For That Beautiful Feeling

Yep. I can confirm this is The Chemical Brothers

If we're doing late career Chems, then it's clearly Born In The Echoes. I didn't even hear about this one coming out, so it seems there was no, or significantly less, 'return to form' buzz like there was for the former. And listening to it I can hear why, there's nothing particularly outstanding here, it's background dance music. The Chems have a lot going for them, particularly early on, this doesn't represent their career particularly well. A very silly and wasteful pick. Second most egregious after the stones. Will not survive the next edition.

Plain, ordinary, utterly generic dance music, from a band long past their artistic peak.

Heyoooo. That new edition of the book finally came out. I suppose the site owner is trying to artificially populate these new album pages seeing that I've pulled this third Chemical Brothers album right out of the gate. I, sadly, am not in possession of the new book as it releases on the 2nd of February down here in Australia. However, I will be moseying on down to my Dymocks of choice on the day that it releases as I kind of owe it to Dimery & Co. I've shamelessly pirated five other editions of the books while assembling my reviews for these albums. Time to have a peep at those new inductions. Hrmm. IT'STHESAMEFUCKINGTHINGASLASTTIME. They pulled 13 contemporary albums and replaced them with 13 contemporarier albums, bumping the total album count up to 1102. It's truly shameful that we're in 2026 with neither Pinkerton nor the Blue Album on the list. I was hoping the new publisher of this book would grant these curators a little more creative freedom in revising the list, but nah. These editors are just lazy as shit. Honestly, I'm about ready for this album journey to end, so I can hardly complain about 80-or-so new albums not being dumped onto my plate. Okay, time to actually have a peep at the new inclusions. "Brat" by Charli XCX. That figures. Another Charli XCX album which released only this year. That's some zealotry, though I suppose Charli is one of the defining acts of the 2020s. Poppy's in there surprisingly. I'm not at all familiar with her music, though I do like her "Interweb" song. Billie Eilish is another no-brainer, though I'm unsure as to whether her included album is a good pick. I'm only familiar with her late-2010s music, and even then that familiarity is only passing. There's a few artists I've never heard of but are more-than-likely good representations of the times that their albums released, and then there's these late-career inclusions from The Chemical Brothers, The Rolling Strones and The Cure. Honestly, I don't think we need these inclusions, though in all fairness I'm not really attentive as to where current popular music is at. Maybe it really is dire out there. Of course, in order for these 13 new albums to make it onto the list, 13 albums had to PERISH. Lemme see if I can find a list of the exclusions. "Fetch the Bolt Cutters" by Fiona Apple. I haven't listened to that album yet, though I suppose the late-careerers are easy targets. "Grey Area" by Little Simz. Get absolutely fucked, though I still think "Sometimes I Might Be Introvert" deserves to be on the list despite the fact that I fucking hate that album. "Hookworms" by Microshift. Haven't listened to it yet. "Modern Kosmology" by Jane Weaver. An absolutely nothing album that doesn't even have a Wikipedia page, so I don't object to the snubbening. "You Want It Darker" by Leonard Cohen. Inexcusable removal despite the fact that I disliked that album. Put it back on the list right this instant. "In Our Heads" by Hot Chip. Nothing I was too enthusiastic about, though I thought that album was a good representation of the year it released - I'd definitely save it. Django Django's self-titled album. Haven't listened to it yet, though the band name does ring a bell. "Teen Dream" by Beach House. See my opinion on "In Our Heads". "Two Dancers" by Wild Beast. I know this website hates that album, though I thought it was quite good and was, again, a good representation of the year it released. I'd definitely save it. "De-loused in the Comatorium" by The Mars Volta. I wasn't into that album, though the group definitely have their fans - I'd save it. "Power in Numbers" by Jurassic 5. The J5 are one of the exceedingly rare hip-hop acts to yield a hip-hop song I like ("Improvise"), so I'd definitely save them even if they are kind of an underdog act. "Southern Rock Opera" by Drive-By Truckers. A bit of an outsider band with little relevance beyond critical acclaim, but I thought their included album was interesting, if a little long. I'd save it. "Rings Around the World" by Super Furry Animals. Shit album from a shit band. Bye-bye. Of the thirteen albums that were pulled, I'd save seven. Not a good ratio for what is meant to be an improvement to the book, though I suppose I understand the rationale behind removing most of the albums that got cut. Anyways, time to finally hit play on this album. I wasn't too enthusiastic about The Chemical Brothers' previous releases, though I am curious to know what a modern take on their style would sound like. Here goes. Huh. I thought we left this style of music behind in the early-to-mid 2010s. I can hardly complain - I thought this album was A-OK. The synths maintain a characteristically 90s charm while also sounding quite modern with the soft, rounded, wavy methods in which they are mastered. Other songs feature harsh, washed out sounds and those deep, gurgling, droning synths that were all the rage in 90s rave music, both of which I also thought were executed well. As goes for all of the music within this niche, I found the style of this album to be deeply impersonal and therefore not particularly invigorating, though I didn't mind kicking back to this one for a few. Sadly, a scan of the 2026 book has yet to surface online, so I guess I need to settle with only looking at the Wikipedia page for this album. Nominated for a Grammy. Liked by critics. Performed respectably on the charts, having charted in nine countries. Notable placements include No. 70 in Australia, No. 45 in Japan, No. 16 in Switzerland and No. 6 in the UK. Yeah, we're pulling this one. While I appreciate hearing a more mature sound from The Chemical Brothers, this album is quite behind on musical trends and doesn't appear to have been particularly acclaimed or successful. In proving that I can do my unpaid review job better than these paid frauds, I will be submitting a contemporary replacement for every album I decide to pull from the newest edition of the book. In place of this album, I humbly submit "Ants From Up There" by Black Country, New Road for inclusion on the list. Now, I myself am a phony fraud seeing that I'm submitting an album I haven't even listened to, though in my defence I listened to the first ten-or-so minutes of "For the First Time" when it released, the critic reviews of the album speak for themselves and I still see people discussing the album on the Internet, so I think its a solid pick.

I am a Chemical Brothers fan, but I wasn't even aware that they released this album. It's perfectly fine for what it is -- a late period album in their classic instrumental psychedelic dance-pop style-- but we do not need a third Chemical Brothers album on the list, and certainly not this one. I enjoy listening to it for the first time, but it adds nothing to my knowledge or understanding of music. It had almost no commercial or critical impact. It is a pointless inclusion on this list.

Do not recommend listening to this unless you’re at a rave blasted to the moon on drugs.

It's nice to hear that a group you grew up listening to still has the talent and drive to put out a decent album, I just don't think it should be on this list. Their two other albums on this list are much stronger, much more cohesive listens and there a many many many other albums that people should listen to in their life before this one. This is not a must-listen, it's a you-should-llisten-to if you like the Chemical Brothers.

"the 2026 edition of the book adds a third Chemical Brothers album from 2023" is a joke i would make while complaining about what an english clown Robert Dimery is

This album is a tale of two styles. When the songs are driving and have energy behind them, they were some of the more fun electronic songs I've heard through this project. But once the foot comes off the gas (particularly in the 2nd half), the songs become annoying and very uninteresting. Very clear divide between what works and what doesn't, and it's disappointing because when it does work this album is a lot of fun. Top tracks: No Reason, Goodbye, The Weight

If I were to put a third Chemical Brothers album onto the list, it'd be Surrender. This is OK but it's no masterpiece of the ages. In places it's actively irritating.

Het derde album van de nieuwe editie van het boek. En wederom met een stevige digitale basis. Dat past in mijn straatje, maar ik zie een luistermaatje al door de grond zakken. Eerdere digitale albums met meer variatie kregen van hem al het label eentonig. Dus dit album zal vast een hele korte review van hem krijgen. Maar ondanks dat ik naar het grootste deel van dit album prima naar kan luisteren, vraag ook ik mij af wat de toegevoegde waarde is van dit album. Vernieuwend is dit niet en de oudere albums van de Chemical Brothers in deze lijst zijn veel interessanter. Dit album biedt af en toe een fijne bijna doorlopende bassdrum die niet eens dominant is. Bijvoorbeeld in het nummer met Beck. Maar dit album biedt af en toe ook trommelvlies beschadigende blikken geluiden zoals in Feels like I am Dreaming. Het is dan of ze nog eens moeten laten zien dat ze ook nu nog grenzen doorbreken. Nee, dat hoeft echt niet. Tussen de 13 nieuwkomers zit naast dit album ook het nieuwe werk van The Cure en zelfs van The Rolling Stones. Toegegeven, het eerder toegevoegde album van Leonard Cohen uit 2016 is weer gewipt. Zit er ergens een diepe wens bij de samenstellers om nieuwer werk van bewezen artiesten ook boven water te halen? Of is het gewoon luiheid? Ik ben bang het laatste. Maar op deze manier krijgen we maar weinig mee uit de huidige tijd. Iets waar ik wel een beetje naar uitkeek. Ik laat dat gevoel maar niet het aantal sterren bepalen...

For That Beautiful Feeling is the tenth album of The Chemical Brothers. The two albums that already were in the earlier editions of the book, Exit Planet Dust and Dig Your Own Hole, are from the decade that the band was prioneering and original. This album is from an experienced, but also obsolete duo. The album is a compentent attempt to mold their electronic music style in a modern fitting. As such it’s a good record, but it’s not essential by any means. In the last 25 years a lot of interesting electronic music has been produced that is far more deserving a selection.

Between brat and this it seems that Dimery was in something of a summery party mood when he put these additions in the new edition! Much like brat, For That Beautiful Feeling is a swirling and continuous rave inspired by 00s EDM, though this time by a band that were big players in that scene. For That Beautiful Feeling is closer to Exit Planet Dust than Dig Your Own Hole. The snappier and hookier songs from the latter aren't present here, instead opting for a non stop mix of electronic beats that culminate in a stop flow to make you feel like it's a party that never ends, again similar to brat. This is a huge step away from big beat compared to their other two albums, with a bigger focus on more methodical house beats, which makes it easy to mentally get lost in the rave atmosphere. There's one big negative, as much as I praised the flow state of the album above, The Chemical Brothers like to inject harsh noises that completely ruin the flow. It shows up a few times, but the most egregious case is the song Goodbye which almost ruins the album for me. I think the sound they're going for in this song is sorrowful and isolated, but it sounds like drilling a hole in your ear which is the antithesis of exactly what makes the album good. Seriously, I almost docked it a star for this song alone. Was it a good addition to the list: No, I can safely say this isn't a new or unique take on the band. There's many more electronic album you could add instead. Top 3 songs: Live Again, No Reason, The Darkness That You Fear - Harvest Mix

I came into this with pretty low expectations, partly because ignoring much of the cool, interesting electronic albums of the 2020s in favour of a 90’s legacy act who’s already here two other times seemed out of touch to me? maybe?? Almost 100% of the Chemical Brothers I have heard is from either Dig Your Own Hole or Exit Planet Dust. But I know “The Darkness That You Fear”, somehow- and what a beautiful piece it is! (It’s a single from 2021, but not sure if I was aware of it for that long) At some point today, I had to reckon with the fact that my enjoyment of FTBF was starting to eclipse my disgust of it being on the list. It flows well, and its takes on melodic house and coarser, bassier grooves are balanced nicely. The song “Fountains” is a minor speed bump in the overall flow, not that it’s bad but the Pharrell-ian beat sounds like it belongs to a different project entirely. I still maintain that it doesn’t have much to say about electronica in the 2020s, but as a modern refresh on old ideas, it is surprisingly resonant. I’ve bitched about 90’s big beat before, that “you wouldn’t buy a car”-ass subgenre, but the Chem Bros’ interest in psychedelia and other dance styles has long interested me more than, say, the Prodigy or Fatboy Slim. I guess “BM”, aka British Man, aka Bruno Macdonald confirms my point by implying in the book entry ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. Yeh but… isn’t there something nice about breaking things in electronica? There’s a whole genre called “deconstructed club” on RYM… Should this be here? NO. Would I have considered listening to this if it hadn’t popped up here? Also no. Am I glad I heard it? …yes HL: “Goodbye”, “The Darkness”, “Skipping Like a Stone” October 18, 2026

Pretty cool - electro with good beat. Perfect for work.

Generic danceclub. Great to be moving to, not really for sitting and listening to.

Album #1100 (1,001 challenge): "For That Beautiful Feeling" by the Chemical Brothers (2023) "For That Beautiful Feeling" is the tenth studio album by English electronic music duo the Chemical Brothers. Electronica is the sole Wiki-listed genre. The Chemical Brothers are Tom Rowlands (production, programming, mixing, engineering, vocals) and Ed Simons (production, programming). Commercially, the album reached #6 in the UK, and, critically, it had universal acclaim and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album. The short "Intro" starts things off. Female vocals, an electronic dance beat, a drone synth sound and a funky bass line. Halo Maud contributes dreamy vocals to "Live Again." A swirling, wobbly and hypnotic synth and a dance beat. "No Reason" funks it up with the bass and beat. Hand claps, a pumping club synth and weird synth noises. "Goodbye" is quicker with the electronic dance beat. Soulful male vocals, a buzzing sound and an annoying bell-like synth. Beck contributes vocals on "Skipping Like a Stone." It starts out dreamy but develops a dance-rock beat. A very catchy synth melody and my favorite song on the album. The first-released single was "The Darkness That You Feel." A piano-like synth. Female vocals hypnotically repeating the title. A fusion of club dance and Caribbean beat. A swirling synth takes over. Another good song. Hypnotic and repetitive dance beats. Swirling, dreamy and robotic-sounding synths. The repetitive vocals are used as instruments. A decent variety between songs. This was an enjoyable listen. However, this falls into the same category as the new entries from the Stones and the Cure: decent albums but not quite their groundbreaking earlier releases. So, it is a good album and recommended for any electronic or Chemical Brothers' fans. 3.5 out of 5

Just mid.

It's fine. Big sound. Very modern. Didn't really hit until Track 10, which is really sad. Beck is cool so I'm glad we got that. Not much to say really. Getting this over something people actually care about is stupid.

I like the chemical brothers. I own Exit Planet Dust and Dig Your Own Hole and think they are both fantastic and ground breaking albums. My preferences moved on over time and so when this came out i gave it a cursery listen and then moved on, so this was an opportunity to see if i'd missed something. Its a good album and it has all the usual hallmarks of driving beats, so nice variety and excellent production value. But it's not exactly groundbreaking and shouldn't have been one of the new inclusions. There is a wealth if more interesting, more progressive electronic albums released in the last few years by artists like Four Tet, Bonobo, Rival Consoles or Ben Bohmer that would have made a much more interesting addition.

Good album... Doesn't belong on this list though.

Kicks balls and slaps titties

Good

I liked this album well enough, but not enough to feel the need for a third listen. It's enjoyable, but nothing really stuck with me. Seems like an odd addition to the list.

Holy recency bias! No disrespect intended but I'm not sure this makes the top 6 of Chemical Brothers' own albums. Other than the track No Reason, I didn't know they'd released it. On that basis it has no right being anywhere near a 'hear this before you die' list. Sorry boys.

I love the Chemical Brothers.

The four song run to start this album was great. After that it was forgettable until it got to Feel Like I’m dreaming to the end. Those last two songs flowed together to make a terrific closer.

I can’t give it less than 3 stars ‘cause it’s The Chemical Brothers and therefore decent. I do take issue with this album’s inclusion, though. When you’re adding such a small number of new albums to the list, do you really need to add a third Chems album instead of someone new? They’re already pretty well-represented and it’s not like their sound deviates much from record to record. Also, regardless of previous inclusions, is this particular Chems album remarkable? I’d say no. As far as their modern-era albums go, I’d say both No Geography and Born In The Echoes have more going for them.

Correcto

The couple of albums I've gotten from the 2026 edition have been really odd choices. Like, why add a recent album from a 90s band that already has 2 albums on the list and whose new album basically made no buzz and had no real significant impact. Why not add Black Country New Road or Imaginal disc? I'm not even that big of a fan of either of those albums (sorry I can't stand her voice), but they both had real cultural impact. Anyways, this album is fine... nothing to wrote home about. There were a handful of songs I liked and that's about it. Mid 3.

Well, it doesn't suck.

2/3

Not really for me

good one, enjoyed this one a lot and is more my vibe.

Was this album chosen for content, or because the other album was their first and this is to demonstrate decades of relevance? I'm guessing the latter. This album was ok, but a lot of it was very repetitive and I actually liked the first one better.

The Chemical Brothers, nearly 30 years after their debut, are still quite good at what they do. Fun danceable beats and psychedelic atmospheres combined with a unique selection of samples to boot. This, however, pales in comparison to their work in the '90s and doesn't justify more than a cursory listen. Compared to the Boards of Canada album released earlier this year, which is easily just as good as their back catalogue, For That Beautiful Feeling feels more like a duo coasting on their legacy rather than stepping up to make something that stands out amongst their established body of work.

I really enjoyed this, I liked The Chemical Brothers before too but this album gave me so many new songs of theirs that I came to enjoy and want to listen to again

Gear: Fostex TH610 (Lawton Black Limba Chambers) Artwork: 〰️🎪🎨 Production: 🔊🚛😦 Music: 🪩🧬👥 Rating: 🤡🤡(🤡)/5

4.2

just does nothing for me at all. 2/5.

I felt the songs were quite similar to each other after a while.

There's some good songs here, but I don't feel this is an essential listen. I don't even think the duo's debut album is essential either, and that one is on here too. As far as more song-oriented and accessible Chemical Brothers albums go, Push the Button would be my pick. Honestly, you can't really go wrong with the Chem Bros whenever you want a quick burst of pumping energy and this one is no different. Key tracks: Live Again Goodbye Skipping Like a Stone

Ein atmosphärisch starkes Album, das die Energie der Chemical Brothers einfängt und mit modernen Sounds verbindet.

Here's the thing - it's good. In parts, it's even VERY good. But do you *need* to listen to it before you die? no, not at all. There are other albums in their discography that I would argue yeah, they're genre-defining classics, you should hear them at least once. But this one? I mean, listen to it if you like this sort of thing because it's pretty great, but it's not breaking any new ground. So why is it here? And here is the rub: how do I rate this? because the author/editor of the book, Robert Dimery, has lost the plot. Completely. A couple days ago, I was within 10 albums of finishing this project, and now, suddenly, I have 28 left to go. Not a huge deal, I started this thing to listen to albums, obviously, but it's the albums that were added that is the problem - and the albums deleted. I won't go into it, because I'm exhausted with it, but a quick google will show you the bullshit added (ANOTHER Rolling Stones album? From when they're all in their 80s? Really?), and the unfathomable decisions on what albums to remove (Mars Volta? Jurassic 5?). This, of course, in addition to the unforgivable snubs (Tool, Deftones, MF DOOM, Madvillian, J Cole). This project has, sadly, lost all legitimacy, and I will be extremely glad to be done.

Geneeriseksi jäävää elektroa. Chemical Brothersilla on hetkensä, mutta ne on valitettavasti menneisyydessä.

I usually like Chemical Brothers more than most EDM, but this is the weakest of the three albums on this list (too many). It nearly misses a three for me.

Really enjoyed this. Excited to see them live!

Thought it was pretty good house music, but then "Feels Like I'm Dreaming" came on and it was the longest seven minutes of my life

Kind of a banger of an album. I love how it just flows from track to track making it feel like a DJ set. Beats are great and samples/features are nice additions to give it some variance. 9/10

Without even having to listen to this album, I can, hand on heart, tell you that this album by aging DJ duo is not an album you need to listen to before you die... And now having listened to the album, I can confirm that I was correct. It's fine. It's just another dance album. Best Tracks: Live Again (feat. Halo Maud); Goodbye; Skipping Like a Stone (feat. Beck)

You can make me listen to as many electronic albums as you want, and I’m still not going to hear anything more than what comes pre programmed on a Casio keyboard with random vocals looped on each track. Enough already!

Some good beats/rhythms, but the space discotheque and simple repetitive sounds are irritating.

No Reason is the easy standout but it's a fun time. Danceable but also good tunes to hear behind a closed door while you and a friend smoke ciggies outside

I didn't know that the list went this modern! excited to finally force myself to listen to chemical brothers Okay I listened to it. I think these brothers have some techno skills but this one is prob just not the one for me, feeling like a strong 6 on this one

What strange addition to the list, the latest album by a group who've already featured, that hardly pulled up trees when released. It's alright, harks back to their early sound id say, more club orientated than the big hits. A few notable parts here and there but a lot of filler too. Not essential at all but okay.

That's the chemical brothers all right. I enjoyed this more than I was expecting to, but it's not something I would seek out usually. Live again and the one with beck were probably the best ones. 3.5, but going on the 3 side as I probably wouldn't choose to listen to it again. Was good though

Vibrant, colorful music with a great mix of arthouse electronica and dance floor beats. There’s an eclectic mix of styles and samples on here, and the tracks are sequenced beautifully as one continuous journey. There’s also some moments when the music sounds like psychedelic or prog rock. I was really jamming to this and enjoying the ride. I know The Chemical Brothers have been around a while, and you can tell. This is really well made. Bold and exciting too!

Pretty good but ultimately their earlier work is better and we're not sure this one deserves it's inclusion on the list.

I honestly forgot The Chemical Brothers even existed at this point, I mean they felt like middle-aged accountants 30 years ago when they were hammering out "Block Rockin Beats", and the last thing I remember hearing by them was "Galvanize" 20 years ago, proving that time truly is the fire in which we all burn... Diving into this late career effort, I found myself torn between chuckling at the sheer absurdity of Robert Dimery padding out the new book edition with a third album from a legacy act and actually enjoying the surprisingly solid, squelchy house grooves and nostalgic 90s synths. Sure, it feels completely non-essential and derivative of their classic 90s peaks rather than pushing electronica forward in the 2020s, but it still flows nicely as a continuous, trippy rave-inspired DJ set with some standout tracks like "Live Again" and "No Reason". It’s an utterly pointless inclusion on a must-listen list that bypassed scores of more relevant modern electronic acts, yet despite my initial eye-rolling, I couldn't entirely hate a record that delivers a harmless, fun nostalgic bop.

Pleased to see Chemical Brothers still doing it although there are better albums in their catalogue (Surrender). Nevertheless, a polished effort (maybe it actually needs more grit?) and 'No Reason' is a banger as good as anything they've ever done.

Definitely did not need a third album from these guys added to the list. That said, this one is at least more tolerable than the first two.

1/5

The Chemical Brothers always deliver

Oh great, just what I needed. A THIRD Chemical Brothers album. This list is a fucking joke, and not a funny one. Yeah, this album being on the list is incredibly unnecessary and kind of pathetic, but I actually didn't dislike it at all. This album isn't bad. I'm still not really a Chemical Brothers fan, but I can at least say that they're not washed up has-beens or anything of the sort. It helps that their members are only about 50 or so as opposed to the members of a certain OTHER legacy band who got an album on this list made when they were about 80. This album does feel like a natural progression of what they'd made in the 90s. The sound here isn't exactly the same as it was on Dig Your Own Hole. It's not as good as Dig Your Own Hole, but it's different! This album has a more noticeable house influence, I think. I'm not really an expert on electronic genres, so take that comment with a grain of salt. It's got more of a Daft Punk thing going on, which I'm not against. The songs all flow into each other, which is nice. Nothing in here hurt to listen to, so that's good. For That Beautiful Feeling is an utterly pointless inclusion on a list of must-listen albums, but it's also not a bad album. I get why people would like this, and there are things on here that I happen to actually enjoy, but I can't recommend this to anyone that isn't already a big Chemical Brothers fan, which I'm not. Light 3/5.

Stor 2, kunne lige så godt have været en lille 3. Blessed med et elektronisk album på under 2 timer

Fed nok. Man kunne nok have valgt noget lidt mere originalt elektronisk musik fra 20erne end en late career Chemical Brothers plade til gengæld.

This was nice.. I don't know why the authors would include a 3rd album from them.. Feels like they're not as relevant anymore.

Does the list need a late-period Chemical Brothers album? No, obviously not. But did I enjoy it? Yes, a lot. Some moments are quintessential Chemical Brothers, and others felt like a slight departure. Solidly a high four; if I'd encountered this on the user list, it would probably have been a five.

I've not been that sold on the other Chemical Brothers albums on this list and I struggle to see what this one adds to the two that are already here It's fine, I quite enjoyed it, but there is no need to add this onto the list A 100% 2.5 album

This was a pleasant surprise. I had to idea what to expect and loved the electronic dance throb that came to my ears. Really fun!

4+/5

As far as 90s british electronic goes, i like the Chemical Brothers. However, this more modern album feels so close to their 90s stuff, that it just doesn’t feel distinct. Nothing bad per se, I just wish they branched out a bit more.

It's The Chemical Brothers doing what they do best. What more do you want?

Repetitive and uninteresting

Another wasted addition to be honest..

For That Beautiful Feeling is a bit of a forgettable album from a band that I think was past its peak here. It’s not bad, certainly not, but it doesn’t quite land. The start is still there, with “Live Again” and “No Reason” showing some real quality, and “The Darkness That You Fear” is pretty good as well, even though it sits in the second half of the record. After the strong opening, though, the album falls off. I didn’t like “Skipping Like a Stone” with Beck, “Feels Like I Am Dreaming” or the title track, and there are better albums out there in this style. There are even better late-career albums by the same band. In my opinion both Born in the Echoes and Further are better. It certainly isn’t bad, but it’s absolutely not essential listening. A bit of a miss, I’m afraid.

🕺🕺🕺

For an electronic album, I didn't mind it too much. There are definitely a few repetitive parts. But overall not too bad.

It was aweful.

If someone played this at a party I was at, I'd probably bop along to it. If asked I'd say "nice vibes"

Pretty good EDM album that sounds very much like their classic albums. Maybe slightly catchier. I don't think they really earned another place in the book with this album.

Solid techno/house. I really like The Chemical Brothers. We had 2 more of their albums on this generator in the past (Exit Planet Dust, and Dig Your Own Hole) and both of those were really solid as well! Favourite songs: No Reason, Live Again, The Weight, Feels Like I Am Dreaming, Goodbye, Skipping Like a Stone Least favourite songs: none 5/5

There's nothing on here which wasn't already done much better on previous The Chemical Brothers albums.

Too recent to justifiably include on the list. Experimental, but not in a particularly moving way, given when it was released. You have to do better than this to achieve seriously impressive experimentation in the big '26. For sure, though, these brothers were definitely doing some chemicals. The intro track starts off unpromisingly. That vocal distortion cannot possibly sound good in any context, electronic drumbeats included. We get a couple sound "glitches" at the end of Intro and the start of the following track, Live Again. That song continues with the heavy phase(?) distortion, on both vocals and synths, while the ultra-sanitised percussion remains pretty static. Because the music sounds unapproachable almost for its own sake, I struggle to really connect. At least not until the nifty retro synths in the last couple minutes. We get an ultra-smooth transition into No Reason ("woo!"). Pretty irritating. I would definitely skip this on a rerun, despite the decent spacey interludes. The first interesting melody on all of side 1 gets introduced in Goodbye, with that thickly layered syncopated synth section. The drops are pretty solid too. I struggle to substantively comment on Fountains – honestly, it's a bewildering one – but the spooky sci-fi-type soundscape(?) is cool. Magic Wand tries and fails to replicate the same mood, mainly because the vocals and synths are exceptionally goofy without committing to any convincing melodies. Side 2 opens with The Weight. See the appendix for why this song doesn't work. At least the bass part is almost interesting, but I prefer The Band's version of this song. Whatever's happening in the background of Skipping Like A Stone – you know, the alarm-core thing – is pretty distinctive. And a little distracting. I like the singing part, though. Beck's contribution stands out nicely. The song also features a little fluttery song, like someone strumming a violin whose strings are all tuned to the same note. I like it. The Darkness That You Fear has a great build-up of vocals and instruments to enter into a surprisingly exciting, clean, atmospheric middle section. I enjoy the disco-callback vocals, the hand percussion, really everything. Though I'd like to see a more interesting song structure (in all of these tracks). We move smoothly into Feels Like I Am Dreaming, which is a spectacular failure for similar reasons to The Weight. And at nearly seven minutes long, it's by far the worst crime the album commits. I worry that For That Beautiful Feeling is trying to do something groundbreaking in the ambience department, and it kind of flops for reasons I struggle to explain. Appendix: "Who's gonna take the weight? / Who's gonna take the blame? / Who's gonna take the weight? / Who's gonna take the blame? / Who's gonna take the weight? / Who's gonna take the blame? / Who's gonna take the weight? / Who's gonna take the blame? / Who's gonna take the weight? / Who's gonna take the blame? / Who's gonna take the weight? / Who's gonna take the blame? / Who's Appendix 2: "And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I feel like I am dreaming / And I 2/5 Key tracks: Live Again, Goodbye, The Darkness That You Fear

For those keeping score, this is our third Chemical Brothers album. I should save this to my clipboard, since I seem to be using it a lot... [Copied and pasted from my review of The Cure's "Songs of a Lost World" and The Rolling Stones' "Hackneyed Diamonds"] "Legacy act makes a comeback album that holds up against their old stuff." Remarkable? Yes. Essential? No. A wasted opportunity to introduce something unique to this list.

this was fine and very in keeping with their catalogue but seems like an odd add to the list in 2026

whatever

это техно не было мне знакомо поэтому не зацепило)

Straight up house, some good stuff but not something to sit and listen to the whole album.

In some ways, this is tredding on well trodden ground for the Chemical brothers. On the other hand, it's just great to hear a TB-303 in this godforsaken year of our lord 2026. I just love that squelchy goodness. Really fun overall, not overwhelming and not at the heights of their classic period, but we deserve fun dance music and the Chemical Brothers have given it to us 4/5

If I was harsh I’d say they are dialling it in a bit and haven’t progressed beyond it being a bit more chilled. But don’t mind a bit of standard Chemical Brothers fayre. A few weak tracks but liked the one with Beck. 3

A bit more interesting than i anticipated. Quite chilled in places. Will bump up from 7 to an 8

Really enjoyed the 2nd half from around The Weight on -much more textured than I was expecting.Even thought the repetition on the last couple of tracks worked in a way that it generally didn't on the earlier Fatboy albums.

I particularly liked “No reason” but aside from that track and a few more softer tunes, it felt as though I’d ridden a time machine back the best part of 30 years a landed on a Saturday night in a Turnmills. Great scene, great (if hazy) memories!

2/5

Surprisingly catchy and listenable. Great background music that brought some energy to my morning email replies.

Pour le peu que j'aie écouté des Chemical Brothers, je les reconnais ici. On dirait que le temps s'est figé pour eux. J'ai particulièrement aimé la dernière piste et son feeling à la fois doux et inquiétant, comme s'il n'y avait plus rien à perdre. Cependant, je dois dire que je ne suis pas la plus grande fan des pièces basées sur la répétition, même exécutées de main de maître.

I don't know how to describe it but it feels like the sounds they use are always so 'sharp' and crass. I guess it's part of their trademark because I've heard it on other tracks as well. Though I'm not personally a fan of this style, It's not too bad. I really enjoyed the track with Beck, immediately stands out for me.

For some reason the inclusion of this one has tipped me over the edge. The Brothers are the same age as me and so have been twiddling the knobs for well over 30 years. Is there any progression, life lessons learned in here? No, it’s to my ears exactly the same but now no longer part of the general cultural vibe and that seems more sad than something to be celebrated

Not bad