Song: The Chemical Brothers - Snow
THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS - FURTHER
Electronic music fans have already been treated with a mahoosive amount of great new music this year (from Four Tet to Gorillaz, Caribou to Crystal Castles..not forgetting Ratatat!) but this one might just be the cherry on the top. After a three year break since ‘We Are The Night’, The Chemical Brothers are back in style with ‘Further’, released on Monday 14th June 2010 under Freestyle Dust / Parlophone Records. It’s a continuous/gapless album that is sure to make clubs go crazy, let alone my ears!
Track 1 ‘Snow’ is one of my favourite ‘first-track-on-the-album’s this year with its persistent modem-esque beeps/sounds/effects, uplifting layered vocals, bass coming in at 1:38, airy/spacey feel and its transition into the next song. Track 2 ‘Escape Velocity’ is the longest on the album at 11:57, building up for 2 minutes into an awesome drop. Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons really know their stuff here and the intricate production and electronic sounds are finely tweaked to hit all the right buttons for the listener and dancer.
Track 3 ‘Another World’ is a little more mellow (reminding me quite a bit of Caribou’s song ‘Subotnic’ from The Milk Of Human Kindness). The underlying bass, screaming effects and rythmic synths make this song, complimented by the higher-pitched male vocals. There’s a smooth transition into the next song ‘Dissolve’, which is the spaciest and synthiest yet, reminding me of The Flaming Lips in parts, also Gary Numan’s ‘Are Friends Electric?’. The drums are really great in this one, and the way it quietens and loudens atmospherically.
The drums convert into ‘Horse Power’ which is really similar to ‘Do It Again’ from their last album. I particularly enjoyed the horse sounds and fantastic beat throughout. You can tell this really is a Chemical Brothers classic to go with ‘Under The Influence’ and ‘Hey Boy Hey Girl’. Track 6 ‘Swoon’ is the first single released from this album back in April, but it’s probably my least favourite from the album sounding more like a house/pop track from the 90’s and bit out of place from the other songs. However, it’ll become popular no doubt.
Track 7 ‘K+D+B’ comes in with simple drums, then some more, and then even more, which continue throughout. It reprises the lyrics/melody from the first track (higher, higher etc.) and even incorporates what sounds like bagpipes. The looped voice then enters into the next and final song, ‘Wonders of the Deep’ (a bit ‘Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition‘y’ at the start, but given some phat bassage and smoother acoustic guitar). It then unexpectedly goes into a large vocal part, then loudens and quietens like songs before it. The electronic blips at the end are a good ending to an overall great album. 9/10 to The Chemical Brothers!
