drags on too long
Favorite Tracks: Block Rockin' Beats, Dig Your Own Hole, Elektrobank, Lost In The K Hole, Where Do I Begin
Sure, enjoyable EDM. Kind of forgettable, though. Actually, so forgettable that after calling someone, I completely forgot I was still listening to it and only realized as I was getting on to the school bus. Whatever. I thought I recognized the vocalist on ‘Setting Sun’, so I looked, and yeah, it’s Noel Gallagher. Not Liam, but Noel. Fun. ending sentence
Twas OK in its time and place
If I was in a club in 1997 this would be much better. Setting Sun is still an amazing piece of music though.
Felt like I was chained up and pelted with auricular whips and loved every moment of it. 3 lashes to the primary auditory cortex out of 5 ➰➰➰
Who is this doing this synthetic type of alpha beta psychedelic funking?
Some ok songs. A lot of noise. Weeaaak 3
Really going hard on 90s breakbeat/alt-dance lately with the Fatboy Slim, Death in Vegas, and Chemical Brothers records in the last month. This is probably my favorite of the three though. 3.5/5
This takes me back to the Manhattan dance clubs of the 90s. RIP Limelight. I do wonder why Chemical Brothers have two albums on this list when one will surely do. But hey, it's not another pop album nobody heard of this time. 3.5/5
Definitely my type of music but this album mostly was "ok" for me. That being said, "Block Rockin' Beats" is a fucking 11/10!
There were elements to this that I enjoyed, but overall it was kinda boring
I can't remember much about this album, I was doing something while listening and now it's been a few days. Must not have been too bad.
Yeah good, but not great.
2.5
Funky electronic distorted beats. Very mechanical and industrial. Probably wild if your on ketamine. Could be used in a drug fueled montage in a movie. Reminds me of the video game Wipeout. Tough sit down and focus music but good in the background.
Not something I grew up listening to, but when I was living in Europe I was made aware of this type of music. Some of it I really like, this is not one that I heard before. It does work for me mostly... other times it just seems repetitive and uninspired. Where do I begin is the exception - it is a unique break from the never ending big beats.... A few good tracks: Block Rockin' Beats, Setting Sun, Eletrobank, The Private Psychedelic Reel, Where Do I Begin. 3.5/5
Didn't stand out.
Like all electronic music that is on this list, I regularly listen to insanely good DJs at dance jams and practices so my standard is very high. This was fine. Not amazing. Fine.
Some beats go hard, but don't think the album has aged well. Highlight was Elektrobank.
A little samey. Easy enough to listen to but I doubt I'd listen twice
first time listening block rockin beats- reminded of movies where they’re committing some crime and there’s a montage of them getting ready dig your own hole- they’ve committed the crime and now they’re being chased by the police elecktrobank- they’ve made it back to the warehouse but… oh no… the police found them and now they need to gather up all the evidence that they were there and get the hell outta there piku- the crew feel like they’re in the clear. meanwhile the police are searching the warehouse. will they find anything?? setting sun- the crew are off spending their riches, living it up it doesn’t matter- turns out one of the crew members left behind a piece of evidence that could potentially reveal his identity (maybe even revealing other people in the crew) he tries to convince the crew “it doesn’t matter” don’t stop the rock- they pay off a cop to go find out what the police know lost in the k-hole- and they got away with it!!! (idk i’m kinda sick of doing this) where do i begin- and now we get a look at where they are 5 years from now the private psychedelic reel- end credits roll
Outside of my normal scope of music, this was a bit challenging through long sections of repeated beats with limited development in the songs. That being said, it is a high quality album and a great album for focus. The final song, the Private Psychedelic Reel, was definitely my favorite. I don't think this belongs in the greatest 100 albums of all time, but I'm glad I listened to it
Goed spul. In het begin is het wel een wat druk album maar je went er aan, of het wordt naar het einde toe iets rustiger. In het begin was ik bang dat het wat lang zou duren allemaal maar uiteindelijk viel dat reuze mee. Hoge 3.
The first five tracks were pretty good but the rest of the album really went south from there.
3 stars. Couple good songs but overall it was meh. Sounds like 90s techno
Very atmospheric, quite intense electronic music. I liked it quite a bit.
What a perfect scenario: Chemical Brothers the day after Prodigy! Both from 1997! It’s easier to describe one within the context of the other. Let’s start with the hits. I bought a Big Beat compilation in the 90s and the lead-off song was “Block-Rockin’ Beats”. I didn’t like it then – the beat didn’t do it for me, the sample was dull. Still not a fan. Certainly, next to the three Prodigy singles there is no comparison. Prodigy is catchier, it has much more punch and relentless energy. It’s like The Chemical Brothers had never stepped onto the dance floor. The Chemical Brothers also feel the need to assault your ears with either grating synths or endless repetition (as in “It Doesn’t Matter” or “Elektrobank”). Unfortunately, this inspired many artists over the next decades, Skrillex for example. Some of the mellower tracks near the end of the CB LP are good. So, although last week I would have said that I was more of a Chemical Brothers fan than a Prodigy Fan, this week, thanks to 1001, I’ve changed my mind. Based on this ’97 snapshot anyway.
I had an ex in college I feel like would be really into this chemical brothers album. I can definitely see it being danceable but I thought it kind of dragged as it went on. 3/5.
This is really a collection of club bangers loosely forming an album. It's really to hype for general at home listening but for a work out or the club, it is pretty awesome.
Some memorable tracks, but too long at 63 minutes.
The music is fun, and comes with the energy. I recognized the first track immediately but kind of spaced out in the middle. The electronic mix with the drum track is a pleasing type of vibe music. Overall, it’s not something I would seek out growing up in the EDM age molded my tastes for better or worse. Where Do I Begin was a pleasant surprise near the end of the album, reminding me that I should be cautious to write these summaries until the end. Regardless, my rating never changed throughout.
On assiste cette fois-ci à une véritable bataille de connaissance en chimie entre les deux chemical brothers. Plusieurs thèmes seront passés en revue parmi lesquelles la chimie organique, la chimie inorganique, la biochimie, la chimie analytique, etc... sans pour autant que l'un ou l'autre ne prenne l'avantage. L'album finira par un status quo qui n'arrangera personne, pas même le groupe Status Quo.
Les Chemical Brothers ne sont toujours pas devenus My Chemical Romance, la verrerie cassée continue à s'amonceler dans le studio. Quel manque de maîtrise du bec Bunsen...
TCB’s “Dig Your Own Hole” does everything that a good electronic album should do. It’s energetic, has creatively-utilized samples, and it consistently keeps itself fresh. The issue is not with the album, but with myself. I’m not the biggest overall electronic fan, but I can definitely recognize the stuff that SHOULD BE recognized. This is that stuff, even if it’s not something I’ll return to all the time. It’s certainly good.
ну электроника совсем сложно (хотя в параллели читала милейший пост про фэтбой слима)
High School Nostalgia.... Block rockin Beats.... YES!
3/2- Doing a health assignment
Ah, there's the Block Rockin' Beats. Great song. But after that, a lot of the beats were overwhelming and/or not mixed well enough with vocals (if any). The muffled vocals on Elektrobank were grating and Noel Gallagher's vocals sounded awful on Setting Sun. The loops on Piku and It Doesn't Matter were awful. Only mildly better on Don't Stop the Rock and Get Up On It Like This (looped beats ok, looped vocals brutal). The title track was okay and I did like the more measured Lost in the K-Hole and Where Do I Begin - the repeated male vocals on the former were strangely appealing and Beth Orton's vocals on the latter accented the beats perfectly (though I could've done without the last 2-3 minutes). The Private Psychedelic Reel was also a decent final track, again, because I feel like they didn't try to overdo the big beats (for the most part). A lot of ups and downs on this album and too many downs.
Tony hawk game type music Pretty cool at times. Awesome beats. Hypnotic at times
A generous 3. Very samey imho.
This sounds very 1990s. Loop based music, which means it's very repetitive. It has variation in sounds/FX to try to keep it interesting. It's probably better for dancing than for listening. It could have been shorter. The songs are long and the middle of the album is quite boring. Favorite song: Setting Sun.
Shades of high school here. Pretty sure I have this CD laying around somewhere. This genre of music didn't age well for me. It was decent background music to work to but nothing I'm ever going to throw on.
Good album. Glad it’s over
fait partie des groupes dont il ne faut pas écouter trop de chansons à la suite
drum and bass for when your stuck in a k hole
Started off strong and pretty enjoyable, but (in my opinion) fell into the same trap of all 90’s rave music and became fairly repetitive. Some good beats anyway. Tracks I liked: Block Rockin’ Beats Where Do I Begin The Private Psychedelic Reel
3.5
Enjoyed it. Would be better with some other artists mixed into the album vs straight.
3/5 Again, this album wasn't the best thing I've listened to ever let alone this week. I don't understand how these albums are rated so highly. Maybe I just value the time I have left in the world differently than the critics that wrote this book. It felt very trancy and repetitive and the vibe reminded me of the Matrix. I might listen to a track or two again, but probably not likely. The best thing about this album was that it came after The Sledge Sisters and I was able to make a joke about the Brothers last names being Chemical. Meh.
Fairground music. Play this on the dodgems or the roller coaster and you’ll have a wicked time.
Música electrónica. En ocasiones rallante. Un 3.
Not really my style but glad to learn more about their role in music history
Block rockin beats was so massively overplayed in the indie clubs I frequented 25 years ago that I'm no longer very excited to hear it. Although it is great. This is really good, but ultimately if I'm going to have a bit of nostalgic chems listening I am far more likely to reach for the debut, the big songs on which trigger that sweet sweet memory hit. A couple of tracks here are pretty average, or just run together without anything particularly distinguishable happening - Elektrobank, Piku, It Doesn't Matter, Don't Stop the Rock etc. when I think about it this is one of my least favourite Chems albums to be honest, I'm talking myself down to a 3. Private Psychedelic Reel though, is a different story, I fucking love that. In fairness the last 3 tracks are decent, in contrast to about half an hour of meh that precedes it. Amusingly I forgot about the Beth Orton track at the end, had her album yesterday.
Ok album, too much techno for me but a few good songs
ok i guess
Block rocking beats was the only song I recognized, but the entire album was filled with similar drum and bass, edm tracks. Overall a good example of this genre from the early 2000s.
i’m going to be honest i just couldn’t like bring myself to care about this which is really weird because it’s right up my alley. i was listening to it at the end of the night and i was like let’s goooo for five minutes and then after that my brain turned into static rejecting this and any coherent thought i could have for the album vanished.
Give the Beth Orton track 5 stars on its own. The rest is a perfect snapshot of all that was great and ridiculous about 90s Cool Britannia - a one-trick party enamored with its own legacy. But while it lasted, what a party amirite?
Absolutely not my kind of thing, but a good example of big beat dance music (I think!). Good guests, interesting samples, but all too repetitive to truly enjoy (at least without being on something).
Wow with the opener. And setting sun (Noel!) Bit samey - good but not a dance classic. Exit planet dust better.
Good dance album, reminds me of mix tapes from the 90s
Oontz Oontz Oontz.... 3 stars
INT
Not a big electronic music fan. Enjoyed a few cuts but a whole album is a bit much
I definitely preferred this over Exit Planet Dust, but the Chem Bros are still not my thing in general.
When lyrics get repeated over and over in a song it really irks me. Other than that this was alright.
Same as always: for boring and repetitive music, this was fine
I definitely thought one song was the intro to How It’s Made. On another note if I were to do Berghaintrainer and mention the chemical brothers I feel like I would finally get in…. Some of this was good but it got too deep techno for me others
Molto trippy
Overall pretty solid. Probably bordering on a little too repetitive for me. Not quite chill enough to stay in the background, but not varied enough to warrant listening to it on it's own merits, so it occupies this kinda weird space for me. Solid 3 I guess. Standouts: Block Rockin' Beats, Elektrobank, Piku, Lost In The K Hole, Where Do I Begin, The Private Psychedelic Reel
Will never be favourite but I can see it being for others
Totally appreciate them but not for me. The songs back to back become grating and repetitive.
AKA Cool Bass Sounds: The Album. This definitely pushed dance music forwards and it's better, and less cringeworthy, than The Prodigy's output at the time. But the production sucks. It sounds like it was mixed more like a rock album than a dance one, and the drums sound especially washed out and lost in the mix. It makes you realise how much the French Touch improved the genre by applying a lick of polish.
Guilty of a lot of the trappings of electronica (persistent drone in the background, random airplane/space noises, repetition and redundancy and playing the same thing over and over again), but more listenable than many others in the genre. Best track: The Private Psychedelic Reel
Great techno, not my favorite style, but enjoyed the listen
3. Strange album - some classics in here but much of it is unexciting or uninteresting. Standouts: Block Rockin' Beats, Piku, Setting Sun, Where Do I Begin.
Mid
I don't dislike this, but 60+ minutes gets really same-y and indistinct.
very good album good stuff
5th September 2022 Listened on the drive back from London, first day in TVC. Not one to listen to in a traffic jam but in a field at 2am - absolutely.
Die lief damals™️ bei uns bei einschlägigen Erfahrungen, die man seinerzeit so gemacht hat, öfter mit. Gefällt mir etwas besser als ihre Vorgängerin. Schlechte drei Sterne.
"Block Rockin' Beats" and "Setting Sun" are classic big beat tracks, so I had high hopes for this album, but found it a bit underwhelming. Maybe I should give it another listen, but for now, I'm rounding up from 2.5 stars.
Good music for writing a report. Setting Sun is great and you get the bonus of Noel Gallagher.
Not bad. NOt really my kind of music but it was enjoyable
A mix of good bangers and hard to listen to jumbled tracks
Pretty good electronic sound. Slightly crass at times
Su música es buena pero es un disco largo y rebasó mi tolerancia al género. La canción que más me gustó fue Setting Sun, le ayuda que canta Noel. Block Rockin' Beats es la mejor del disco.
Me pasa siempre con los Chmical Borthers: empieza muy bien y me está gustando, pero después de un rato empiezo a sentir que ya fue demasiado, la rola debería hacer fade out e ir a la que sigue. En este disco siento eso con casi todas. Me gustó la selección de instrumentos y que hay momentos en los que suena lleno de capas y detalles, pero tarde o temprano me cansa.
Obviously there are cool sections of beats on the album, but it’s hardly an album that can he listened to from beginning to end. I don’t think more than one of their albums are a must hear.
somewhat dated to a modern ear. groundbreaking at the time of release.
Mid
I like quite a few The Chemical Brothers songs, but not really many of the ones on this album. I've never heard it before and the only one that I partially liked was 'It Doesn't Matter' and 'Get Up On It Like This', but I wouldn't listen to this album again
If there is one thing this list has been successful at doing, it is convincing my Spotify algorithm that I am attempting to pick out music for a Fast and the Furious reboot
Sommige nummers top, sommige te langdradig
This took me back. Good album. But not one that I would listen to during the normal course of my day.
I love Block Rocking Beats, the rest was ok.
First time listening, not bad. Was a bit of a mix of 90s music.
Iconic sounds from the late 90s. A mix of Saturday night bangers and Sunday morning ambience. Diverse sounds but you know it’s the Chemical Brothers.
Cover art 4/5 I remembered it being better. Was tired of it after a while
This album is a perfect example of a style I don't like being done well. There's a few parts I like, and there are no parts I hate on here. This is probably a pretty good album. But what really bothers me about this kind of electronica is that it is soooo repetitive within tracks. The loops sound good, but they repeat every 1-2 seconds over a 5 minute track without much else of anything going on. This can be OK for background music, but gets pretty annoying really fast when paying too much attention to it. That said, I really enjoyed the tracks that didn't follow this typical set-up. Specifically the only actual 'songs' on the album (Setting Sun and the beginning of Where Do I Begin) as well as the way more varied closing track The Private Psychedelic Reel. I can see myself awarding a full album like that an easy 5 stars. Most of the rest is worth a measly 2 stars in my book though.
Best Song: Dig Your Own Hole. Incredibly funky. Could imagine it as the soundtrack of a chase scene in a Matrix-era movie. Worst Song: Get Up On It Like This. The song closes out with a repeating vocal sample that sounds JUST like the sound Baby Mario makes when you take damage in the SNES Yoshi's Island game, and that sound is permanently associated with anxiety and trauma. Overall: Good background and working music. Not as exciting as much of the other electronic music on this list, but still pleasant to listen to.
Ssaaaiiiigghhhtt
A fusion of danceable and rock. (6/10) FT: Setting Sun
A very good album for today's gym work, lots of good stuff, though lacked a bit more that would take it above a 3.5 I think. When it hits, it really hits, but I think they dragged some tracks out longer than needed without doing enough to justify it. Still, can't go wrong with much of it.
This is good, but not great I think? I don't know the Chemical Brothers album by album, but I don't think that there's quite enough here to excite me compared to some of their other work. That said, it's definitely not a bad listen - the fact that I was happy to listen to an hour of dance music at 7.30-8.30 on a Monday morning suggests it must be pretty good - but there weren't any tracks that really stood out. I tend to prefer their more psychedelic stuff, so the end of the album was more me than the start, but still a good album. Top end of a 3.
Loud, repetitive, intense, hard work at times but an overall enjoyable listen. Definitely need to be in the right frame of mind if I ever re listen.
Decent grooves, but many of the tracks just drag on for a bit too long. I found myself getting disinterested even with a few more minutes of the track left. 6/10
As it always happens to me with Chemical Brothers, I like to listen a couple of songs, and then it becomes repetitive, monotonous. However, I liked it
Ça s'écoute bien, je comprends pourquoi c'est si bien coté, mais moins mon genre d'électro
I’ve really struggled to get into any of the 90s dance/electronic albums on the list so far, so approached “Dig Your Own Hole” with a bit of caution. It still might not be entirely my thing, but it’s definitely the best of the genre/era I’ve heard so far. The album begins with a very promising bang. An apt sample of “back with another one of those block rockin’ beats” kicks off a simple looped bassline and the seismic, reverb soaked drums come crashing in, demanding any listeners attention. I can only imagine the impact live or through club speakers- it must have blown the roof off. “Elektrobank” has a similar impact, sustaining exceptional energy levels to border on full-on rave mania. Later, “Setting Sun” is the first track with sung vocals (by no less than Liam Gallagher). Having actual lyrics and a melody to get behind helped me to enjoy the album more, even if there are stronger songs on here. The subsequent run had me starting to feel a little fatigued- “It Doesn’t Matter”, “Don’t Stop the Rock” and “Get Up On It Like This” don’t particularly bring any new ideas to the table after a fairly strong opening run. But the last three tracks save it by diving into much trippier territory- more prominent keyboard, echo galore and hypnotic beats. If you’re going to hear just one track, make it “Where Do I Begin” featuring Beth Orton on vocals. It’s a bit of an outlier here, but it’s a stoned cold classic. The finale, “The Private Psychedelic Reel”, suitably lives up to its name with an almost symphonic feel and a brilliant sitar-style loop leading the way. It’s glorious. Not too surprised to have enjoyed this- after all, the Chemical Brothers supposedly based their whole career on the sound of The Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows”- but very glad I can finally share an EDM album I quite liked.
Decent but not really my taste, understand its importance tho, 6.5/10
I had this album. I did a lot of homework while listening to the repetitive beeps and boops. It was a feature, not a bug, but now it just bugs me.
Fine background music. I enjoyed Where Do I Begin.
Pub music...
Cool as background music or would work really well on the soundtrack of a 90s/00s action movie, but to just listen to as a whole album it just becomes noise at a certain point. A bit too long for how repetitive the songs are
I am enjoying listening to this so far, the beats are satisfying. Some of the spoken samples can be a bit repetitive and take away from the music. Not a bad album overall.
The key to scungy 90s UK techno is to remember it occupies a background space the same as movie scoring, just in a slightly different way: for me at 13 it was the soundtrack to ps1 snowboarding games, but if you were a few years older it went with taking ecstasy. But it's the complementary activity, not the primary - on its own you focus too much on how loud, repetitive, bland and overly long the music is. So listening to this album at 6am on a friday morning while not on MDMA is out of context and unfair to the review process, but you know what else is unfair? this book spamming us with so many albums of what is essentially a niche genre for gen X druggos. 3/5.
Tämä elektroloopailu ei ole edelleenkään yhtään sellainen juttu mistä jaksaisin suuremmin innostua. Pari kertaa tämän kuunteli oikein mielellään läpi töitä tehdessä, ja saattoipa mukana olla pari tutun kuuloista kappaletakin. Jykevämpää biittiä tarjoilevat kappaleet (esim. Elektrobank, It Doesn't Matter) potkivat oikein kelvokkaasti. Suuri osa kappaleista oli kuitenkin jokseenkin yhdentekeviä. Kakkosen ja kolmosen välimaastossa painitaan, ja ehkä levyn kohokohdat olivat sen verran päräyttäviä että kolmonen on ansaittu.
90s big beat. I know Chemical Brothers have a big following and were a scene staple, but listening to it just exhausts me. For me not sure it aged as well as some other similar material. If I was on E in a rave I'd probably enjoy it more.
Not the biggest fan
solid beats. nothing that knocked my socks off
Ok I love chemical brothers just as much as the next person. I would give all of these tracks 5 stars on a big night out of course. In any other context though I can't find myself enjoying a large amount of these songs. Block Rockin Beats is epic of course. It's a bit too long and for sure by the end I'm a bit anxious and feel as though I might actually be in a K hole. 4/10
Didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. The hits are strong, but a lot of the album felt a bit monotonous, abrasive and relentless. Enjoyable if you were out of your mind in a field somewhere, but not something I would just put on for casual listening.
Really well done, just not my thing.
A couple of good stand out tunes - Setting Sun and Where Do I Begin. Prefer some of their later albums to this one.
Cool tracks, cool beats. 90s video game/matrix soundtrack vibes with some trip hop style electronica with overlay of repeated lyrics.
I don’t often do techno but this was far from repetitive and kept it interesting
this album is annoying as hell because you can hear that they have ideas but they instead choose to be the aural manifestation of a pair of JNCOs
Alright. Ok.
Not bad! I surprised myself with this one. Not my first choice but songs to appreciate.
Fun, funky, top notch beats. An hour of it is a bit much. Fave Songs: Lost in the K Hole, Where Do I Begin, Dig Your Own Hole, Elektrobank
Really good electronica album. It Does'nt Matter is one of my favorites from the time. 3.4/5
better live, can't get into it at a desk
Some belters
You could have told me this was the Matrix soundtrack and I'd have believed you. Not in a bad way, but not that great either. 3.5
Gods. Repetitive. Good. Repetitive…
started off cool and strong, devolved into beats and trance I couldn't get into. Probably would've been better listened-to in small chunks.
This is all very same-y sounding, but it's fine for what it is.
3.4 - I was 17 when this came out so this album had every opportunity to make an impact but I never really connected with it. Still, it’s good as high energy background music maybe for a spinning class or if I’m video editing.
Dont like electronic genre, but I could find something interesting in this album. Setting sun - is the best
was nice at the time in a club, especially opening song, but no real fun to listen now.
This will probably work well at a rave or during a work-out, but for a pure listening experience it was too repetitive and not captivating enough. When I first listened to this album, soon after it was released, I did remember it to be much less interesting than the debut Exit Planet Dust.
Ik weet dat het goed in elkaar zit en dat zij wel echt een grote dance-act zijn. Maar zo thuis luisteren is niet aan mij besteed. Wordt er onrustig van.
Ik had verwacht dat ik het leuker zou vinden. Ik vond het soms herrie, misschien word ik oud.
Not bad
Sheer number of songs saved might point this higher, but this trailed a bit around the middle for me - it's probably too long for what it is. Still very enjoyable and I'm loving these dark beats albums, this just wasn't as good as endtroducing, which I can't help but compare it to Saved: Dig Your Own Hole, Elektrobank, Setting Sun, The Private Psychedelic Reel*
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Piku, Setting Sun, Lost In The K-Hole Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Didn't really get it at first but the beats won me over on the second relisten. I like that their music feels organic even though it's all electronic and samples. It was a tad long, but they do so much genre melding that there is something for everyone on this album if you're willing to submit to the beats.
Trod a line between genius and annoying
I liked the Prodigy and Fatboy Slim back in the day. Never got into the Chemical Bros, so this has no nostalgia attached for me. The big beat sound hasn't aged that well. It's like the brash soundtrack to the New Labour party conference after-party. Nice crisp rhythms, some pleasing melodies and samples, vague sense of Y2K optimism that the world isn't a pile of shit. I dunno, 3* or something. I'd prefer some bleak techno or jittery IDM.
I can feel this albums influence on a lot of music. While I don't think I am a huge fan. It was really solid to have playing in the background.
Mildly annoying.
Familiar with the first track, and the rest of the album felt like decent enough background listening
Very interesting band…. Ok
Play that funky music, Chemical Brothers. I’ve liked these guys for a while but haven’t heard this album. Maybe not their most electrifying work, but certainly a vibe and certainly some bangers. Very consistent listen all the way through. Favorite tracks: Elektrobank, Block Rockin Beats, Lost in the K Hole, Setting Sun. Album art: Very simple, but effective. Lots of black and white covers lately, which is always less interesting to me. But they’ve all been pretty solid, including this one. 3.5/5
better than the other one
76. A culpa é tua, Raul. Depois não te queixes. Não seguras a porta quando vão ao Pine Mall. Não levas os sacos, não empurras o carrinho. A empregada vem, olhas para baixo, a empregada vai, olhas para trás. Estás chato, Raúl. Não há nada em ti que já não te conheça. Isso é horrível. Demoras muito a contar a mesma história de todos os jantares. Não admira que a patroa te tenha dado a provar a Smith & Wesson. MotA: Setting Sun "Back with another one of those block rockin' beats"
Album art:1
Good album
Meh
A couple of absolutely fantastic big beat songs amidst a bunch of forgettable ones . Fatboy Slim is better IMO.
yeaaa i have this on TAPE it's not my thing though :( it was quite aggressively uh peep show big beat haha oh well
Basically have the same thoughts on this as Prodigy a few weeks ago. Makes me think of every drug use, rave, or hacker scene in 90s/00s film and tv. I do like it, but over an hour is a bit tiresome.
Great album - Just waaaaay too much