John Frusciante "Maya" (2020)

Maya

release date: Oct. 20, 2020

format: digital (9 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,28]

producer: John Frusciante

label: Timesig Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Brand E" - 2. "Usbrup Pensul" - 3. "Flying" - 7. "Amethblowl" - 9. "Anja Motherless"

[ full album ]

11th studio album by John Frusciante following a series of releases under the moniker of Trickfinger with the album She Smiles Because She Presses the Button (Jun. 2020) as his most recent album, but already as of Mar. 2020, Trickfinger released the EP Look Down, See Us; however, his most recent album under his own name remains Enclosure from 2014. Frusciante began experimenting with electronic music about a decade ago, which saw him form Trickfinger as an outlet for mostly instrumental electronic music, but at the same time electronica became a strong influence in his other solo releases, and Maya appears as his first full electronic album to be released under his own name. Apparently, Maya was the name of his beloved cat, and this album is Frusciante's tribute to her.

Maya is made with breakbeat sampling at the heart of the compositions, and they simply sound much like Frusciante's own attempt with Brittish breakbeat anno 1992-ish - say, strongly The Prodigy-inspired compositions making it a bit of a strange experience. Some of the tracks here still sound great, although, altogether it's difficult to listen to without thinking the 1990s dance scene - but then again: it was a great and influential period, so why not reminding everyone about it?! And then, I think this is bettering his idm-fused acid house debut as Trickfinger.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Pitchfork 7,6 / 10, 👍Loud and Quiet 3 / 6 stars ]

The Prodigy "No Tourists" (2018)

No Tourists
release date: Nov. 2, 2018
format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,35]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: Take Me to the Hospital - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Need Some1" - 2. "Light Up the Sky" - 6. "Timebomb Zone" - 7. "Champions of London" - 9. "Resonate"

7th studio album by The Prodigy, which is the continued band-project consisting of dancer Keith Flint on vocals, Maxim Reality (aka Keith Palmer) on vocals and Liam Howlett as the musical mastermind behind it all, as he has made the music with various samples, mixed and produced it all. Flint and Maxim are credited as co-writers on three of the songs and basically "only" contributes with vocals on three and four songs respectively. Aside from the three official band members, the album has been made with various guest musicians, including guitarist Olly Burden, who has co-written four of the songs - on which he's also credited as co-producer - with Howlett and who also plays guitar on three comopsitions.
As the predecessor The Day Is My Enemy from 2015, the album continues in a more aggressive "rave revival" or big beat known as hardcore breaks, which bonds nicely with the first three albums by the band.
The album is the band's 7th consecutive album to peak as #1 on the UK albums chart list (including the compilation album Their Law: The Singles 1990-2005 from 2005), which seems like some sort of record, although, the band hasn't released a No. 1 single since "Breathe" in 1996.
After some time, I have come to enjoy this album more and more - and without comparison, I see it as no less than their best album since The Fat of the Land from 1997.
No Tourists became the last to feature dancer and vocalist Keith Flint as he ended his life in Mar. 2019.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Mojo 3 / 5, Uncut 3,5 / 5, The Observer, The Irish Times 4 / 5, NME 5 / 5 stars ]

The Prodigy "The Day Is My Enemy" (2015)

The Day Is My Enemy
release date: Mar. 30, 2015
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Liam Howlett, Neil McLellan
label: Take Me to the Hospital - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Day Is My Enemy" - 2. "Nasty" - 4. "Ibiza" (feat. Sleaford Mods)

6th studio album by The Prodigy was about 6 years in the making. Apparently, the album was a band effort, as contrary to the last two albums with Howlett in control of everything. According to Howlett the word 'violent' kept coming up when describing the album, and truth is, it's rather fitting. It's almost like an edited version of The Fat of the Land, from 97, only angrier.
I must confess that I haven't been a great fan of the band since the mid-90s, and have often been disappointed about their musical change into a more hip hop universe with heavy sampling and tribal, however, this is in a sense a return to form, although, I rejected it the first many times. It has a certain quality - it's quite good, but I don't really find it near great.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, The Guardian 4 / 5, Drowned in Sound 2 / 5 stars ]

The Chemical Brothers "Don't Think" (2012) (live)

Don't Think (live)
release date: Mar. 27, 2012
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]

Great live album by The Chemical Brothers. It's always a bit hard to review live albums. The tracks come from various albums over time but the great thing about electronic artists performing live is their ability to create new music based on their own material, and this is absolutely in the high end of live performances as they understand to build the compositions together and make it a whole. Compared to e.g. Sigur Ròs and their fine Inni live album, this is simply a better live performance in the sense that The Chemical Brothers' old repertoire played live becomes brand new material - instead of just playing popular songs like they sound on the original studio albums (like SR), The Chemical Brothers produce live versions of well-known tracks that are stuffed with changes and interpretations of their own material to make everything fit to the moment. Now, that's art!

The Prodigy "Lost Beats EP" (2009) (ep)

Lost Beats EP, ep
release date: Feb. 18, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,32]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: Take Me to the Hospital - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "The Big Gundown" - 2. "Black Smoke" - 3. "Wild West" - 4. "Fighter Beat" (2 / 5)

A 4-track studio ep, which came with a Deluxe Edition of Invaders Must Die. The music is very much the same style as the album, although, I think this is clearly better. The first track is a sampling of music by Ennio Morricone, and it's actually pretty nice. Also, track #2 is fine with its hardcore breakbeat instead of all the hip hop influence. All tracks are instrumental versions only. Track #3 has an intro with a sampling of a Dead Kennedys' track.
It's not really great but points in a better direction than some of their more recent releases.

The Prodigy "Invaders Must Die" (2009)

Invaders Must Die
release date: Feb. 18, 2009
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,14]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: Take Me to the Hospital - nationality: england, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Invaders Must Die" - 2. "Omen" - 4. "Colours" - 6. "Warriors Dance" - 7. "Run With the Wolves"

5th studio album by The Prodigy is released on the band's own label, Take Me to the Hospital (distributed by Cooking Vinyl). All tracks are produced by Liam Howlett with James Rushent credited for additional production on tracks #1-2. Howlett is normally credited as composer on nearly all tracks, but here is 'only' credited as co-composer of the music, and most tracks are Howlett's take with samples originally performed by Nirvana, Foo Fighters, The Breeders, and Manfred Mann.
The album peaked at number #1 in the UK and generally sold better than the 2004 album, and the two singles - tracks #2 and #6 both became top-10 singles in the UK.

Musically it follows close to the 2004 album, Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned and despite being clearly a better album it's never really great release when comparing to the band's first three albums. It's released five years following the last real studio album so expectations were not low. It feels like a better album, and the single tracks seem like more originally written but still has too much focus on original American techno, which I think, simply sounds outdated - we've been there, done that, but obviously, Liam Howlett hasn't been part of that movement, and unfortunately, he seems determined to go through his own techno evolution combining sampling and hardcore, industrial hip hop, breakbeat and hard rock with traditional techno. Strangely, "Stand Up" sounds like an attempt to make a Chemical Brothers track... and again, several tracks are samplings of old The Prodigy stuff, which is just sad when you hear bits of great old tracks cut up to new lesser songs. Best thing about it, is the comeback to both Keith Flint and Maxim on vocals.

The Chemical Brothers "Brotherhood" (2008)

Brotherhood, compilation

release date: Sep. 1, 2008

format: 2 lp vinyl (reissue, XDUSTLP9) / 2 cd

[album rate: 4 / 5]

producer: The Chemical Brothers

label: Freestyle Dust / Virgin - nationality: England, UK

2 lp vinyl compilation by The Chemical Brothers following the release of We Are the Night (Aug. 2007), and then also a follow-up to the duo's first compilation Singles 93 - 03 (Sep. 2003).

The album is a strong collection of great and familiar tunes. My only complaint is that many tracks overlap, i.e. "Hey Boy Hey Girl", "Block Rockin' Beats", "Star Guitar", "Let Forever Be", "Leave Home", "Out of Control", "The Golden Path", "Setting Sun", "Chemical Beats" - that is: 9 out of 15 tracks overlapping with a five year older compilation with more tracks. Isn't that a bit too many? Well, it depends, I guess, 'cause the intention is surely to throw out a sort of best of-album - the other being a collection of singles - and in any case it all means the inclusion of the aforementioned tracks. And unfortunately only six other tracks are found from later releases. Then, so be it. It's my first compilation on vinyl by the band, so I can easily live with that, and it's still a pretty awesome collection.

The Prodigy "Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned" (2004)

Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned
release date: Aug. 23, 2004
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,68]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Spitfire" (feat. Juliette Lewis) - 4. "Get Up Get Off" (feat. Twista) - 5. "Hotride" (feat. Juliette Lewis)

4th studio album by The Prodigy released nearly seven years after the huge success with Fat of the Land (1997). The tracks are primarily written by Howlett and several tracks are co-written with Neil McLellan who also mixes, does programming, and adds vocals to several tracks, although, he has not been adopted as an official member. Musically, this is a 'back to the basics' of techno (which has much of its origins in the US), but it's also a continued journey into sampling and with much hip hop-inspiration.
To me this was a rather disappointing release. It's put together and produced by Howlett as usual, and both Flint and Maxim's vocals are missing. However, the mix with more original techno simply ruins the 'clean' British breakbeat and big beat somewhat. Some of the tracks are mere samplings of former The Prodigy hits, i.e. track #6 "Wake Up Call" is simply too close to "Firestarter". The album had no real single hits but sold rather well. Both Q Magazine and Rolling Stone only gave it a two-stars review, and allmusic.com handed it 2,5 to this their so far lowest point, which I agree on is a mediocre output. The best tracks feature Juliette Lewis (from Juliette and the Licks) on vocal.

The Chemical Brothers "Singles 93 - 03" (2003)

Singles 93 - 03 (compilation)
release date: Sep. 22, 2003
format: digital
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: The Chemical Brothers
label: Freestyle Dust / Virgin - nationality: England, UK

Compilation album and the Chemical Brothers' first official sort of best of collection. It's fine if you don't have anything by the band, or if you only happen to have one or two albums, but it somehow seems like a superfluous collection of songs. Also, the diversity of the tracks make it a strange release to listen to, although, the single tracks are great as singles.

The Prodigy "The Fat of the Land" (1997)

The Fat of the Land
release date: Jun. 30, 1997
format: cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,26]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Smack My Bitch Up" - 2. "Breathe" (4 / 5) - 3. "Diesel Power" (feat. K. Thornton) - 4. "Funky Shit" - 5. "Serial Thrilla" - 6. "Mindfields" (3,5 / 5) - 7. "Narayan" (3,5 / 5) - 8. "Firestarter" (5 / 5) - 9. "Climbatize" - 10. "Fuel My Fire"

3rd studio album by The Prodigy. If Music for the Jilted Generation was their musical high and their real international breakthrough, this one was their biggest commercial success, putting the album as number 1 not only nationally but world-wide. Actually, it entered the Guinness World Records in '99 for being the fastest selling UK album to date. The music has changed in respect to the previous release. It's still hardcore breakbeat and big beat but the presence of samples of others artists' works have become more dominant, and a "new" style has been adopted: industrial hip hop. Both "Breathe" and "Firestarter" were monster selling single tracks, and "Smack My Bitch Up" became more of an issue of sex debate as The National Organization for Women (NOW), among others, criticised the song for being offensive, to advocate for violence against women, and for depicting (the video) heroin sale in a positive way. The Swedish music director, Jonas Åkerlund, made the highly controversial music video that was banned in many countries including the UK (UTube link). The track "Serial Thrilla" features a sample of a riff from "Selling Jesus" by English alt. rock band Skunk Anansie. The album has been included on many official list of essential albums including "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", Q Magazine's "100 Greatest British Albums Ever", Rolling Stone's "Essential Recordings of the 90s", I don't really agree, though. It's great but not on par with the predecessor, imho.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine, Sputnikmusic 5 / 5 stars ]

<  2012 cover >

2012 expanded reissue

The Chemical Brothers "Dig Your Own Hole" (1997)

Dig Your Own Hole
release date: Apr. 7, 1997
format: cd
[album rate: 4,5 / 5] [4,33]
producer: The Chemical Brothers
label: Freestyle Dust / Virgin - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Block Rockin' Beats" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Dig Your Own Hole" (4 / 5) - 3. "Elektrobank" (4 / 5) - 5. "Setting Sun (feat. Noel Gallagher)" (5 / 5) - 8. "Get Up on It Like This" - 10. "Where Do I Begin (feat. Beth Orton)" (5 / 5) - 11. "The Private Psychedelic Reel" (5 / 5 )

2nd studio album release by The Chemical Brothers is one of the true great classic big beat albums. It was the first album I ever listened to and quickly purchased with the duo, and I must have listened to "Setting Sun" on repeat a zillion times at maximum volume - to my neighbours' regret. Best tracks however, are the 2-disc-end tracks. I don't listen much to it these days but it's rather tight and a great dance album - I mean: I wanna dance, I don't do drugs, and I normally never ever dance without being drunk, which happens once every fourth year or so, but put this on, hand me the vacuum cleaner, turn up the volume, and I'll start cleaning the house dancing away! The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, NME, Q Magazine, Spin, Rolling Stone, The Guardian 4 / 5 stars ]

1997 Favourite releases: 1. Buena Vista Social Club Buena Vista Social Club - 2. The Chemical Brothers Dig Your Own Hole - 3. The Divine Comedy A Short Album About Love

Underworld "Second Toughest in the Infants" (1996)

Second Toughest in the Infants
release date: Mar. 4, 1996
format: cd (1998 reissue)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Underworld
lable. JBO - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Juanita / Kiteless / To Dream of Love" - 2. "Banstyle / Sappys Curry" - 3. "Confusion the Waitress" - 4. "Rowla" - 5. "Pearls Girl" (4 / 5) - 8. "Stagger"

4th studio album by Underworld and the second as a electronic trio.
The band continue its explorations into trance but also with hints of breakbeat.
It's a rather experimental release where the band adds conventional instrumentation to its predominantly electronic style by the use of loops, and they seem to explore more on this compared to the predecessor Dubnobasswithmyheadman from 1994, which appears as a more coherent electronic album, but Second Toughest in the Infants reveals a distinct trait of balancing the pace of slow meditative parts with bolder energetic outburst, which is a dynamic recipe they would keep to on later releases.
The album was not an immediate favourite, but I have come to reevaluate my initial thoughts more than once when speaking of this particular album. With this, they're on the right move away from early electronic techno and trance in their sound of progressive house, and this particular album has always been there in the outskirts of great albums and is a true grower once you let it unfold.
The album is the trio's second electronic release on which they show that they have found their style, and this is their first truly successful originally sounding studio album, imho.
It was released to critical acclaim, it peaked at number #9 on the UK albums chart list, and it has been included in Mojo's "100 Greatest Albums of Our lifetime" and in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" - the so far only by Underworld.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, NME 4 / 5 stars ]

BEST OF 1994:The Prodigy "Music for the Jilted Generation" (1994)

Music for the Jilted Generation
release date: Jul. 14, 1994
format: cd
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,82]
producer: Liam Howlett, Neil McLellan
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Intro" - 2. "Break & Enter" (5 / 5) - 3. "Their Law (feat. Pop Will Eat Itself)" - 4. "Full Throttle" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Voodoo People" (5 / 5) (org. video) - 6. "Speedway (Theme From Fastlane)" - 7. "The Heat (The Energy)" - 8. "Poison" - 9. "No Good (Start the Dance)" (org. video) - 10. "One Love (Edit)" (5 / 5) - 11. "The Narcotic Suite: 3 Kilos" - 12. "The Narcotic Suite: Skylined" - 13. "The Narcotic Suite: Claustrophobic Sting" (5 / 5)

2nd studio album by The Prodigy. The importance of this album can only be underestimated. When grunge rock was on its high with its focus on simplicity and with accepted 'normal' electrified instruments, programmed electronic music with breakbeat and big beat was the music for another huge fraction of music lovers. This is genius, and it's revolutionary. This was their first album to go to number #1 in the UK, as all their following albums have done, which is quite unique. The album is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com, Record Collector 5 / 5, Sputnikmusic 4,5 / 5, The Guardian, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

1994 Favourite releases: 1. The Prodigy Music for the Jilted Generation - 2. Everything but the Girl Amplified Heart - 3. C.V. Jørgensen Sjælland

The Prodigy "Experience" (1992)

Experience [debut]
release date: Sep. 21, 1992
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "Jericho" - 2. "Music Reach (1/2/3/4)" - 3. "Wind It Up" (4 / 5) (official video) - 4. "Your Love (Remix)" (4,5 / 5) - 5. "Hyperspeed (G-Force Part 2)" - 6. "Charly (Trip Into Drum and Bass Version)" (4 / 5) (official video) - 7. "Out of Space" - 8. "Everybody in the Place (155 and Rising)" - 9. "Weather Experience" - 10. "Fire (Sunrise Version)" - 11. "Ruff in the Jungle Bizness" - 12. "Death of The Prodigy Dancers (Live)"

Studio debut album by The Prodigy. I only listened to the entire album after The Fat of the Land, and found it a difficult step back in time in 1997. I thought it was okay but didn't really like it a great deal for the first many years, and actually only in the late 2000s I have come to fancy this album as well. My initial verdict was 2,5 / 5 stars, I guess, whereas today, I think it's worth 4. "Jericho", "Wind It Up", "Your Love (Remix)", and "Charly" are great breakbeat tracks suited for a sweaty night at the disco.
After re-discovering the album, I am almost certain to have heard some of the tracks when watching a techno rave truck driving through a park at Copenhagen Carnival in the summer of 1992. The truck was full of young 'ravers' dancing away on the lorry while The Prodigy played at maximum volume. I recall being impressed by the music, which seemed to come from another planet.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5, Record Collector 4 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]

The Prodigy "What Evil Lurks" (1991) (ep)

What Evil Lurks, ep
release date: Feb. 1991
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: 1. "What Evil Lurks" - 2. "We Gonna Rock" - 3. "Android" - 4. "Everybody in the Place"

Studio ep debut by The Prodigy, project name for producer and composer Liam Howlett who included Keith Flint and Maxim [aka Keith Palmer] on vocals, and as dancers when performing live. This is initial breakbeat hardcore or rave. The ep was released in only 7000 copies but reissued in 2004 as a 15th Anniversary edition celebrating XL Recordings.