Dig Your Own Hole

Cool transformative house/party and techno. 3.4

Repetitive driving workout music. Could've been Prodigy for all I knew. Solid in certain settings.....but then again, so is most music.

Pretty fun. Not my usual style but good background music. Made me feel like I was in the club in the 90s even though I was checking emails. 4

They were decent, not shower vibes but if we were in a club in the late 90s we'd be all over it.

Iba para 4, pero de pronto aparece Where Do I Begin y ...

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 really enjoyed this musically. It had some rough moments in terms of sounding a bit shouty at times. This was on one of my smoothest setups too (ZMF Atrium, R2R DAC, tube amp).

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.

Liked it.

Memories of smoking weed in grimey, blacklight lit central NJ basements at the tail end of the 90’s. We’d play Dreamcast, order Domino’s because they were the only pizzeria in the area that delivered and listen to records like this one. Can’t say I miss it much, but that’s how we killed time in the middle of nowhere without drivers licenses.

This is a exceptional album, it was one of the first of it's kind and paved the way for this style of music. I don't think there is one weak track on it. I've listened to it before, and will listen to it again.

Big beat classic - harshly rounding down to 4 as it has aged a little.

I feel like I just spent 63 minutes playing Twisted Metal on my PlayStation1. That game always gave me a headache after 15 minutes. I’m sure this is high-quality electronica. But my score is based on how much I enjoyed it and the likelihood I would listen to it again.

This album forced its rating down by choosing to keep a couple of annoying songs on an already lengthy disc. Rave material that’s too fast for most workouts and too long to bounce to in one sitting. 2.5.

Good dance music, I suppose.

Classic electro album from 90s. Still sounds fresh today. Heard it many times but good to hear again. 7.5/10

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.

What a start and end to the album! Block Rockin Beats gets a star on its own. Everything in between got kind of samey but I enjoyed it. Good stuff

Big guitars, big beats. Nice 4/5

Another baffling choice for a Greatest list.

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

4.5/10

Probably 3-4 stars for the opening track and the albums to come. But two for this album.

A great album from a genre I normally can’t stand

Find someone who loves you the way people in the 90s loved listing to the same sentence over and over and over again.

A very adequate drummer we ho found a few more guys to be his backup band. Sigh. Way too much

Really not my thing. I get the variety of different sounds used, but if a song is going to be over 5 minutes long at least add some more progression throughout. It got tedious to listen to. Incredibly boring.

Put this one in the category of things that I can see how it could appeal to someone, but that someone isn't me. It's a '90s British electronic album that has some rock-ish moments. Most of the songs don't have lyrics but a few do. I generally liked the lyrics songs better. Noel Gallagher sings at one point, so does Beth Orton (I did like her song). There were moments here and there where I was getting kind of into it, but they never lasted super long. It's a bit of a long album too at 63 minutes. When this ended Spotify played an LCD Soundsystem song for me, and in some ways I can see the similarities between the two groups, but something about this just doesn't quite hit as much for me. Favorite song: Where Do I Begin Other: Block Rockin' Beats, Setting Sun, Lost In The K Hole 7/31/24

Eg

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.

This is just terrible repetitive shit. I hated this from start to finish.

Pretty nice high 3 3.5/5

Again okay

Did some head bopping. Don't mind it being over.

Not my taste

Well that was painful. Repetitive, annoying and irritating and those were the best bits.

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.

Heidän käsityksensä ajasta on minulle liian ajaton, mutta välillä massan seasta erottuu jotain vastustamatonta kuin It Doesn't Matter. Levy tuli jopa kuunneltua skippailematta.

Not a huge fan of EDM because it seems repetitive and droning, but if I was tripping balls this would probably be a jam.

I'll probably regret rating this so highly, but I quite enjoyed this one. Production is clean yet punchy (sounds great) and there are some creative moments & transitions. By far the best electronic album I've gotten yet. Where do I begin is a stinker though

Unsurprisingly this is incredibly repetitive. For those that like this sort of thing at least they have some tunes but otherwise it is really really boring. Elektrobank is one of the worst songs ever to grace a No1 album. Also, "It Doesn't Matter" is too. This song is mind blowingly bad. No song has been this long and less whelming in the history of music.

From the days of big beat dance! Very enjoyable psych-up music, obviously good for the ‘90s dance floor, but appropriate in so many other instances as well. Back before everyone wanted to be so durned mellow all the time.

J’ai été surpris d’aimer ça, d’habitude la musique electro-industriel c’est un peu trop rought sur le système, mais là ça touchait une belle niche. Un genre de «Evil Kraftwerk», et je suis là pour ça

This sounds like music that would play while I traveled through internet tubes in a digimon movie.

Not my style, but I did love this album at the time. It reminds me when I had subs in the can of a Ford Ranger.

First listen Saved 0/11

electric grove. Kinda OK. do i chill to it or dance at the rave?

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 !

So I never listened to a Chemical Brothers album start-to-finish before, and I found the music to be energetic, fairly original, and I enjoyed the style and beats for the most part… There really aren’t any vocals here – perhaps some spoken word and/or recorded voices – but the music really stands on its own… “Don’t Stop The Rock” & “Where Do I Begin” were my favorite tracks, but there really isn’t a bad on the album – of course nothing spectacular either, but everything is quite solid – and I enjoyed what sounded like a rhythmic “crackle” on one of the tracks… On the downside, the only thought that kept running through my brain as I listened, was how lame the electronic drums sounded… As a drummer, it just kept bothering me more and more as the album played… I get that it was 1997 and that technology was probably quite limited as compared to today, but it REALLY sounded dated – and there really much variation in those sounds… The corollary to what I disliked about the audio quality of the electronic drums, was that I kept imaging how amazing these tracks would have sounded with a live drummer, playing a real set… Wish they would have remastered it with better drums, but that’s just me… Would probably rate this as a 2.50, but can’t get it to a 3 based on my drum issue (i.e. again – love the beats, just not the lame audio quality of them – and all of the cymbal and hi-hat sounds were perhaps the worst…), so a 2 it is…

It's fine. If I were more into EDM I'd probably love it.

not a fan

I think maybe the first electronic album I've had that develops and changes during the songs! I guess I've been on early stuff, but I love this giving me some more interest to listen to. And that funky ass bass on track 1 !!!! From around It Doesn't Matter, parts of it do start to sound like the end of the party where you sober up and get bored/feel how tired you are, but still enough changes going on. Interesting and enjoyable listen for an average Thursday morning, which can definitely not be said for every edm album

Bien, correcto

Kind of same-y and forgettable with the exception of "Block Rockin' Beats", which sounds like the strongest template for the rest of the album.

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.

Oikeen viihdyttävää kamaa, mielenkiinto pysyy yllä läpi levyn

How does this even make top 1001 albums ever? I could barely make it through this and it was trash.

I dunno man, like I get it, but I don't like it. Maybe would have enjoyed more back in high school on drugs.

Ça a pas très bien vieilli.

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.

Some of the songs went on a tad too long. Too many boring albums lately though, so this was welcome.

i feel like i should explore more dance / tech house albums, i like basically all the ones i've heard, this one included

Not the type of music that interests me in any way. Talented nonetheless

I’m curious as to how well known The Chemical Brothers are outside of the UK. Despite this being released in 1997, I probably can not go a week without hearing Block Rockin’ Beats somewhere. I imagine this is a UK thing, but I’d love to hear whether that is true or not. Anyway, I did quite enjoy this album. I listened while working, which meant my focus wasn’t entirely given to the music, but I felt that this worked in its favour. It kept me happy while I was typing away. I’d usually say that the more ambient side of this genre is good for focusing, but this seemed like an exception. It’s an odd hybrid of a rump shaker and Ritalin.

Becomes monotonous.

Must be nice to record 40 seconds of music and then loop it for 45min to make an album. Awful garbage. I could make this music on GarageBand in my sleep

hey what do you think are the brothers' favourite kind of chemicals ionic compounds? intermetallic? I think they appreciate a good crystalline lattice

A guy can make a case for Doing Drugs as a creative exercise. Sometimes people can access a way of expressing an idea, sometimes they can access the idea itself, while doing drugs. Regardless of someone’s moral stance, it can at least have artistic merit. This album is a Doing Drugs album that never gets past “huh huh this is trippy mate innit”. It sounds like the least interesting guy you’ve ever met, telling you about that one time they did DMT. Man this sucks.

Refused to finish. I don't have any interest in this kind of music.

Club music.

Gigantic classic, but I’m getting too old for this. Got to see them live last year, it was an enormous blast, but at my age, I was back in the VIP bar sipping on some cocktail and overpriced beer before opting out and heading to see The Cure. Chemical Brothers sound was louder even from the other stage. Wish I could relive the blast like back in the days instead of being a bit annoyed by it

2 1/2

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.

Yes!! Kom maar op met die Block Rockin' Beats! Een album dat ik vaak heb afgespeeld. Met Block Rockin' Beats als start kan het eigenlijk niet meer mis. De andere hit (toch?) Setting Sun heb ik al eens eerder genoemd. Het is knap als je met zo'n zeurende zanger en zo'n bak geluid een top-plaat kan maken. Met deze twee nummers op het album heb je de 5 sterren eigenlijk al te pakken. Toegegeven; de andere nummers hebben niet hetzelfde niveau. Maar dat maakt niet uit. Ik kan nog steeds met veel plezier luisteren naar het pompende It Doesn't Matter, ga goed op het schijnbare rommeltje op Get Up On It Like This en kan zelfs een brakke zondagochtend prima beginnen met Where Do I Begin. Zeker als ik dan ook nog even het laatste nummer laat staan. Bij elkaar haalt dit niet het niveau van Exit Planet Dust. Dus de 10 sterren die ik daar aan uitreikte, zal ik nu niet nog eens uitreiken. Maar ik kom nog steeds met gemak over de 5 sterren heen.

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.

Excelente!!!

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. ***

Truly, I’m just a girl who loves to dance. I’m especially a sucker for this era of electronic music, with those 303 buzzes and chaotic breakbeats. This style of music just scratches a spot in my brain. It’s the type of shit that would make me lose my shit in the club, but it’s also cerebral, and I have no problem listening to it sober during my 9-to-5. To me, Dig Your Own Hole is a perfectly balanced electronic album – it’s equal parts club and home-producer; equal parts rolling and trip-sitting. Sometimes I think it blends together so much that it feels less like an album and more like a DJ mix, which is fair, but feels less tight as a result. And I will say, The Chemical Brothers build songs in a much slower, less efficient way than their contemporaries, so you can sometimes get lost where you ✨are ✨ in the song. But I think these are minor critiques. When they want to get a room moving, they get that room moving; when they want to make that same room think, they really make everyone sit down and meditate on their lives. I’m not saying it’s better than Homework or even Remedy, but Dig Your Own Hole comes close, and is only a half-step down on the tier list of great 90s electronic albums. Huge fan, will be playing it loud forever now.

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

Lost In The K Hole and Where Do I Begin had some nice moments, but unfortunately there were more moments I didn't like.

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

The last third of the album is more suited for my taste. More mellow, even psychedelic on the last song. But the middle of the album is so boring and uneventful that I can't give it more than 2 stars.

What a waste of resources.

This kind of music is so far from my taste that I can barely rate this. The only way I can enjoy this music is in a 90s action movie like Mortal Kombat.

There were good moments but it always became unpleasant within 30 seconds

Lots of components I liked but finished product was kinda mid

Great movie soundtrack type of record. Fine music to run to maybe. Wears on you after a while though

hate this

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.

FIRE

Typical electronic music. Lots of repetitive beats and lyrics. Maybe it would be cool if I was in a European club with huge speakers, glow sticks, and a drink or two.

Very 90s electronic music. Cool and exciting for the most part tho

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.

20 seconds of "Block Rockin' Beats" are worth listening from this album because there is nothing remarkable more to come! Repetitive, boring and too long to be enjoyable anyway. 🙉 Really can´t understand how this album could top the charts. 🤦‍♂️ Dig a hole for this!😉 1,5

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.

I can tell that this is pretty decent for what it is, but I'd be absolutely never choose to listen to it again.

For me this is where their sound starts to come together. This album captures what's about to happen with the Matrix movies, phones and the increase in pace for digital art. But I haven't looked into that, so I'm quite likely wrong.

Still sounds amazing

I assume drugs are a must to enjoy this music

- 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

A great electronic gem for when you need some block rocking beats!

Zugegeben: Dieses Album hat etwas. Die Rhythmen packen einen. Aber auf Dauer finde ich dies nicht zu ertragen. Die Stücke sind zu lang. Sie haben etwas von Minimal Music, bei dem ja kleine Motive nach und nach verändert werden.

Yes!

Not my usual vibe, but really good

Pretty good. The songs go hard as hell. Reminds me of the Matrix soundtrack or The Prodigy. Cool!

I'm presuming you have to take some sort of drug to be able to listen to this.

Good stuff.

Block rockin beats - ooo I like this. One of my favorite opening riffs. Dig your own hole - this belongs on the Kim possible soundtrack (my beloved) Setting sun - this one was interesting. The repetitiveness of some of these beats wasn’t my favorite, but I respect the album a lot for doing something interesting and different.

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.

Not really my thing, a bit too repetitive.

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

really cool sound, but it does get a lil repetitive. I pretty thoroughly enjoyed it, though.

YMT kept giving me RMS My Generation EP so did not listen

Too much ... 2 stars

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.

Долго думал, что же поставить за этот альбом: 4 или 5. Все-таки решил, что 5. Альбом -- бомба, нафиг слова, звучание важнее. Block Rockin' Beats, Dig Your Own Hole, Setting Sun и The Private Psychedelic Reel очень хороши. Надеюсь, что эта группа еще встретится в 1001 альбоме.

A nailed-on 5 and without any competition the best dance/electronica album ever made.

Not altogether awful for what it is, but I don't really want to listen to it.

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

This shit slaps. 4/5

Byrjar ofsalega vel en er orðið dálítið þreytt eftir hálftíma.

This isn't bad, but it's also not spectacular. Pretty generic unst unst unst bwow bwow bwow music. Probably pretty great at the time, though.

the only mild problem is that is this album is a tad long. but i guess in the context of jumping out of one's head in a club sort of negates that. this album is fucking vibey. i really like it, it's like being locked into a groove for an hour. turning off almost gives the sensation of stepping off a treadmill, the world lurching around you as you find your balance. love it. 5/5

If you like repetitive agressive boring music that might be for you. But be aware that they do nothing of those thing quite well. 1 stars

Still not vibing with the electronica fusion crap.

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.

Techno dance club type album, not very many lyrics. Last song has notes of middle eastern music.

Liked this a bit less than the other Chemical Brothers album I've had but still decent

Extremely repetitive... Not my preferred variety of electronic music. Setting Sun is cool though.

Very different, yet fresh.

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

Interesting instrumentation. Singers hard to understand. Great dance beats.

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

EDM. I generally hate EDM -- beats are half-decent here so it doesn't get the lowest rating but I still couldn't even get halfway through before my head started pounding.

Block rocked right out the remaining tracks

Good listen!

I realized I've been a "real instruments only" snob for a long time. I wanted to hate this. I loved it.

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.

Stonker

When it comes to electronic music, it doesn't get much better than this.

This album always gets me amped, it’s one of my favorite running albums. Right off the bat the energy from Block Rockin’ Beats is electric. It doesn’t really slow down from there. The guest vocal tracks, Setting Sun and Where Do I Begin, are two of the best tracks, but the album is full of rockin bangers that have held up surprisingly well. It’s a little long and honestly the last song always kind of throws me off with the eastern world music sitar vibes, but overall this is a great electronic music album.

nice rocking album - especially great at work when you are trying to focus on some tough numbers crunching or mundane tasks... seriously. Hard not to foot tap or head bob along. Great find and listen. I know electronica is not for all, but I enjoyed multiple listens

Thou shall not make repetitive generic music. Thou shall not make repetitive generic music. Thou shall not make repetitive generic music. Thou shall not make repetitive generic music. Thou shall not make repetitive generic music. Thou shall not make repetitive generic music. Thou shall not make repetitive generic music. Thou shall not make repetitive generic music.

A classic of it's time. This reminds me of university days. Not every album track is perfect and, like a lot of "Big Beat" stuff, sometimes it seems a bit bombastic and a bit too much. But the hits are fantastic and I'll always love the last two songs that make up the trippy outro.

Love this album!

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.

I am comparing this to the other chemical brother's album and this is a true 9. A house classic and helped not only cement the legacy of house music but also is just a beautiful, crafted record with hype throughout the whole thing. One of the strongest openings by them and the strongest closer that I revisit and listen to constantly. Piku is one of my favorites it is so electric with its drums and overlapping samples it just rewards you for patience and I would love to just vibe out on a dance floor to this. I agree this is an abloom worth listening to before death 

Despite a few gems, Block Rockin’ Beats and Where Do I Begin, the rest of the album is just too repetitive. Same beat over and over. Sometimes hard to actually distinguish one song from the next. 2.25

Beats to rob a bank to

Wow this is a lot and it's very long. Not for me at all.

Pleasant enough in a post-club warm down way. To say it was repetitive sounds like I missed the point, but the guest vocals added an interesting layer and took it away from the general loopiness of the rest of the tracks. Of its time.

This sounded a lot better in a club back in the 90's whilst buzzing off yer tits, compared to a tinny Spotify stream. Important at the time, not much relevance now.

uncha unhca uncha

Tröttsamt och påfrestande att lyssna på i längden.

Ég hef vanalega ekki talið mig vera mikið fyrir svona tónlist en þetta er samt alveg mjög gott stöff sem ég komst í góðan fíling við að hlusta á. Kannski enda ég bara í einhverju reifpartýum á þriðjudagskvöldum með þessu áframhaldi en það er kannski bara af hinu góða.

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.

There is a lot of industrial sound in this, which I didn't expect. I could listen to this again, and even use it for background music when focusing.

Psychedelic and mumbling. Bad.

I'd consider myself somewhat of a big beat fan. The sound combination of heavy breakbeats with a variety of sampling can be energizing. I've been exposed to acts such as The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, and of course, The Chemical Brothers. Although I will admit that I wasn't familiar with much of this album outside of the first track coming in. Many of these tracks sound like they were designed to be idle tracks or in club mixes and as a result, skipping through these tracks means you're not really missing much. This is exemplified in the start of the back half of the album. Although things do take an interesting change of pace at the end. I dunno, I guess I was expecting more, especially after starting with "Block Rockin' Beats".

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

Nope

Except for this site I usually stay clear of Electronica & then this popped up. Not a big fan but I get it…get it…get it…over & over & over. Setting Sun had a Beatles / Lennon Tomorrow Never Knows vibe, so it’s got that going for it.

Nah

This is a good electronic album ? I say with a question mark because while this was enjoyable, it sounds a lot like most electronic albums I’ve ever heard. The genre doesn’t do a lot for me when I’m listening on my own. Very neat for performances, enjoyable when your with a group or at a party, but for individual listening this wouldn’t crack my favourites. Still an enjoyable listen, and I like having it in my back pocket for electronic enjoying friends or for suitable occasions.

Not for me. Almost cheesy with its driving beats and repeated voice samples. Sometimes this genre helps hone my focus, but not so with "Dig Your Own Hole," which I found simultaneously distracting and boring.

I hate that crap

4.2 - Okay this started out as a struggle and the whistle was waaaaaaaay to much, but I stopped and came back to it when I was editing instead of driving and it felt so much better. It was a really strong ending IMO and deffo would re listen in better circumstances.

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?

Nicht meine Richtung

I was a bit underwhelmed and disappointed by this. It has a couple of big singles and all the Chemical Brothers' big beat hallmarks, but it dragged on and was just a little on the dull side. Still a good example of what it is. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Block Rockin' Beats Date listened: 01/03/24

Closest I can get to this is Sirius by The Alan Parsons Project…

Meh.

Love the Chemical Brothers but this album didn't keep my attention. 2/5

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.

Block Rockin Beats is good, and Where do I begin, I mean a lot of them are good. I like this mainly because of the times it reminds me of in the mid to late 90s. Those were very special times for me in my life. I'll give it a 4 for those reasons. The songs aren't particularly stellar.

hit the spot for the long night drive back to school from Cambridge. no songs stood out and i’ll probably never revisit it but it was absolutely what i needed tonight

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.

It’s a bit long, but I found myself enjoying most of the tracks. I think there is enough material here to revisit at least a few times. It definitely exemplifies late 90s electronic music and provides some good historical context.

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.

trippy

Great album. Almost perfect. There are a couple clunkers in the middle but put this on and go for a walk. You’ll love it. It’s also super nostalgic for me. High school rave in the middle of the country in a landlocked state vibes

2.5

Just electro funky music. Not really my vibe.

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

Timeless album. So good.

90s action movie soundtracks? Not horrible but not my favorite.

01) Block Rockin' Beats - 10,0 02) Dig Your Own Hole - 8,0 03) Elektrobank - 9,0 04) Piku - 7,0 05) Setting Sun - 10,0 06) It Doesn't Matter - 7,5 07) Don't Stop The Rock - 7,5 08) Get Up on It Like This - 7,0 09) Lost in the K-Hole - 8,0 10) Where Do I Begin - 8,0 11) The Private Psychedelic Reel - 8,0 TOTAL: 8,18 (82/100) I remember a girl from school going to London, UK in 1997 to babysit some kids for the summer. There she met a guy who liked "Block Rockin' Beats" while she liked The Kelly Family (German teen pop band) and she couldn't stand "those fuc**ing beans" (in her words) he was playing all the time. And I thought to myself, what a cool guy, we would probably get along. I laughed at her and called her a Balkan peasant and an embarrasment because she didn't know who "The Chemical Brothers" were. Ah, it was a nice time to be in your late teens...

3,5

YoU wOuLdN't StEaL a HaNdBaG

Suspiciously sound really like hair blair bunch...

Chemical Brothers at their best. 3.5/5

Bonkers

Daft Punk for scary people

I guess I just don’t get it. That is not music that I would ever choose to listen to. It hit #1 in England….so there are people that really like it. I am not one of them.

An interesting album. There is a time and place where I could enjoy the album, but today was neither that time nor place.

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.

Block party starter Driving beats that move your feet Dance until you’re dead

This album has a special place in my heart. My senior year my contemporary dance class did a dance to Block rockin beats. That song is burned into my brain! 😂

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.

Maybe like "Surrender" better (or at least more familiar with it), but this is still one of the great albums of this time period/style.

That one song that plays during the hockey scene in Letterkenny is great.

It's that kind of album that you wish it ends sooner.

Brings back some memories. I was a little rowdier back in the late 90s and this album brought back the days of club hopping and shots of Jack Daniels. I'm older now. Don't go to clubs and don't shoot JD anymore but it was nice to reminisce about the glory days. So minus a point for making me feel old but a solid album nonetheless.

7/10 pretty fun electronic doesn’t sound too special to me honestly don’t know why it’s in this book honestly, ‘1001’ needs way more Aphex Twin, Oneohtrix Point Never, and other guys who actually really pushed the boundaries of electronic music and made stuff that’s truly legendary this mundane dance music is fun but I wouldn’t say it’s essential listening

I’m listening to so much more music lately and listening with intention. One of the things I’m learning is how to appreciate the way people turn to certain records or genres based on how they feel or how the music will make them feel. So I kept asking myself what moods or contexts I might find myself in that would make me return to this record. I could just not find any. I listened for about a half hour then skimmed from there. I appreciate what the Chemical Brothers are doing here. I just don’t really enjoy it.

Found a hidden (from me) gem! Cool music!

Dig Your Own Hole My fave chemical bros album, containing my fave chemicals tune (lost in the k hole - complete with backwards bass and vocals that is as close to being lost in a k hole without the titular chemical!) I’d argue that this album would be better without Noel Gallagher’s ‘setting sun’ which feels like a bit of a play for mainstream airplay and sales (how many oasis completists bought this album just for that song?) but the gamble paid off and paved the way for continued growth. For me, the tunes without ‘guest’ vocals shine brightest (electrobank) and the second half of the album is sublime from ‘it doesn’t matter’ through ‘don’t stop the rock’ and ‘get up in it like this’ which combine techno sounding synths with breakbeat samples and drum loops to create some fierce sounding electro - recommended 🤘🏽

I really like this project and i’m very happy it was recommended. The combo of rock and breakbeats is infectious definitely up my alley. I’m excited to look into more of their music.

Well, this is a decent enough album, great dance music, but I'm not sure I rate it particularly highly.

One of the best if not the best big beat album.

Great for what it is

Tsja, niet mijn muziek.

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?

Usually a Chem Brothers fan but this one frustrated me. There are some amazingly raw, dirty breaks on here that could've made for an intense LP, but they're sandwiched between so much filler that they feel like a flash in the pan. Spun some of these tracks twice and still couldn't shake that this one is plagued by compositional issues.

I accidentally mistook The Chemical Brothers for My Chemical Romance, so I was a bit surprised to hear rave music from the first track. But I like it. Also, learned about big beats so I've literally just realised that this is the music that Jez and Super Hans are trying to make!

songs went on too long

Chemical Brothers...

Last 3 songs lifted this

I tried to listen to this high and it was one of the few albums I've gotten that didn't sound better baked. Fortunately, I ended up enjoying it the next day despite the earlier misgivings. It took me a while to warm up to but then I realized that it was basically the prodigy but slightly more ambient. By the end, I was totally vibing to this and wanted to relisten from the start despite the song near the end that finishes with like a lawnmower engine. Piku and elektrobank were probably my favorite.

Really couldn’t vibe with it. Just not big on electronic stuff some songs felt really long. Maybe in a club I’d vibe but don’t find myself listening to this album on my own.

Block Rockin Beats

Love all Chemical Brothers output, but I prefer their ravey stuff to their pure big beat era

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've listened to this a lot of the years. Good beats and interesting samples.

This is my favorite electronica album, and I listened to this a lot in HS and college. I don't listen to much of this type of music, but when I do, this is the one album I tend to put on.

Det elektronisk, det dance, det er lidt rocket og så er det højt

I am not fond of techno.

Used to love this fucker back in the day. Now he’s a big time racist, elitist piece of shit. Had stopped listening by the time this one came out. There’s nothing necessary about this one. There’s no reason this should be on a list like this.

Interminable.

Didn’t listen

Where to begin with this one? Another formative album for me, so hard to judge objectively. Probably one of the first electronic records I got into as a teenager. This album, Daft Punk and Justice opened up a whole new world of music for me, even though I missed out on it the first time around (I think I was 6 when this album was released). The way the songs flow into each other is beautiful, even when they get abrasive. I especially love the last two songs, in spite of the weird lawnmower like grinding towards the end of Where Do I Begin and the possibly-too-obvious Beatles influences on The Private Psychedelic Reel.

Some interesting bass lines, and I like the phasing parts. But all in all, this album really isn't for me. I'm not a fan of electronic heavy music, or music that relies on loops, and this heavily leans on both.

It's noise

Back with another one of those block rockin beats! This album feels like it’s the background music for an hour long fight scene in the Matrix: Reloaded. That’s certainly not a compliment but not totally an indictment either. 2 stars

1.8

I think they did better things

I owned this album once, many years ago. It's definitely the high point of the Chemical Brothers career as far as I'm concerned. But it's not perfection. I like the breakbeat, but the big beat/ Fat Boy Slim sound is a bit of its time and dates it badly in my opinion. There's a bit of a bridge here between club music and pop music and I would rather the album went harder and wasn't so catchy/ accessible. Setting Sun is a definite high point, and the lowest points aren't too shabby either, but there are low points definitely, a mixture of strong tracks with the odd bit of filler, which is a shame as a tighter 45 minute album would probably have been what I wanted. The last track sounds like something Hawkwind could have made and that's meant as a compliment. This gets a strong 4 stars from me.

Some nice throwback tunes, but the repetitive nature of their music quickly wears out this welcome.

I love Chemical Brothers, but you really need to be in the mood for it. Not exactly passive sit back and chill stuff, but if you want to get the party moving, well….this is the ticket.

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.

Ich bin gespannt… Ja, geht okay los. So elektronisch halt. Hm, nervt gerade eher so ein bisschen. Probiere später noch mal. Ne, das ist nix für mich. Keine Ahnung, wieso man sowas zu Hause anhört.

A joy

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 thought I was going to like this, but I did not.

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.

Love it, multiple replays. 5/5

Classic and a favorite!

Impressions: Something that could make the Trainspotting Soundtrack. Also, the music gets too loud. Favorite tracks: Block Rockin’ Beats, Lost in the K-hole, Where Do I Begin Rating: 2/5

As the kids say, they had me in the first half. The A side is a little too drum and bassy for my liking. But as the B side delves into more melodies and an almost prog rock vibe, I think the albums becomes much more interesting. Not a hard enough pivot for anything above a four, but enough to bump it above neutral.

Unstrukturierter Psychedelic Rock.

Obviously you'd have to have lived under a rock to have never heard any of these tracks, as they were absolutely everywhere for a year or so after the album dropped. Good stuff overall, though a few of the tracks feature really annoying hooks -- many of them have great hooks, but boy, I don't ever need to hear that tune with the whistle sample ever again in my life. That said, I want to listen to this more, and check out other albums, so I give it four stars.

This album was a bit like a warm slab of Oscar Meyer bologna between two pieces of artisan bread, a proverbial shit sandwich if you will: the first two and last two tracks were the best parts of the album, and everything in between was a bland hodgepodge of some of the worst bits of musical elements. One of the first albums I was assigned was The Chemical Brothers' Exit Planet Dust, which I thought was really inventive and enjoyable. I had high hopes for this follow-up effort, but it really fell short for me. "Block Rockin' Beats" and "Dig Your Own Hole" had some pretty great bass parts, but after that, the songs became too long, too repetitive, and too bland. Nothing about tracks three through nine stood out to me at all. But "Where Do I Begin" was the best track on the album, and it completely outshined every other song on the album. Musically, it was incredibly catchy and unique, and Beth Orton's vocals were fantastic (appropriately enough, my favorite track on Exit Planet Dust was "Alive Alone," which also featured her vocals). "The Private Psychedelic Reel" was also fantastic, and provided a great conclusion to a completely lackluster album. If the middle of the album had been half as interesting as the last two tracks, this album could have probably been four stars for me, but unfortunately, The Chemical Brothers just didn't pull it off on this one.

I normally skip the electronic albums but decided to listen to this one since I’m familiar with the artist. It’s quality, Setting Sun which features Noel Gallagher and a Beatles sample is clearly the standout track.

Amazing

It’s not bad.

Lekker album is een vibe

Crap

Bum bum unzi unzi.. Sgu ikke lige mig haha, giver meget Tony Hawks plat tidlig ps2 vibes

Dated in places but this is by far the best album of the big beat era, a generous 4

2/11, 18%

Not for me really, could maybe have a time and a place (gym/exercise) but it did not keep me engaged or bothered so I would choose others over this. Probably won’t ever listen to it again 1/5.

Really enjoyed the middle section of the album

Música electrónica. En ocasiones rallante. Un 3.

Iba para 4, pero de pronto aparece Where Do I Begin y ...

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