Reviews (page 7 of 9)
Good, enjoyed it. I think I prefer the album which came after this one, but this one was still enjoyable, and a lot of songs I had not heard before.
Like the Prodigy, except the Prodigy is good.
I was only familiar with the first track on this album, but I've been a long time fan of The Chemical Brothers in general. This was a cool look into their older material. I really liked the use of the "slap bass" element throughout as a melodic instrument in tandem with the more traditional bass. Seems to be a bit of a signature on this album and it was a solid choice. I'm not a big fan of electronic music that becomes too repetitive and doesn't seem to go anywhere. This was the furthest from that. There were a lot of section breaks and return back to earlier sections that helped keep the music fresh and seem more exciting. These guys are pros. The songs moved seamlessly into one another, so much so that I sometimes lost track of where one started and one ended. The entire album felt akin to an orchestral suite, where there are separate movements but they all feel attached to a bigger whole. A solid album. Stand out tracks: Block Rockin' Beats, Setting Sun, Lost in the K-Hole, Where Do I Begin
1/5 too progressive for my taste. not my cup of tea
Starts of really great but drags on too long
altså jeg er jo meget gammel så jeg er lidt nostalgisk om elektronisk musik der lyder sådan her. Ikke så cool som Fatboy Slim eller The Prodigy var men det her album er en banger
Kæmpe banger. Lidt frontloaded, men sidste nummer var fed.
F*cking SLAP machine
Still sounds like the kind of music stoners play in flats above shops to impress each other. Or videogame music to an R-type or Wipeout game.
I was wondering when someone would be back with another one of those block rocking beats. Turns out, today was the day. And by today, I mean 1997, when this record was blasting in some eastern block, post-soviet prison, being used to torture the dissidents. As my mother would say, "It's WAY TOO LOUD!"
Fitting that it came out the same year as Fat of the Land because they have a very similar sound. First listen but it sounds very familiar.
Favorite Tracks: Block Rockin' Beats, Dig Your Own Hole, Elektrobank, Lost In The K Hole, Where Do I Begin
If the 90s had a soundtrack, this might be it. Can't stop listening to Where Do I Begin.
I hate electronic music, normally. This however I found to be a thrilling, fun and moody listen. It puts you right smack back in the mid-90s. It’s aged rather gracefully and feels just as energetic as it did 25 years ago.
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
Though clubbers of a certain demographic and lifestyle will no doubt differ, one finds this to be music exclusively for vacuuming and other types of loud, high-intensity workouts — excellent in a few, limited context, irrelevant in all others. One doesn’t think “doesn’t matter” is intended as a subtitle or thesis statement but it certainly works as such. The thinkier cuts (e.g., “K-Hole”) are better than the EDMier ones (pick almost any other track). One is seriously ambivalent about “Where Do I Begin;” the first few minutes of the song are electric, fully engaging and (perhaps largely due to Beth O) borderline lovely – this is highly affecting music, the best of what this genre, whatever we want to call it, can offer; and then comes the grinding break-downs of the song’s second half, which feel distinctly incongruent and at odds with the spirit of the first half of the song – feels like a ruining, and a deliberate one at that. One simply doesn’t get the approach and struggles to see/hear any subtlety or counterintuitive creativity or anything remotely like genius or something/anything that might be lost on the non-connoisseur that could possibly explain the jarring shift-reversal. (PS: 25th Anniversary editions for acts such as this should come with a warning about their very likely overdoneness and unjustified self-importance.
Desculpa, não é muito a minha praia, mas dá pra ver que é bom.
I'm unsure to give this a two or a three, admittedly. On one hand, I didn't straight up dislike any part of this album, and you could even say I got into a song or two here and there, but this album commits the sin of being boring and over an hour long, and while it doesn't make it unlistenable like some bore fests, it is exhausting to get through, especially around the 3/4s area, where the songs seem to just be making random noises. I think I'm going with a two, because if we compare this to another dance record that's over an hour long I recently got, Daft Punk's Homework, then this is worse.
Great to work to. The band name does hint that it is designed for people who are on a chemical induced buzz, but I'm on a spreadsheet induced buzz and loving it.
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.
Definitely some block rocking beats. Bit on the long side
Block Rockin' Beats Dig Your Own Hole (workout music) Setting Sun
Block Rockin Beats is obviously the big track on this album. The rest felt like a bit much for me. Cool what they are doing but I may have a limited attention span for it.
Not for me. Boring. Repetitive
That was a lot. That may have been novel and interesting at one point, but it felt like nothing I hadn't heard before and it wasn't musical enough to want to listen. Could be good at a seedy dance hall or as soundtrack, but really didn't enjoy that.
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 ➰➰➰
A Fantastic debut album with some surprise artists. I need to listen to this album more.
Thought I would hate this, great production, especially enjoyed the 909 & 303 workout on “Don’t stop the rock”
Who is this doing this synthetic type of alpha beta psychedelic funking?
Man, this album did not age well at all. It just sounds like an off the shelf soundtrack for the Matrix Trilogy or a Guy Ritchie movie. The first track that came up was block rockin beats which I had heard before. I was pretty excited for the rest of the album however, by the time the 3rd track ended it was already starting to over stay its welcome. I'm now on the 8th track and not sure if I'll be able to finish the album in one sitting. It's just relentlessly repetitive and has no business being over an hour long...
Big beat is generally not my thing but this album goes hard. It’s even better than their debut which is pretty strong in itself, and just keeps up the energy the whole time while still having enough variation to not feel like it’s dragging on for too long (which a lot of 60+ minute electronic albums suffer from imo)
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
Big Beats By Brothers vol. 2
Stellar production, stellar sampling, stellar guests. The Chemical Brothers sure know how to produce an album.
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
It's crazy that this came out the same year as Daft Punk Homework and Prodigy Fat Of The Land and the Fatboy Slim and Moby records came out the next year I think... so much excellent stuff happening in dance music at that time. Definitely this 'big beat' music can be a bit offensive if you're not in the right mindset. It's not Skrillex/dubstep wub-wub offensive but it can come close. The big tracks Block Rockin' Beats and Setting Sun are both such killer tracks - not a bit out of place all these 25 years later. sidebar: I wonder if there will be a ‘rediscovery’ of this music someday - like when I was a kid there was this big movement of young people embracing 60s/70s music and like hippy-inspired culture and clothing and stuff…. I always felt like it was a /reaction/ to the music that had come in between. Like for me personally I was NOT into Madonna and Michael Jackson and Simply Red and Paula Abdul and stuff like that… even Elton John had become unrecognizable… Looking back I can see that really early (12-ish?) I was really dissatisfied with the music that was on the radio/etc and what people thought was cool and I fell in love with the Beatles and (to a lesser extent) the Stones and Cat Stevens and then later Zeppelin and Hendrix and on and on… Really that was /my dad’s/ music. There was new music that moved me for sure (Nirvana, Pearl Jam) but it wasn’t very ‘mainstream'... I guess that's why it was branded 'alternative' I wonder if our kids’ generation will look at this big beat stuff the same way - like they’ll look around at all the mindless hip-hop oriented “pick a beat from GarageBand and mumble-rap over it” / wub-wub dubstep craziness new music and have their minds blown by the creativity and energy of the 90s music that it evolved from?
Not my fav but liked a few of songs in real time.
Certainly a vibe when it’s cold and raining outside and you are driving through peak traffic.
Definitely my type of music but this album mostly was "ok" for me. That being said, "Block Rockin' Beats" is a fucking 11/10!
*BLOCK ROCKING BEATS* 1997, back when the country was full of hope and optimism and life was a non-stop party, this was undoubtedly one of the soundtracks. Not all the tracks are as epic as the opener, but still a fantastic body of work.
See, I had to listen to this during the end of a 8 hour trip. I am exhausted and I ain’t in the mood for club music. All in all, I’d enjoy it abnormally hard if I was drunk vibing in a club. Rn, I still enjoy it, but I am tired, most objectively I could rank would be a 4/5
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.
I didn't feel like it rewarded attentive listening - essentially, just background music. It's probably a great time if you're fucked up at a club.
Don’t love it
Yeah good, but not great.
2.5
PREFS : Block Rockin' Beats, Dig Your Own Hole, Elektrobank, It Doesn't Matter, Get Up On It Like This, Lost in the K-Hole, Where Do I Begin, The Private Psychedelic Reel MOINS PREF : Don't Stop the Rock
A noteworthy album in the Big Beats (or if you prefer, Electronica) subgenre of the late 90s. There are some great tracks here, from the cracks and distortion of Elektrobank to the oddly touching hangover anthem of Where Do I Begin. I've always thought that the original opening track, Not Another Drugstore (later released as a b-side), would have worked better. Overall, it may be a bit repetitive and grating at times, but for me, there's loads of nostaglia value in this album.
“That was extraordinary. Unfortunately, extraordinary bad.” - Simon Cowell Late night twitch stream thats not good enough to dance too.
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.
Dig Your Own Hole is the second album by the English electronic music duo the Chemical Brothers. This electronica, breakbeat/big beat album was a more successful follow-up to their debut album and topped the charts in the UK. It has been certified gold in the US and platinum in the UK. This was a beautiful early-EDM album imo. It was a seamless album (tracks fade/continue into the next) of either rockin' or spacey vibes. The Chemical Brothers made some great music on this album and I'm excited to hear what else they have made.
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
When I started this project I was not anticipating that it would be 500 Albums You Need To Hear Before You Die and 501 Electronic Albums That Are Too Goddamn Long And Repetitive And Will Give You A Migraine.
This is a foundational big beat album by one of the best of the genre. That said, the album is too long to a casual listener of electronic music. However, because this album is as important as it is, I'll trust that the length is not an issue.
Didn't stand out.
Unless you are dancing, this is utterly pointless. You can't sit and listen to this, it's not really music.
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.
There's gold on the album, absolutely classic tracks of the dance scene. The big beat stuff still holds up so well. The tech tracks have dated a bit worse, but still super groovy. Solid album.
Not my style....
Some beats go hard, but don't think the album has aged well. Highlight was Elektrobank.
Great to listen to this again, it's been years. I think Surrender is my favourite Chemical Brothers album, but this is brilliant and the cover takes me back. Love Setting Sun, Get Up On It Like This, and Lost In The K-Hole.
Not a fan of electronica
epic hedonistic club music. It Doesn't Matter hits
I don't know, it's not for me. Didn't make it through.
Love it.
Great electro beat and danceable beats
the album was fine but not very memorable to me. i knew block rockin' beats from mashups but nothing else jumped out at me. favorites: block rockin' beats, piku
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
Fantastic album. My buddy Dave was working at tower records outlet when this came out, and this hot french girl came in and was looking for this album. He had to tell her that they didnt sell it at his part of the store and sent her to the other building. He was so bummed that he didnt get to sell her this album - I was intrigued enough to buy it myself. I mean, if this album gets hot french girls to tower records, dont you want to have it on repeat? 5/5
4/5. A catchy and heavy-hitting electronic album. Each song sounds unique and the album as a whole flows very nicely between the songs, transitions on point. Also great background music as well when doing something else. Best song: Block Rockin’ Beats, Elektrobank.
😎 gettin funky more enjoyable than the previous Chem Bros (over 300 albums ago, so it's not exactly fresh in my mind). "Elektrobank-Piku-Setting Sun" was probably my favourite part of the album, plus I was eating really good ice cream at the time. I like how as soon as Noel Gallagher enters the fray the drumbeat starts to sound like a Beatles track (Ticket to Ride or Tomorrow Never Knows) DYOH deserves recognition for holding my attention as long as it did for two reasons, 1) I don't listen to much electronica and 2) it's from an era of music that I don't pay much attention to (aka the late 90s, when I was alive but less concerned with music and more about PlayDoh flavours) HL: “Setting Sun”, “Elektrobank”, "Where Do I Begin", "Private Psychedelic Reel", "Block Rockin Beats" (I think that's literally all the singles from this album)
I need to plug back into the matrix. The vibes are right. Chemical brothers live is a vibe. I’m coming back.
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
A minor step down from their debut, but this still jammed down in my ear-holes deeply pleasantly. These guys are how I wish more electronic music was.
A good enough electronic album, although I think it needed more juice.
Overall the album has a very strong first half, the driving funk/electronic grooves are infectious and fun. However the second half gets a bit long in the tooth as the repetitive nature of the tracks leaves the listener fatigued by the 1 hour run time. I can tell this one will grow on me over time.
Actually listened to this one before. While I do enjoy some Chemical Brothers, I prefer more of their electronic/chill and vocal performances, and less of their breakbeat style songs.
I never got into the techno/electro genre back in the day (mid-90s to mid-2000s). There was some of it that I could at least appreciate, but this doesn't fall into that category. It's overly repetitive. It's music for raves. Maybe if I had a necklace made of glow sticks and a pocket full of ecstasy I'd feel differently.
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.
I’ve had two of these guys albums this week and all I can say is I really don’t like the chemical brothers one bit. It’s drugged out background noise for stoners.2/5
The first five tracks were pretty good but the rest of the album really went south from there.
I love The Chemical Brothers so today was easy listening (especially compared to yesterday's Tori Amos). “It Doesn’t Matter” was the standout track for me. Gonna keep this one on my phone.
3 stars. Couple good songs but overall it was meh. Sounds like 90s techno
All day everyday
Wisselend album, maar had misschien van een andere volgorde van de nummers kunnen profiteren, want sommige stukken waren wat eentonig. Verder wel veel vette nummers en block rocking beats!
Very atmospheric, quite intense electronic music. I liked it quite a bit.
bof
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.
This is slightly better than yesterday's The Prodigy, but it has very similar frenetic beats that are anxiety producing. It hasn't held up well over the years and is very dated sounding and annoying, but it gets one more star than the Prodigy.
'97? Time goes fast damn!
This good album, i wanna listen this many times
Individual tracks are kinda ok in the right humour but it doesn’t work as a whole and some of it is poor.
This is the only Chemical Brothers album I own, and I really enjoy it. Its interesting to hear it with a critical ear after reading some of the valid criticisms here - especially that it's consistently loud. The collaborations work the best for me. Setting Sun is their take on Tomorrow Never Knows, but the real highlight is the combo of the last two tracks - Where Do I Begin (w/ Beth Orton) and Private Psychedelic Reel. They are a great pairing, I love the buildup and can easily drift off for the full 15 minutes or so that it takes. Rest of the album would be probably a 3/5 for me, but these tracks bump it up to a 4/5.
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.
I know one Chemical Brothers song, but no idea what it is called. I have a feeling I will probably recognise more as I listen. Oh, it's the first song! I saw The Chemical Brothers at Knebworth House in 1996, supporting Oasis for their big outdoor thing they did; The Prodigy was better though. I remember this one too, Noel Gallagher sings on this, doesn't he? ('Setting Sun') Sounds very much like him, anyway! Remember that track Ian Brown did with Unkle? That was a proper fuckin' banger. Some of these songs are waaaaaaay too long. My era, but not quite my scene. 2 / 5 stars.
Some memorable tracks, but too long at 63 minutes.
Always preferred both the all uk before and after this. On listening back it’s just as bloody good.
I had no idea what was coming next. Definitely an interesting house album with some highs and lows. Overall I enjoyed the uniqueness of it
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.
A song or two had catchy riffs. Not sure how someone could listen to the whole album through. Not sure what mindset i would need to be in.
Why do they call it “Big Beat”? Because them beats is ***BIG***. This album was the louder-than-a-bomb bombshell that caused Big Beat as a genre to burst onto the scene, and from the first of them “Block Rockin’ Beats” it’s easy to see why. Though it doesn’t have the biggest beats of the era (That honour goes to “The Fat of the Land”), “Dig Your Own Hole” is loud and catchy enough to distance it from the then bustling acid house and techno scenes with a uniquely bombastic experience. For all the Big Beat albums to rightfully explode, this album serves as the perfect herald to a new kind of dance music ready to shake the MDMA right outta the raves. Standout Songs: “Block Rockin’ Beats” “Electrobank” “Setting Sun”
This is a better album than I remember. each listen provides a different experience and feeling.
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...
not my thang not my thang not my thang
Really solid piece of 90s Electronic music I hadn't really heard before. Consistently great throughout, solid variety ranging from exciting and danceable to atmospheric and dream-like. Fucking amazing closing track. Despite its longer run time, I ended the album wanting to hear more, and if that doesn't warrant this being the first 5/5 of this whole run so far, I don't know what does. Definitely joining my regular rotation, needs to be the soundtrack to my next acid trip
I get why these guys are foundational to electronic music. I don't like this album. Its dull and industrial, without a sense of evolution or progression. It just sounds like a rave in a machine shop.
The c the h the e the m the i the c the a the l the brotherrrrs! 5/5
25 years old already and still fresh as anything. A classic of the big beat era. And where the big hit at the start of the album has never really done it for me, with third song Elektrobank this album really takes off. And ends in the two masterpieces Where Do I Begin and The Private Psychedelic Reel.
Not really a fan but it made for some decent work music
Dance music, eh? I'm not typically a fan of dance music in general. Of course, when in Rome... I'm in SEMO now, not Rome, so it's not something I'll keep listening too. First cut, familiar tune - good beats. Good sound. Let's see how far I can make it. Made it to the 2nd song. Done.
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.
Not a fan
ну электроника совсем сложно (хотя в параллели читала милейший пост про фэтбой слима)
High School Nostalgia.... Block rockin Beats.... YES!
Quintisential!
This kimd of music is not usually my vibe but I enjoyed the hell out of this
This is the second Chemical Brothers album I’ve had to listen to. I want to die. Best tracks: Setting Sun, Where Do I Begin Worst tracks: Everything else even the best tracks I would not willingly listen to again I feel like someone has taken a drill to my skull, drowned me until I was unconscious and then transported me to some kind of sick dystopia where my brain would be extracted and put inside of a robot I never want to listen to these guys again please tell me there are no more than 2 of their albums on this list or I might completely lose it. 1.5 rounded up
I've always heard Chemical Brothers as the big 3 in Big Beat alongside Prodigy and Fatboy Slim. But compared to those two, Exit Planet Dust left me a bit disappointed and figured they were only known for their hits. But this goes hard, reassuring me of their status. Hard funky beats with effects that imitate rock music. Full of insanely cool psychedelic and industrial effects that keep you on your toes. There are only a few standalone great tracks, which unfortunately don't live up to Fatboy Slim's or Prodigy's hits. But this does beat them in terms of consistency, and there was always something new and exciting happening in every song.
Pretty not great overall, few good tracks though. Not really the music I’d listen to sober, would probably have a much different opinion if I saw wired into the mains.
Quintessential futurist retrospective of the 90s
Wow! I'm happy that The Chemical Brothers are included on the list, but also I'm very surprised at the album choice. Dig You Own Hole is a good record, but far from the best in the band's discography. I think Surrender is the peak of their career, which they briefly visited before, or revisited after. Nevertheless, the DYOH itself is a really enjoyable album with many hits, that are still sounding fresh and crisp, ready to move up a modern crowd in a club. The opening track, "Block Rockin' Beats" is a real high energy banger, that sets the tone of the LP. Energy is maintained throughout, with couple less interesting tracks in the middle of the album, but still ending strong with a really nice "Where Do I Begin" (with Beth Orton's vocal) and "The Private Psychedelic Reef". Very good album, happy to revisit it on my The Chemical Brothers binge.
3/2- Doing a health assignment
This record can still get me hype despite its age.
Lots of good stuff on this record, but it starts to lose speed somewhere around "It Doesn't Matter". For me, that's pretty good for a techno album. "Block Rockin' Beats" is one of those songs I had purchased separately, so it's a good song to start off the album. After that, I dug a lot more on this album than I expected. But again, it's too long. Still going to give it a higher grade. If I had to have one of these kind of albums, it would probably be this one.
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.
I love electronic music but this album is just boring and repetitive. Take one idea, make it loud add some sound effects. Okay, next track. Take one idea, make it loud, add some sound effects. Okay, next track. Take one idea, make it loud, add some sound effects. You get the picture. By the time I got to the end of the album where they changed it up a little I was already angry and frustrated for losing an hour of my life to this. I’m going to go listen to some Squarepusher now and try to forget that I ever heard this album.
Wow, came close to making this my first 1 star rating. To me, a 1 is absolutely no redeeming value, and there were a couple of tracks I could tolerate: Block Rockin' Beats (ok track - thought I might be giving this album a 3, but was subsequently proven wrong), Lost in the K-Hole (decent groove), Where Do I Begin (disliked the effects at the end, but liked the beginning), and The Private Psychedelic Reel (but this one had the same damn drum track as every. other. song. Also, the same thing over and over for too damn long). However, I disliked pretty much all the other tracks. Annoying sound effects, pretty much the same beat throughout. Particularly disliked Dig Your Own Hole, It Doesn't Matter, and Get Up On It Like This. Giving it a 2 because it wasn't ENTIRELY crap.
Though it may not be their most sophisticated album, it's the ultimate expression of their early Big Beat phase. Block Rockin Beats, Setting Son are both immense, and Where Do I Begin an early sign that they might have more conventional song structures under all the dj action. Five stars, and six if possible for Psychedelic Reel which which has one of the best drops in recorded music.
Best: Lost in The K-hole Worst: It Doesn’t Matter Sounds good when very loud
Tony hawk game type music Pretty cool at times. Awesome beats. Hypnotic at times
meh
A generous 3. Very samey imho.
Some filler but also some truly great songs
I dig the hole thing
Love this album, and always been a big fan of The Chemical Brothers. It was hard to choose favourite tracks as I've listened to this album many times over the years. But for the purposes of this review I'm going to say my faves at Where Do I Begin (also a big Beth Orton fan), and The Private Physchedlic Reel just puts me in such a good mood.
Absolutely bangin'. An A-1, tip top clubbing jam fair. It was a sandwich of fun on ecstasy bread, wrapped up in a big bag like disco fudge. It doesn't get much better than that. Fave tracks - "Setting Sun" is great, even with Gallagher involvement. Really, though, it's the one-two glide of "Where Do I Begin" followed by "The Private Psychedelic Reel" 😍
8.5/10 absolutely sick
I don’t think I’m a big fan of breakbeat albums
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
Cette série d'albums me parait insurmontable
fait partie des groupes dont il ne faut pas écouter trop de chansons à la suite
Great tunes, still sounds great
very solid electronic album. really enjoyed this one
More boring electronica. I feel like there are so much more influential electronic records that could’ve been included in this list other than rave-era shite.
This has not aged well. Uninspiring songs left me longing for the end of the album. Not one I'll be rushing to revisit any time soon.
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
"You Wouldn't Steal A Car" music. Like, I respect the effort put into this album but it's very much not my thing. Except the last track which I really enjoyed. That said, one enjoyable track does not a good album make (to me, at least).
3.5
Hacker music V.1
Enjoyed it. Would be better with some other artists mixed into the album vs straight.
You wouldn't download a car 1 2
I like some electronic music, I even like some by The Chemical Brothers. That being said this album doesn’t speak to me Saved tracks: Elektrobank, Lost In The K Hole
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.
I... Did not enjoy this. Just not my thing. Repetitive. Too instrumental at times. Too long. Compared to some of the other less enjoyable albums I also think the musicians involved are less talented too. Don’t get the fuss. Not a fan.
Eerste helft is jaren 2000 actiefilm soundtrack, maar het wordt een beetje spacey in de 2e helft, die is heel solide. Had 5 sterren kunnen zijn met meer zoals de 2e helft
Not my bag. It felt like that prickly feeling when your foot falls asleep but in my brain.
cool but not my thing
Fairground music. Play this on the dodgems or the roller coaster and you’ll have a wicked time.
Very frantic in pacing. I don't feel like I ever got a minute to slow down before the next track took off running. Not huge on electronic music, this was decent.
Good few bangers on here. Stand out tracks - block rockin' beats - dig your own hole - where do I begin - Setting sun
Where do I start, where do I begin? I always liked this album, but now - with the perspective of time - I can confidently say this is not only the best album to come out of The Chemical Brothers, this is also my vote for best ever of its genre. Powerful and relentless, exactly what the genre calls for. What genre, exactly? Electronica? Dance? [How do you refer to music where no instrument is actually played by the musician?] I prefer to look at it as electronic rock.
Did not enjoy most of it. Did kinda like Setting Sun, and that’s because it vaguely reminded me of Tomorrow Never Knows. Where Do I Begin and Private Psychedelic Reel were neat too. But most of it is just not fun for me to listen to. And that’s fine.
Oh look, another 90s electronic album
Música electrónica. En ocasiones rallante. Un 3.
I like it a little more than the last album by them that I got. Not much more. I am just not into a lot from this genre.
Where do I start? Where do I begin?
First thought was this would be fun music to play PlayStation or N64 to. Cool stuff but can’t really hold my interest on its own. Without vocals, or live performance, and not much going on in the compositions I am not sure what I should be listening for. For it to just be electronic sounds and beats they would have to be so interesting to make it work for a whole album.
Sounds like the soundtrack for a 90s action movie. Kinda cool, kinda boring. 2.5
This is the closest I have come to not finishing an album. Hell no
Energetic, electrifying, fun, upbeat. I enjoyed this. This might just be the best electronica album on this list. I would know, I've listened to the whole thing. 4/5
overrated
This is what I wrote in my review about the first Chemical Brothers album, Exit Planet Dust: "Electronica, especially without melody or vocals, can sometimes bore me, but I didn't get bored with any of it." What a difference with this album, because the only word that played in my head over and over listening to this one was "boring." I felt that it could have replaced my white noise machine to put me to sleep.
I wanted to love this album, but it fell a bit short. I found some of the tracks a bit tedious. Even so, there was a lot for me to like here.
Good, more Chemical Brothers. I still really can't tell one song from the next (for the most part) but I like the sound.
I guess I’m a Chemical Brothers person now.
Not really my style but glad to learn more about their role in music history
Back to the good old days! Loved this when it came out and still sounds great
This gets four stars in its genre. It was long but it was really good. Recognized a few of the tunes
Listened to the entire hour and 5 minutes of the album out of respect for the process. Won't do that again without taking some of the chemicals the brothers must have been taking when they made this.
Listened Before? N Techno... mehhhhhhhhh.... Block Rocking Beats is an instantly recognizable single. It was the only thing I really liked here. I don't have the patience for hard techno like this. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Block Rockin Beats
Nicht meine Kanne Bier. Erinnert mich stellenweise an Prodigy.
It’s okay
Way too agressive
ＬＳＤ
Great album!
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.
Classic, some fillers though
Not my thing
I would like to do chemicals with these brothers
Ground breaking
Estava tentando escrever relatório, e nem as músicas costumeiras, aquela do dia-a-dia, arroz com feijão, estavam inspirando. De novo, saí da minha zona, escutei músicas que não escutaria normalmente (a não ser que eu fosse obrigada, aí vale para a fila do mercado ou sala de espera do dentista) e, incrivelmente, o trabalho fluiu. As músicas são carregadas de energia, um baita ritmo e uma batida de fazer até o sangue correr mais rápido... nota 5!
Interesting, first one I hear of this genre. Refreshing.
Feels like I'm in the Matrix
Ok album, too much techno for me but a few good songs
While Exit Planet Dust might've been a fine debut album for big beat greats The Chemical Brothers, it would be Dig Your Own Hole that is most fondly remembered. Everything is turned up, more bombastic, more memorable. A heavy lean on phasers and flanger effects leads to some pretty intense moments. The dense sounds might get a little too abrasive for some, but this kind of energy from the hard-wired production can be highly stimulating and a lot of fun. The truth is that this is the most fun I've had listening to an EDM album. Even though these songs were made for the dancefloor, I was mentally invested in these songs. Things start to slow down with the last few tracks which made things lose a bit of momentum, but for pacing purposes I could see why they were there. Things pick back up near the end of Where Do I Begin before going into an explosive finale, the closing track The Private Psychedelic Reel. The Chemical Brothers proved to be a dynamic force in the beat big scene, and this album cements it. Improved in every way from their debut, and made something comparable to what Prodigy would put out just a few months later.
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 like pitches. I wish this album had them. Like sure, the beats are fine. They're kinda cool. I'm not usually that into the looped samples. And there just isn't really much else that can keep my attention here. The Private Psychedelic Reel was really good and surprised me right at the end. I was wondering if it was enough to singlehandedly raise the album to a 3, but even it has too much dead space, and I don't think that's really how it works anyway.
BACK WITH ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE BLOCK ROCKING _BEATS_ this album was already a favorite of mine, it kicks ass that bassline on the first track is so great, i am compelled to bob my head to it it's electronic music that's loud, maximalist and in your face, it's energetic and there's always something going on. it feels like it's meaningless to say it rocks, but that's still the best description to me. the sampled drumbeats feel propulsive. the one noise on "setting sun" that's like a siren rules. EEEEOOOOOO i zoned out and don't have a lot else to say. just really like having the tracks on in the background. hard to describe it really it's just a really good album
i get this was 1997 so maybe this was like fresh at the time for this kind of sound or something but idk it sounded kinda basic to me. like each song was mostly just one or two sounds repeated and there wasn't a lot of progression to it setting sun was pretty good though, that was one of my favorites, it built up and wasn't so stagnant id probably actually like this a lot more than most things that would normally play in like a party environment, so for that context its good, but imo in this listening context it was just fine
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.
Surprisingly good, I have to say. Might check out more of this stuff when I get the chance
A classic of late 90s electronica
Too long and too much weird electronic stuff on this list.
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
Really don't get this album... I generally quite like some of the early electronic pioneers from the UK, but this album is just miss after miss for me...
Pretty groovy. A little too weird for me. Good bassline and stuff My rating: 4/5 Roommate's rating: 3/5
I'm not sure if this is good or not but I've always kinda liked them. Setting Sun is a great running song for me...
Reminds me of clubs that I never enjoyed
An hour of hip-hoppy beats with very little melody or lyrics
Kyllähän tämä toimii! Aika energisoivaa elektronista. Parempi kun bändin myöhempi tuotanto. 4/5
Upea levy, tämä tai Surrender on bändin paras. Alkupuoli ihan viiden tähden menoa, kunnes hieman hiipuu. Eli olkoon vahva nelonen.
Tää oli kova! Varmaan kyseisen bändin paras levy. 4/5
Ironically this is one of a very few of these albums that I have listened to 100% sober and it's the one that I Should be stoned for
Did nothing for me
There is much more variety on this album than I expected. Definitely expected big housey bangers, and you get plenty of those. Expected the laboured Tomorrow Never Knows clone with a Gallagher, because I lived through it. But the chilled one with Beth Orton was unexpected, and the 60s infused closer was an absolute joy. Only loses a mark because some of the tracks would be great at 4 minutes rather than 6 and Setting Sun being a bit crap.
Oontz Oontz Oontz.... 3 stars
90s drugged up Britain strikes again, and I eat this up every time. It balances the psychedelic sounds with big beats really well, and despite being over an hour long, it doesn't drag due to the nature of the album as more of a dancefloor piece, a place where time dissolves. Love both the vocal tracks, great in different ways. This is to me is a club album, but with different stages of the night out. For some reason, I get a basement club atmosphere for this. The last two tracks feel like the quiet walk back, and the planning for the next night out respectively. 14/11/22
I remember the era where this album found some mainstream success. Some tracks are good (Setting Sun) but some are generic, annoying and/or repetitive.
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.
Block Rockin Beats and Setting Sun are just outstanding!
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
Did not enjoy
Did not hold my interest for long. Good beats, but not much diversity. Not my thing.
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
What an amazing start to an album! I really loved the first four tracks and then felt like the album gets a little repetitive and hit a bit of a lull. Then, I feel like it picks right back up. 'Where Do I Begin' is such an unexpected, beautiful change of pace that still totally fits in to the album and works great as a penultimate track. This is a super solid album, will definitely add to my library and continue listening. Standout Tracks: Block Rockin' Beats, Dig Your Own Hole, Elektrobank, Piku, Get Up On It Like This, Where Do I Begin, The Private Psychedelic Reel
A bit overly long, but enjoyable throughout.
Work, run, back to back, karaoke, johnny ps, talkin
2 good tunes, the rest is noodly wank fodder
Molto trippy
I prefer The Prodigy, but this still bangs though. Some big beats, some chill beats, some nasty evil beats. One beat, two beat, red beat, blue beat. I'm drunk again, dude. I don't know what I'm saying. It's a good album and let's leave it at that.
This album is the heart of the party. It came out when I was 24, travelling Europe. It along with Daft Punk's Homework soundtracked my adventures. Even after 25 years the music on hear still gives me e-like chills and tingles. One highlight etch in my brain was having this album on an inflight channel for my flight home. The Private Psychedelic Reel coming on as my plane circled Sydney on approach to landing. The plane tilted and banked giving me rarely experienced view of my hometown
Overrated mess.
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
I just hate it. I'm sure it has its place, I'm not there.
Some great classic electronic beats
The album is ok I guess. Old school electronica doesn't really seem to do it to me. It's like background noise. Favorite song: Don't stop the rock Worst song: The private psychedelic reel
Will never be favourite but I can see it being for others
Too repetitive and not so interesting
Totally appreciate them but not for me. The songs back to back become grating and repetitive.
An improvement on Exit Planet Dust I reckon. I still think their more recent albums have more going for them, but I can see why this is rated highly. It’s got some bigger hits than EPD and the last few tracks where they mix up the pace a bit are great. 3.5
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.
Absolutely not my kind of music!
love the rock drums, but far too much industrial blips and noise in place of solid hooks and melodic samples. Harsh score, but needs more melody.
banger after banger.
Una obra maestra
Belle découverte! C'est un groupe dont je ne connaissais pas l'existence, maisnles chansons oui! Ça m'a transporté dans les jeux de course et de sport de mon enfance!
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
As with Exit Planet Dust the first track is six minutes too long. They have twiddled a bit more on the FM synthesiser, without actually producing anything of note. A complete lack of inspiration on the drum machine programming and trite vocal effects do not a good record make Again I forced myself to listen to at least 1 minute of each track - I must have a masochistic streak - and I found absolutely nothing worth listening to.
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.
As a critical listening piece, this album is really hard to get through. But as a background, GSD soundtrack, it's fantastic. It's repetitive but also additive, building on itself, bar after bar, in clever and compelling ways. This is the sound of human energy making forward progress. So yeah, I liked it a lot.
Love that stuff. It's definitely not something I can hear all the time, but when I'm in the mood it slaps.
Mid
Did not know they went this hard
Kinda the same all throughout, not my vibe
I don't dislike this, but 60+ minutes gets really same-y and indistinct.
very good album good stuff
Loved it
It was not quite as bad as I thought it would be, but good golly just about every song had some really repetitive part that just pissed me off. Maybe I would appreciate more in a context with more alcohol, but that's not the sign of good music.
I was leaning toward 5 stars here, as this is very ‘listenable’ dance music. Much more interesting and breakbeat than what I was expecting. Lost a little momentum towards the end though, so dialling it back to a high 4.
It's not my favourite chemical brothers. It sounds a bit like fatboy slim but without the catchy hooks
Neat.
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.
Yep, these guys do it for me. It pumps along, but there's enough weirdness to keep it interesting.
Probably the best Chemical Bros album
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.
Back with another cock blocking beat.
block rockin'
"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.
90s dance techno at its best. Every song drew me in, and few times I stopped what I was doing to dance. Some of these tracks had some super funky beats, which is next level techno mastery. I'm adding this album to my favorites. 5 outta 5.
Good music for writing a report. Setting Sun is great and you get the bonus of Noel Gallagher.
This record was my first introduction to The Chemical Brothers and it blew me away at the time. Innovative, stylish, and focused (even though it kicks off with the all-out frenzy of "Block Rockin' Beats"). It doesn't restrict itself to a specific genre of electronic music, spanning big beat, drum n' bass, breakbeat, and even some psychedelic rock. Amazing record all around.
Love the soundscapes. Need to get this LP
Not bad. NOt really my kind of music but it was enjoyable
A mix of good bangers and hard to listen to jumbled tracks
Heard before: no Pretty good! Not the kind of thing I throw on normally, but I can see how it would be great in some contexts, and a few tracks are definitely going to make it onto my running playlists!
Pretty good electronic sound. Slightly crass at times
It's ok. Made for remixing and/or dancing.
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.
Pretty awesome
groovy but industrial dark warehouse party jams. Berghain-esque with a bit of Jet Set Radio
INCREDIBLE BASS SO FAR I can hear so much influence in later electronic music from this album This album for me is exciting. Every track I was thinking about what the next one would be like Every instrumental is super unique I feel like this, daft punk, etc. really pioneered this genre and this project still holds up. While this definitely isnt my favorite electronic project, I think this could definitely be in my top 25 electronic albums currently. 8/10
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