release date: Jan. 28, 2002
format: cd / 2 lp vinyl (gatefold)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,46]
producer: The Chemical Brothers
label: Freestyle Dust / Virgin - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 2. "It Began in Africa" - 3. "Galaxy Bounce" - 4. "Star Guitar" (4,5 / 5) - 7. "The State We're In (feat. Beth Orton)"
4th studio album by The Chemical Brothers following 2½ years after Surrender (Jun. 1999). The album is not a copy or the attempt to copy the formula of the duo's perhaps best ever album. Naturally, it's still electronically founded with progressive elements but there are new stylistic inputs, which initially had me consider this as the duo's least favorable release to date. They haven't completely stepped away from the rave- / big beat-oriented style and you'll still find a few great tracks. Especially the single-hit "Star Guitar" is a modern electronic classic but mostly, the album is noticeable for a strong element of tribal house that I have found it difficult to embrace, although, they have also invited other artists in to perform on a number of tracks giving the album the taste of a mixtape or a compilation. "Star Guitar" could easily have been included on Surrender but the tracks like "It Began in Afrika", "My Elastic Eye", and "Denmark" really show a new stylistic playground that may require some time to embrace.
My initial verdict had me reject the album as a major miss but over the years I have come to regard it as more experiemntal and with bigger interest. The album is still not among the duo's absolute best but it's far from anything near mediocre.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone, PopMatters 4 / 5, Q Magazine 3,5 / 5, Uncut 2,5 / 5 stars ]
