Music For The Jilted Generation, despite commercial success, was a harsh underground rave statement proving that Essex rave auteur Liam Howlett could transcend the novelty acid house of many of his peers. Fat Of The Land, however, showed a very different side to The Prodigy; the exaggerated punk pastiche of "Firestarter" and "Breathe", with vocals provided by the band's cartoon Johnny Rotten, Keith Flint, proved that The Prodigy were, at heart, showmen. Fat was as influenced by American punk as it was by any form of dance music--demonstrated with a furious cover of L7's "Fuel My Fire"--and such a destructive, passionate fusion saw The Prodigy topping festival bills all over the world. Elsewhere, "Mindfields" and the irrepressibly controversial "Smack My Bitch Up" were brutal techno assaults, but driven by a defiantly heavy metal sensibility. Fat may have alienated the raving "old-skool", but it deservedly elevated The Prodigy to national public enemies. --Louis Pattison

psychosomatic addict insane!!!, 09 Oct 2007


music+beat+lyrics. that says it all!! 2 thumbs up!


The Prodigy is the greatest band out there, 05 Sep 2007
Aside from Fuel my fire and firestarter, this album is truly one of the seven wonders of the world. If you like any forms of electronica, this album is for you.

The Only album greater than this is the Prodigy's previous album - Music for the jilted generation.

Heaviest electronic album I have heard, 11 Jul 2007
This record is excellent. It has some catchy melodies, delightfully offensive lyrics and abundant energy flowing at you. I usually listen to it when I am in a mood for something hard-hitting (when Metallica is already not enough).

very good, 07 May 2006
I have spent many hours listening to this. Well put together and good vocal, plus some catchy beats and songs.

good, 07 May 2006
liked this album, got it for my bday. particularly liked firestarter, v. catchy. very good indeed

To remain relevant after a decade in the music industry is rare indeed; for a dance act, it's virtually unique. Singles 93-03 ably demonstrates how the Chemical Brothers have managed it. Having first carved a reputation as DJs the Dust Brothers in the early 1990s, the two home-counties history graduates narrowly avoided calling themselves the London Dust Explosion before spearheading big beat, becoming a huge live draw, collaborating with Noel Gallagher and having Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis play "Hey Boy, Hey Girl" at his wedding. It's been 10 years of fun, frolics and gigantean left-field beats for Ed Simmons and Tom Rowland and, as this faultless singles collection testifies, continual reinvention.

From the seething siren, pounding breaks, breathy vocals and spellbinding post-acid electronica of album opener "Song to the Siren" to the ingenious collaboration with the Flaming Lips, "The Golden Path", Tom 'n' Ed have somehow managed to carve tracks that appeal equally to radio, clubs and the live arena. Alongside the cement-cracking bass of "Leave Home" and "Block Rockin' Beats" comes the high-inducing sonic debauchery of "The Private Psychedelic Reel" and dancefloor filler "Star Guitar", to name but a few of the many highlights. Ingenious, boundary-baffling stuff, this compilation offers a hypnotic historical tour of one of the most creative careers in dance music. --Christopher Barrett

psychosomatic addict insane!!!, 09 Oct 2007


music+beat+lyrics. that says it all!! 2 thumbs up!


The Prodigy is the greatest band out there, 05 Sep 2007
Aside from Fuel my fire and firestarter, this album is truly one of the seven wonders of the world. If you like any forms of electronica, this album is for you.

The Only album greater than this is the Prodigy's previous album - Music for the jilted generation.

Heaviest electronic album I have heard, 11 Jul 2007
This record is excellent. It has some catchy melodies, delightfully offensive lyrics and abundant energy flowing at you. I usually listen to it when I am in a mood for something hard-hitting (when Metallica is already not enough).

very good, 07 May 2006
I have spent many hours listening to this. Well put together and good vocal, plus some catchy beats and songs.

good, 07 May 2006
liked this album, got it for my bday. particularly liked firestarter, v. catchy. very good indeed

bargaub, 07 Oct 2008
This was such a bargain. Arrived in excellent condition, really quickly and was cheaper to buy as a CD than just downloading the tracks I really like from any download site.

Glorious Dance Pioneers, 19 Nov 2007
There are few bands who can be considered to be peerless in their musical creativity. Like so many bands before and since, though, their back catalogues are obliged to be condensed into singles packages for the mass market, which is fine by me.

Song To The Siren sets the tone, and the message is that you must turn the volume up louder. By the time you reach the musical beanstalk that is The Private Psychedelic Reel, you might be physically in your lounge or kitchen, but mentally you will be in a souped up Citroen Saxo doing donuts at your local Asda.

This is a great album for the casual fan, the kind of person that tunes in to their live performance at Glastonbury, and turns it up loud on Radio 1!

Incredible sound, 03 Jun 2006
this album is eveything you could want from the chemical brothers with some world class number ones and some others that you may not have heard of.The tracks also improve with listening and there isnt a disappointing track on the album

Superb compilation, 03 Jan 2004
This faultless celebration of dance music's most important names since Kraftwerk demonstrates the diversity and imagination that it is possible to produce within the much maligned genre.
Kicking off with three singles off their fine debut album 'Exit planet dust',this CD continues to impress with the excellent Noel Gallagher collaboration 'Setting sun', the classic 'Block rockin beats' and the otherworldy 'Private psychadelic reel' off the superb 'dig your own hole' album.
The pattern here at this point begins to prove how Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons are peerless singles artists,dance music or not.
The award winning(courtesy of Q magazine) Surrender album from 1999 is also their best,as it contains the second Gallagher featured track 'Let forever be'(a blatant nod to the beatles' 'Tomorrow never knows'),the mind-altering 'Hey boy hey girl' and the infectious 'out of control'.Their criticised follow-up,'come with us' gives us the underrated 'Star guitar' and the well meaning but overlong 'the test',featuring Richard Ashcroft from the Verve on vocal duties.The two new tracks here are no match for the earlier stuff,Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips proves he really can't sing on 'The golden path',but 'Get yourself high' is better,a successful effort at replicating Paul Oakenfold's starry eyed surprise single.
Overall,absolutely classic stuff from the duo who even rock muisc fans truly admired.If you don't have any of the albums mentioned above,then this is an essential purchase.

Ho Hum, 25 Oct 2003
It seems rather odd for a "dance" band to have something as boringly conventional as a "greatest hits" album, but when the dance band in question is The Chemical Brothers, there's an embarrassment of riches to choose from.

As the title suggests, this album traces a chronological line from their arrival on the scene in 1993 with the still-stunning "Song To The Siren", through the commercial zenith of the "Dig Your Own Hole" and "Surrender" albums with the slightly formulaic rock/dance splicing of "Setting Sun" (arguably the best thing Noel Gallagher's ever done, including his work with Oasis) and the heavenly end-of-the-century track "The Private Psychedelic Reel" and the punkish Donna Summer tribute "Hey Boy Hey Girl".

It draws to a conclusion with only a dissappointing two tracks from last year's "Come With Us" (Star Guitar and The Test), arguably their most cohesive work since "Exit Planet Dust" and finishes off with two new tracks, the joyous religion-inspired Flaming Lips collaboration Golden Path and the rather less exciting Get Yourself High neither of which, while quality recordings in their own ways, add much to the Chemical sound which we haven't heard already.

All in all, this is a good story-so-far album, which may also serve as a fine introduction to the band for casual buyers.

Before music journalists were throwing around terms like "drum & bass" or jungle, the Prodigy's Liam Howlett was creating high-energy dance music by marrying sampled, pitch-shifted beats to all manner of electronic timbres. This album has it all: complicated break beats, housey piano riffs, lush analog pads, frenetic and computeresque melodies, and subsonic bass. In fact, the mélange is so dense that the material demands full attention and repeated listenings to gain a complete understanding of the rhythmic interplay. --Michael A. Massa

psychosomatic addict insane!!!, 09 Oct 2007


music+beat+lyrics. that says it all!! 2 thumbs up!


The Prodigy is the greatest band out there, 05 Sep 2007
Aside from Fuel my fire and firestarter, this album is truly one of the seven wonders of the world. If you like any forms of electronica, this album is for you.

The Only album greater than this is the Prodigy's previous album - Music for the jilted generation.

Heaviest electronic album I have heard, 11 Jul 2007
This record is excellent. It has some catchy melodies, delightfully offensive lyrics and abundant energy flowing at you. I usually listen to it when I am in a mood for something hard-hitting (when Metallica is already not enough).

very good, 07 May 2006
I have spent many hours listening to this. Well put together and good vocal, plus some catchy beats and songs.

good, 07 May 2006
liked this album, got it for my bday. particularly liked firestarter, v. catchy. very good indeed

bargaub, 07 Oct 2008
This was such a bargain. Arrived in excellent condition, really quickly and was cheaper to buy as a CD than just downloading the tracks I really like from any download site.

Glorious Dance Pioneers, 19 Nov 2007
There are few bands who can be considered to be peerless in their musical creativity. Like so many bands before and since, though, their back catalogues are obliged to be condensed into singles packages for the mass market, which is fine by me.

Song To The Siren sets the tone, and the message is that you must turn the volume up louder. By the time you reach the musical beanstalk that is The Private Psychedelic Reel, you might be physically in your lounge or kitchen, but mentally you will be in a souped up Citroen Saxo doing donuts at your local Asda.

This is a great album for the casual fan, the kind of person that tunes in to their live performance at Glastonbury, and turns it up loud on Radio 1!

Incredible sound, 03 Jun 2006
this album is eveything you could want from the chemical brothers with some world class number ones and some others that you may not have heard of.The tracks also improve with listening and there isnt a disappointing track on the album

Superb compilation, 03 Jan 2004
This faultless celebration of dance music's most important names since Kraftwerk demonstrates the diversity and imagination that it is possible to produce within the much maligned genre.
Kicking off with three singles off their fine debut album 'Exit planet dust',this CD continues to impress with the excellent Noel Gallagher collaboration 'Setting sun', the classic 'Block rockin beats' and the otherworldy 'Private psychadelic reel' off the superb 'dig your own hole' album.
The pattern here at this point begins to prove how Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons are peerless singles artists,dance music or not.
The award winning(courtesy of Q magazine) Surrender album from 1999 is also their best,as it contains the second Gallagher featured track 'Let forever be'(a blatant nod to the beatles' 'Tomorrow never knows'),the mind-altering 'Hey boy hey girl' and the infectious 'out of control'.Their criticised follow-up,'come with us' gives us the underrated 'Star guitar' and the well meaning but overlong 'the test',featuring Richard Ashcroft from the Verve on vocal duties.The two new tracks here are no match for the earlier stuff,Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips proves he really can't sing on 'The golden path',but 'Get yourself high' is better,a successful effort at replicating Paul Oakenfold's starry eyed surprise single.
Overall,absolutely classic stuff from the duo who even rock muisc fans truly admired.If you don't have any of the albums mentioned above,then this is an essential purchase.

Ho Hum, 25 Oct 2003
It seems rather odd for a "dance" band to have something as boringly conventional as a "greatest hits" album, but when the dance band in question is The Chemical Brothers, there's an embarrassment of riches to choose from.

As the title suggests, this album traces a chronological line from their arrival on the scene in 1993 with the still-stunning "Song To The Siren", through the commercial zenith of the "Dig Your Own Hole" and "Surrender" albums with the slightly formulaic rock/dance splicing of "Setting Sun" (arguably the best thing Noel Gallagher's ever done, including his work with Oasis) and the heavenly end-of-the-century track "The Private Psychedelic Reel" and the punkish Donna Summer tribute "Hey Boy Hey Girl".

It draws to a conclusion with only a dissappointing two tracks from last year's "Come With Us" (Star Guitar and The Test), arguably their most cohesive work since "Exit Planet Dust" and finishes off with two new tracks, the joyous religion-inspired Flaming Lips collaboration Golden Path and the rather less exciting Get Yourself High neither of which, while quality recordings in their own ways, add much to the Chemical sound which we haven't heard already.

All in all, this is a good story-so-far album, which may also serve as a fine introduction to the band for casual buyers.

better than ever, 22 Sep 2008
I would not say the other reviewer is much of a prodigy fan if he cant hear the difference in the remastering ! sounds better than ever, and although some of the bonus remixes / additional tracks are not up to the prodigy polished touch - the ruff in the jungle and weather experience remixes more than make up for it. An excellent introduction to early 90s 'dance' music.

Don't bother, 20 Sep 2008
I'm a huge Prodigy fan but I wouldn't bother with this if you've already got the original CD.
Give it a miss - it's pretty disappointing.

Brilliant...!!!, 05 Aug 2002
The diamond of the old skool rave scene. The best Prodigy album in my opinion (although I'm a big fan of fast paced dance music like happy hardcore) with some of their best tracks, and at the same time it is an absolute disaster. Why Liam and the gang decided to leave out the released single versions of Fire and Wind it up used to be a mystery to me, I now know why, to earn more money. Charly is a bit different aswell, though some would argue better on the album, aswell as a couple of others being a little different. The brilliant versions of Fire and Wind it up (rewound) were left out and replaced with terrible remixes in comparrison. You used to have to fork out another £10 just to get the two singles, worth every penny (especially Wind it Up which has "We are the Ruffest", a brilliant tune). The albums great but don't buy it. Go back, type in Eperience expanded and pay the extra couple of quid to get the cd with the b-sides, because on it are 2 of the best Prodigy tracks ever, the proper version of charly with full cat influenced safety messages aswell as We are the Ruffest. Compare the tracks on the 2 cd's and you will c what I mean then appreciate being able to buy this reworked version of Experience, because I had 2 do it the hard way and spend a lot more than you'll have to. The extra money spent is worth it ten fold, trust me.

This is where is all started, you must own this album., 05 Sep 2001
The Prodigy's first album. They might not release albums as often as we wish, but each time they do the music has evolved and owning this album allows you to 'experience' how The Prodigy have changed. This first album features songs that go back to the good old days of rave music, with songs featuring many sound samples including the classics Charly (a must for anyone that can remember the 'Charly says' adverts) and Fire, which leaves its lyrics in you head long after you have stopped listening to the song, which in this case is not a bad thing. All of the songs on the album are original and have their own very distictive sounds, helped by the great use of the sound samples. Don't be put off by the age of the album it still sounds fresh.

65 mins of music perfection, 13 Jul 2001
A slice of music history wrapped in a plain white cover. This album is arguably the best dance album ever made and testament to the writing genius of Liam Howlett. When I first bought 'Experience' I listened to in virtually non-stop for 3 months and still find it interesting today. It's consistent song quality throughout is rarely seen in albums of any genre.

The Chemical Brothers released their third album with their status as one of the UK's most exciting bands unassailable. Surrender, managed to enhance their already burgeoning reputation, drawing on the talents of a formidable array of celebrity collaborators including Missy Elliott, Oasis' Noel Gallagher and Bernard Sumner. The Brothers shifted their attention away from hip-hop breaks towards more traditional 4/4 beats, but their unique blend of visceral energy, inventive melodies and eclectic samples remained unaffected. "Out Of Control", featuring the fragile vocals of Sumner, sounds like New Order on stronger drugs, before erupting into a groovy, guitar-studded monster not dissimilar to many of Underworld's offerings. The fairytale chords and Oriental chimes of "Sunshine Underground" provide a refreshing change in direction, while Mercury Rev's Jonathan Donahue makes a refreshing appearance on the psychedelic rock finale, "Dream On". Surrender is a deeply satisfying album from a band who grow from strength to strength. --Ed Potton

psychosomatic addict insane!!!, 09 Oct 2007


music+beat+lyrics. that says it all!! 2 thumbs up!


The Prodigy is the greatest band out there, 05 Sep 2007
Aside from Fuel my fire and firestarter, this album is truly one of the seven wonders of the world. If you like any forms of electronica, this album is for you.

The Only album greater than this is the Prodigy's previous album - Music for the jilted generation.

Heaviest electronic album I have heard, 11 Jul 2007
This record is excellent. It has some catchy melodies, delightfully offensive lyrics and abundant energy flowing at you. I usually listen to it when I am in a mood for something hard-hitting (when Metallica is already not enough).

very good, 07 May 2006
I have spent many hours listening to this. Well put together and good vocal, plus some catchy beats and songs.

good, 07 May 2006
liked this album, got it for my bday. particularly liked firestarter, v. catchy. very good indeed

bargaub, 07 Oct 2008
This was such a bargain. Arrived in excellent condition, really quickly and was cheaper to buy as a CD than just downloading the tracks I really like from any download site.

Glorious Dance Pioneers, 19 Nov 2007
There are few bands who can be considered to be peerless in their musical creativity. Like so many bands before and since, though, their back catalogues are obliged to be condensed into singles packages for the mass market, which is fine by me.

Song To The Siren sets the tone, and the message is that you must turn the volume up louder. By the time you reach the musical beanstalk that is The Private Psychedelic Reel, you might be physically in your lounge or kitchen, but mentally you will be in a souped up Citroen Saxo doing donuts at your local Asda.

This is a great album for the casual fan, the kind of person that tunes in to their live performance at Glastonbury, and turns it up loud on Radio 1!

Incredible sound, 03 Jun 2006
this album is eveything you could want from the chemical brothers with some world class number ones and some others that you may not have heard of.The tracks also improve with listening and there isnt a disappointing track on the album

Superb compilation, 03 Jan 2004
This faultless celebration of dance music's most important names since Kraftwerk demonstrates the diversity and imagination that it is possible to produce within the much maligned genre.
Kicking off with three singles off their fine debut album 'Exit planet dust',this CD continues to impress with the excellent Noel Gallagher collaboration 'Setting sun', the classic 'Block rockin beats' and the otherworldy 'Private psychadelic reel' off the superb 'dig your own hole' album.
The pattern here at this point begins to prove how Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons are peerless singles artists,dance music or not.
The award winning(courtesy of Q magazine) Surrender album from 1999 is also their best,as it contains the second Gallagher featured track 'Let forever be'(a blatant nod to the beatles' 'Tomorrow never knows'),the mind-altering 'Hey boy hey girl' and the infectious 'out of control'.Their criticised follow-up,'come with us' gives us the underrated 'Star guitar' and the well meaning but overlong 'the test',featuring Richard Ashcroft from the Verve on vocal duties.The two new tracks here are no match for the earlier stuff,Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips proves he really can't sing on 'The golden path',but 'Get yourself high' is better,a successful effort at replicating Paul Oakenfold's starry eyed surprise single.
Overall,absolutely classic stuff from the duo who even rock muisc fans truly admired.If you don't have any of the albums mentioned above,then this is an essential purchase.

Ho Hum, 25 Oct 2003
It seems rather odd for a "dance" band to have something as boringly conventional as a "greatest hits" album, but when the dance band in question is The Chemical Brothers, there's an embarrassment of riches to choose from.

As the title suggests, this album traces a chronological line from their arrival on the scene in 1993 with the still-stunning "Song To The Siren", through the commercial zenith of the "Dig Your Own Hole" and "Surrender" albums with the slightly formulaic rock/dance splicing of "Setting Sun" (arguably the best thing Noel Gallagher's ever done, including his work with Oasis) and the heavenly end-of-the-century track "The Private Psychedelic Reel" and the punkish Donna Summer tribute "Hey Boy Hey Girl".

It draws to a conclusion with only a dissappointing two tracks from last year's "Come With Us" (Star Guitar and The Test), arguably their most cohesive work since "Exit Planet Dust" and finishes off with two new tracks, the joyous religion-inspired Flaming Lips collaboration Golden Path and the rather less exciting Get Yourself High neither of which, while quality recordings in their own ways, add much to the Chemical sound which we haven't heard already.

All in all, this is a good story-so-far album, which may also serve as a fine introduction to the band for casual buyers.

better than ever, 22 Sep 2008
I would not say the other reviewer is much of a prodigy fan if he cant hear the difference in the remastering ! sounds better than ever, and although some of the bonus remixes / additional tracks are not up to the prodigy polished touch - the ruff in the jungle and weather experience remixes more than make up for it. An excellent introduction to early 90s 'dance' music.

Don't bother, 20 Sep 2008
I'm a huge Prodigy fan but I wouldn't bother with this if you've already got the original CD.
Give it a miss - it's pretty disappointing.

Brilliant...!!!, 05 Aug 2002
The diamond of the old skool rave scene. The best Prodigy album in my opinion (although I'm a big fan of fast paced dance music like happy hardcore) with some of their best tracks, and at the same time it is an absolute disaster. Why Liam and the gang decided to leave out the released single versions of Fire and Wind it up used to be a mystery to me, I now know why, to earn more money. Charly is a bit different aswell, though some would argue better on the album, aswell as a couple of others being a little different. The brilliant versions of Fire and Wind it up (rewound) were left out and replaced with terrible remixes in comparrison. You used to have to fork out another £10 just to get the two singles, worth every penny (especially Wind it Up which has "We are the Ruffest", a brilliant tune). The albums great but don't buy it. Go back, type in Eperience expanded and pay the extra couple of quid to get the cd with the b-sides, because on it are 2 of the best Prodigy tracks ever, the proper version of charly with full cat influenced safety messages aswell as We are the Ruffest. Compare the tracks on the 2 cd's and you will c what I mean then appreciate being able to buy this reworked version of Experience, because I had 2 do it the hard way and spend a lot more than you'll have to. The extra money spent is worth it ten fold, trust me.

This is where is all started, you must own this album., 05 Sep 2001
The Prodigy's first album. They might not release albums as often as we wish, but each time they do the music has evolved and owning this album allows you to 'experience' how The Prodigy have changed. This first album features songs that go back to the good old days of rave music, with songs featuring many sound samples including the classics Charly (a must for anyone that can remember the 'Charly says' adverts) and Fire, which leaves its lyrics in you head long after you have stopped listening to the song, which in this case is not a bad thing. All of the songs on the album are original and have their own very distictive sounds, helped by the great use of the sound samples. Don't be put off by the age of the album it still sounds fresh.

65 mins of music perfection, 13 Jul 2001
A slice of music history wrapped in a plain white cover. This album is arguably the best dance album ever made and testament to the writing genius of Liam Howlett. When I first bought 'Experience' I listened to in virtually non-stop for 3 months and still find it interesting today. It's consistent song quality throughout is rarely seen in albums of any genre.

100% fantastic, 03 Nov 2008
What an album! Great for getting ready for a night out, blasting in the car, or pretty much anytime when you want to feel good.
classic

Their Best., 21 Jan 2008
Surrender is, for me, the album that defines the The Chemical Brothers, and builds on the exceptional production of Dig Your Own Hole. Surrender has mellower moments than Dig, but still contains belters such as "Music: Response", "Out of Control", "Hey Boy Hey Girl". These tracks demonstrate the Chemicals' ability to zap your mind and body of emotion, and absorb you completely in terrific, pumping dance music. But this is no ordinary dance album, for its musical nuances, beats and imagination make it a cut above the rest. "The Sunshine Underground" grows satisfyingly, and "Asleep From Day" and the title track provide tranquil moments to balance out the heavy, thumping drive of tracks like "Under The Influence". The Chemicals are at the top of their game here, losing their way with their next two albums, but, fortunately, back to their best on We Are The Night.

Pschdelic beats, 19 Dec 2006
The Chemical Brothers, unlike too many dance acts, weren't satisfied with sticking to the same formula. So where "Exit Planet Dust" was more of a big-beat album (note how many tracks are called "(something) Beats"), and "Surrender" is more of a techno album (see "Elektrobank", "Setting Sun" with it's beat pinched from The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows", and "Doesn't Matter), "Surrender" is more of a pschdelic album. It's less about the rhythm and more about differing colours, rhythms and timbres.

So "Music: Response" opens things up with a tinny sound, relieved when the bass rumbles in. "Under The Influence" is quite cold, as is "Out Of Control" - they seem to be more about the texture of the sound rather than the stomping beats of old. This however really does work on the key tracks, "Let Forever Be", with it's very Beatlesey bassline and on "Sunshine Underground" which shimmers and vibrates with a delicious delicacy. Then there's "Hey Girl Hey Boy", which is the dancefloor-filler, but it's more a disco tune than a techno slammer.

Overall, it's an interesting album, which stretches the boundaries of dance music, but takes it away from what made it (and the Chemical Brothers) successful in the first place - kicking beats, funky rhythms, meaty hooks.


Great Album!, 24 Oct 2004
This is a great album and one of my favourites in my CD collection.

Music: Response - this song gets a bit tedious after about 3 minutes, but it has a catchy rhythm.

Influenced - Personally don't like this song, as I think it's extremely boring, the worst song on the album. It just seems to drag on for the entire 4 mins or so and so now I just don't bother listening to it!

Out of Control - Fantastic song, one of my favs on this album. It has a really catchy bass line which I found myself humming for days afterwards after the first time I heard it. The vocals could have been better though...

Orange Wedge - Again, a great song, with a catchy rhythm, especially the intro. The song varies throughout and doesn't get boring at all, another one of my favourites.

Let forever be - Another good song with a good intro and a fantastic bass line, again very catchy, the lyrics go well with it as well.

The Sunshine Underground - Some say this is the best song on the album? I personally disagree, but we each have our own opinions, I think it just drags on and on.

Asleep from Day - A calm song, with good lyrics, a good song if you like the slow quiet type songs as well, which I do.

Got Glint? - Great intro with a good rhythm throughout. Bass line is progressive and catchy.

Hey Boy, Hey Girl - This was the first ever song I heard by the Chemical Brothers, and this is what persuaded me to buy one their albums, so it is fair to say I think this is a great song!

Racing the Tide - This is another great song, another one of my favourites from this album. Throughout the song, there is the feeling of progression with good drum riffs and bass lines.

Dream On - Not a bad song, but not as good as some of the others. Vocals blend in well into the background, but the song does drag on a bit.

Overall, this is a fantastic album and I would reccommend it to anybody, wether they are current Chemical Brothers fans or just want to listen to some of their stuff!

Psychadelic Heaven, 25 Feb 2004
This is a masterpiece. Nothing less. I bought this album 3 years ago, its a timeless, inovative, and something that The Chems are famouse for, genre busting.

Like every album, there are always standout tracks, however all tracks on this cd are amazing, each song having its own personality to match whatever mood you are in.

The singles are very strong, Heyboy Heygirl charting the highest at number 3 in 99. The best track on the album however is The Sunshine underground, a Pink Floyd, Asian Techno explosion, pure hedonism.

Buy this, rite now, because this is a classic, THe chemical Brothers are without doubt the best dance group the industry.

Biographers of Norman Cook should look no further than the title of this--his second album under the pseudonym Fatboy Slim. From humble beginnings as the bass player in prole rock band The Housemartins, through chart-topping fame with Beats International, and even a spell scraping a meagre living from writing computer game soundtracks in the early 90s, Norman Cook has done it all. You've Come A Long Way, Baby, though, is the Fatboy's culmination; the quintessential, and utterly essential big-beat album. "The Rockafeller Skank" is a manic collage of surf-guitar looped into ever-tightening spirals; utterly simplistic, but a work of devilish genius. "Gangster Tripping" and "Fucking In Heaven" are in a similar celebratory mood, but to prove that the Fatboy doesn't always work by a formula, try the purloined gospel of "Praise You", or the rave nostalgia of "Acid 8000". It's seldom poetry, but dumb dance music doesn't get much better. --Louis Pattison

psychosomatic addict insane!!!, 09 Oct 2007


music+beat+lyrics. that says it all!! 2 thumbs up!


The Prodigy is the greatest band out there, 05 Sep 2007
Aside from Fuel my fire and firestarter, this album is truly one of the seven wonders of the world. If you like any forms of electronica, this album is for you.

The Only album greater than this is the Prodigy's previous album - Music for the jilted generation.

Heaviest electronic album I have heard, 11 Jul 2007
This record is excellent. It has some catchy melodies, delightfully offensive lyrics and abundant energy flowing at you. I usually listen to it when I am in a mood for something hard-hitting (when Metallica is already not enough).

very good, 07 May 2006
I have spent many hours listening to this. Well put together and good vocal, plus some catchy beats and songs.

good, 07 May 2006
liked this album, got it for my bday. particularly liked firestarter, v. catchy. very good indeed

bargaub, 07 Oct 2008
This was such a bargain. Arrived in excellent condition, really quickly and was cheaper to buy as a CD than just downloading the tracks I really like from any download site.

Glorious Dance Pioneers, 19 Nov 2007
There are few bands who can be considered to be peerless in their musical creativity. Like so many bands before and since, though, their back catalogues are obliged to be condensed into singles packages for the mass market, which is fine by me.

Song To The Siren sets the tone, and the message is that you must turn the volume up louder. By the time you reach the musical beanstalk that is The Private Psychedelic Reel, you might be physically in your lounge or kitchen, but mentally you will be in a souped up Citroen Saxo doing donuts at your local Asda.

This is a great album for the casual fan, the kind of person that tunes in to their live performance at Glastonbury, and turns it up loud on Radio 1!

Incredible sound, 03 Jun 2006
this album is eveything you could want from the chemical brothers with some world class number ones and some others that you may not have heard of.The tracks also improve with listening and there isnt a disappointing track on the album

Superb compilation, 03 Jan 2004
This faultless celebration of dance music's most important names since Kraftwerk demonstrates the diversity and imagination that it is possible to produce within the much maligned genre.
Kicking off with three singles off their fine debut album 'Exit planet dust',this CD continues to impress with the excellent Noel Gallagher collaboration 'Setting sun', the classic 'Block rockin beats' and the otherworldy 'Private psychadelic reel' off the superb 'dig your own hole' album.
The pattern here at this point begins to prove how Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons are peerless singles artists,dance music or not.
The award winning(courtesy of Q magazine) Surrender album from 1999 is also their best,as it contains the second Gallagher featured track 'Let forever be'(a blatant nod to the beatles' 'Tomorrow never knows'),the mind-altering 'Hey boy hey girl' and the infectious 'out of control'.Their criticised follow-up,'come with us' gives us the underrated 'Star guitar' and the well meaning but overlong 'the test',featuring Richard Ashcroft from the Verve on vocal duties.The two new tracks here are no match for the earlier stuff,Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips proves he really can't sing on 'The golden path',but 'Get yourself high' is better,a successful effort at replicating Paul Oakenfold's starry eyed surprise single.
Overall,absolutely classic stuff from the duo who even rock muisc fans truly admired.If you don't have any of the albums mentioned above,then this is an essential purchase.

Ho Hum, 25 Oct 2003
It seems rather odd for a "dance" band to have something as boringly conventional as a "greatest hits" album, but when the dance band in question is The Chemical Brothers, there's an embarrassment of riches to choose from.

As the title suggests, this album traces a chronological line from their arrival on the scene in 1993 with the still-stunning "Song To The Siren", through the commercial zenith of the "Dig Your Own Hole" and "Surrender" albums with the slightly formulaic rock/dance splicing of "Setting Sun" (arguably the best thing Noel Gallagher's ever done, including his work with Oasis) and the heavenly end-of-the-century track "The Private Psychedelic Reel" and the punkish Donna Summer tribute "Hey Boy Hey Girl".

It draws to a conclusion with only a dissappointing two tracks from last year's "Come With Us" (Star Guitar and The Test), arguably their most cohesive work since "Exit Planet Dust" and finishes off with two new tracks, the joyous religion-inspired Flaming Lips collaboration Golden Path and the rather less exciting Get Yourself High neither of which, while quality recordings in their own ways, add much to the Chemical sound which we haven't heard already.

All in all, this is a good story-so-far album, which may also serve as a fine introduction to the band for casual buyers.

better than ever, 22 Sep 2008
I would not say the other reviewer is much of a prodigy fan if he cant hear the difference in the remastering ! sounds better than ever, and although some of the bonus remixes / additional tracks are not up to the prodigy polished touch - the ruff in the jungle and weather experience remixes more than make up for it. An excellent introduction to early 90s 'dance' music.

Don't bother, 20 Sep 2008
I'm a huge Prodigy fan but I wouldn't bother with this if you've already got the original CD.
Give it a miss - it's pretty disappointing.

Brilliant...!!!, 05 Aug 2002
The diamond of the old skool rave scene. The best Prodigy album in my opinion (although I'm a big fan of fast paced dance music like happy hardcore) with some of their best tracks, and at the same time it is an absolute disaster. Why Liam and the gang decided to leave out the released single versions of Fire and Wind it up used to be a mystery to me, I now know why, to earn more money. Charly is a bit different aswell, though some would argue better on the album, aswell as a couple of others being a little different. The brilliant versions of Fire and Wind it up (rewound) were left out and replaced with terrible remixes in comparrison. You used to have to fork out another £10 just to get the two singles, worth every penny (especially Wind it Up which has "We are the Ruffest", a brilliant tune). The albums great but don't buy it. Go back, type in Eperience expanded and pay the extra couple of quid to get the cd with the b-sides, because on it are 2 of the best Prodigy tracks ever, the proper version of charly with full cat influenced safety messages aswell as We are the Ruffest. Compare the tracks on the 2 cd's and you will c what I mean then appreciate being able to buy this reworked version of Experience, because I had 2 do it the hard way and spend a lot more than you'll have to. The extra money spent is worth it ten fold, trust me.

This is where is all started, you must own this album., 05 Sep 2001
The Prodigy's first album. They might not release albums as often as we wish, but each time they do the music has evolved and owning this album allows you to 'experience' how The Prodigy have changed. This first album features songs that go back to the good old days of rave music, with songs featuring many sound samples including the classics Charly (a must for anyone that can remember the 'Charly says' adverts) and Fire, which leaves its lyrics in you head long after you have stopped listening to the song, which in this case is not a bad thing. All of the songs on the album are original and have their own very distictive sounds, helped by the great use of the sound samples. Don't be put off by the age of the album it still sounds fresh.

65 mins of music perfection, 13 Jul 2001
A slice of music history wrapped in a plain white cover. This album is arguably the best dance album ever made and testament to the writing genius of Liam Howlett. When I first bought 'Experience' I listened to in virtually non-stop for 3 months and still find it interesting today. It's consistent song quality throughout is rarely seen in albums of any genre.

100% fantastic, 03 Nov 2008
What an album! Great for getting ready for a night out, blasting in the car, or pretty much anytime when you want to feel good.
classic

Their Best., 21 Jan 2008
Surrender is, for me, the album that defines the The Chemical Brothers, and builds on the exceptional production of Dig Your Own Hole. Surrender has mellower moments than Dig, but still contains belters such as "Music: Response", "Out of Control", "Hey Boy Hey Girl". These tracks demonstrate the Chemicals' ability to zap your mind and body of emotion, and absorb you completely in terrific, pumping dance music. But this is no ordinary dance album, for its musical nuances, beats and imagination make it a cut above the rest. "The Sunshine Underground" grows satisfyingly, and "Asleep From Day" and the title track provide tranquil moments to balance out the heavy, thumping drive of tracks like "Under The Influence". The Chemicals are at the top of their game here, losing their way with their next two albums, but, fortunately, back to their best on We Are The Night.

Pschdelic beats, 19 Dec 2006
The Chemical Brothers, unlike too many dance acts, weren't satisfied with sticking to the same formula. So where "Exit Planet Dust" was more of a big-beat album (note how many tracks are called "(something) Beats"), and "Surrender" is more of a techno album (see "Elektrobank", "Setting Sun" with it's beat pinched from The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows", and "Doesn't Matter), "Surrender" is more of a pschdelic album. It's less about the rhythm and more about differing colours, rhythms and timbres.

So "Music: Response" opens things up with a tinny sound, relieved when the bass rumbles in. "Under The Influence" is quite cold, as is "Out Of Control" - they seem to be more about the texture of the sound rather than the stomping beats of old. This however really does work on the key tracks, "Let Forever Be", with it's very Beatlesey bassline and on "Sunshine Underground" which shimmers and vibrates with a delicious delicacy. Then there's "Hey Girl Hey Boy", which is the dancefloor-filler, but it's more a disco tune than a techno slammer.

Overall, it's an interesting album, which stretches the boundaries of dance music, but takes it away from what made it (and the Chemical Brothers) successful in the first place - kicking beats, funky rhythms, meaty hooks.


Great Album!, 24 Oct 2004
This is a great album and one of my favourites in my CD collection.

Music: Response - this song gets a bit tedious after about 3 minutes, but it has a catchy rhythm.

Influenced - Personally don't like this song, as I think it's extremely boring, the worst song on the album. It just seems to drag on for the entire 4 mins or so and so now I just don't bother listening to it!

Out of Control - Fantastic song, one of my favs on this album. It has a really catchy bass line which I found myself humming for days afterwards after the first time I heard it. The vocals could have been better though...

Orange Wedge - Again, a great song, with a catchy rhythm, especially the intro. The song varies throughout and doesn't get boring at all, another one of my favourites.

Let forever be - Another good song with a good intro and a fantastic bass line, again very catchy, the lyrics go well with it as well.

The Sunshine Underground - Some say this is the best song on the album? I personally disagree, but we each have our own opinions, I think it just drags on and on.

Asleep from Day - A calm song, with good lyrics, a good song if you like the slow quiet type songs as well, which I do.

Got Glint? - Great intro with a good rhythm throughout. Bass line is progressive and catchy.

Hey Boy, Hey Girl - This was the first ever song I heard by the Chemical Brothers, and this is what persuaded me to buy one their albums, so it is fair to say I think this is a great song!

Racing the Tide - This is another great song, another one of my favourites from this album. Throughout the song, there is the feeling of progression with good drum riffs and bass lines.

Dream On - Not a bad song, but not as good as some of the others. Vocals blend in well into the background, but the song does drag on a bit.

Overall, this is a fantastic album and I would reccommend it to anybody, wether they are current Chemical Brothers fans or just want to listen to some of their stuff!

Psychadelic Heaven, 25 Feb 2004
This is a masterpiece. Nothing less. I bought this album 3 years ago, its a timeless, inovative, and something that The Chems are famouse for, genre busting.

Like every album, there are always standout tracks, however all tracks on this cd are amazing, each song having its own personality to match whatever mood you are in.

The singles are very strong, Heyboy Heygirl charting the highest at number 3 in 99. The best track on the album however is The Sunshine underground, a Pink Floyd, Asian Techno explosion, pure hedonism.

Buy this, rite now, because this is a classic, THe chemical Brothers are without doubt the best dance group the industry.

Fatboy slim has come a long way, 15 Nov 2008
A great mix of tracks from this album it's probably his best album yet ok i'll admit i aint heard that much but out of the two albums i've heard this is the best one.

big beat master, 21 Jul 2006
Fatboy Slim looks like a normal bloke, but really he's a freak of nature. He has this mad scientist mentality that creates these classic dance tracks. In my opinion the guy was mr 1998 and 1999. I still think the guy has potential even though big beat has feel through. Shame he released that Slash Dot Dash as his first single from his last album.

Fatboy slim was made in heaven, 07 Mar 2002
Top album just dont listen to it to often coz like all good albums you play it to death and end up hating it. Picture the scene nice hot sunny day, driving along in your car the stereo pumping out "Right about now the funk soul brother".............Nuff said.............Respect.......We praise you like we should

some quality bonus tracks, euphoric to any fatboy fan!, 20 Dec 2001
if you've not heard this album yet or have heard it and have yet to acquire it for yourself, this imported version beats it's uk twin hands down. guaranteed you'll listen to this and think "oh...it was fatboy who did that track"!! the bonus tracks such as "michael jackson" and "everybody needs a carnival" are hard to find and give you that little 'my mate doesn't have this and probably never will' edge! for an extra few tracks it's a bargain! definately a classic

THE GREATEST ALBUM IN THE WORLD, 17 Apr 2001
This truly is one of those albums you pick up and will continue listening to for years. It is beautifully enginnered with classics like PRAISE YOU and Gangster trippin coupled with some of the best b sides ever on an album which will hold its head high in the music industry for many years it has a song for every mood and occassion. Without doubt the best album he has ever produced well done Norman

A key record of the 1990s, Exit Planet Dust invented the big-beat style that dominated British dance music in the second half of the decade, and it still sounds superb in its own right. Skull-crunching hip-hop loops, fuzz guitar, insistently repetitive spoken samples and thunderous basslines make up the blueprint for one of the most instantly energising albums ever recorded. Many of the titles--"Chemical Beats", "Fuck Up Beats", "Chico's Groove"--are fairly self-explanatory. Others show a level of erudite humour; "Song To The Siren" filches the name of a Tim Buckley ballad for a track more in keeping with the mysteries of a car alarm, while "One Too Many Mornings" is nothing that Bob Dylan would recognise in a hurry. Collaborations with Beth Orton ("Alive Alone") and the Charlatans' Tim Burgess ("Life Is Sweet") add human voices to the brilliant mechanical formula. --David Bennun For years before the release of Exit Planet Dust, the production duo of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons were cranking out slabs of the biggest sounds around on the U.K. label Junior Boys' Own. Before screeching guitars and massive breakdowns were par for the course in dance music, they were unleashing monsters like "Chemical Beats" and "Song to the Siren"; their distorted beats and rock mentality were years ahead of their time. And, not surprisingly, they still hold up today, collected and rereleased, along with several newer tracks, on Exit Planet Dust. All the singles that established the trademark Chemicals sound are present, as are explorations of pop-song forms with vocalists Beth Orton ("Alive Alone") and Tim Burgess ("Life Is Sweet"). While a more evolved sound can be heard on their follow-up, Dig Your Own Hole, the roots of big beat can be found here. --Matthew Corwine

psychosomatic addict insane!!!, 09 Oct 2007


music+beat+lyrics. that says it all!! 2 thumbs up!


The Prodigy is the greatest band out there, 05 Sep 2007
Aside from Fuel my fire and firestarter, this album is truly one of the seven wonders of the world. If you like any forms of electronica, this album is for you.

The Only album greater than this is the Prodigy's previous album - Music for the jilted generation.

Heaviest electronic album I have heard, 11 Jul 2007
This record is excellent. It has some catchy melodies, delightfully offensive lyrics and abundant energy flowing at you. I usually listen to it when I am in a mood for something hard-hitting (when Metallica is already not enough).

very good, 07 May 2006
I have spent many hours listening to this. Well put together and good vocal, plus some catchy beats and songs.

good, 07 May 2006
liked this album, got it for my bday. particularly liked firestarter, v. catchy. very good indeed

bargaub, 07 Oct 2008
This was such a bargain. Arrived in excellent condition, really quickly and was cheaper to buy as a CD than just downloading the tracks I really like from any download site.

Glorious Dance Pioneers, 19 Nov 2007
There are few bands who can be considered to be peerless in their musical creativity. Like so many bands before and since, though, their back catalogues are obliged to be condensed into singles packages for the mass market, which is fine by me.

Song To The Siren sets the tone, and the message is that you must turn the volume up louder. By the time you reach the musical beanstalk that is The Private Psychedelic Reel, you might be physically in your lounge or kitchen, but mentally you will be in a souped up Citroen Saxo doing donuts at your local Asda.

This is a great album for the casual fan, the kind of person that tunes in to their live performance at Glastonbury, and turns it up loud on Radio 1!

Incredible sound, 03 Jun 2006
this album is eveything you could want from the chemical brothers with some world class number ones and some others that you may not have heard of.The tracks also improve with listening and there isnt a disappointing track on the album

Superb compilation, 03 Jan 2004
This faultless celebration of dance music's most important names since Kraftwerk demonstrates the diversity and imagination that it is possible to produce within the much maligned genre.
Kicking off with three singles off their fine debut album 'Exit planet dust',this CD continues to impress with the excellent Noel Gallagher collaboration 'Setting sun', the classic 'Block rockin beats' and the otherworldy 'Private psychadelic reel' off the superb 'dig your own hole' album.
The pattern here at this point begins to prove how Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons are peerless singles artists,dance music or not.
The award winning(courtesy of Q magazine) Surrender album from 1999 is also their best,as it contains the second Gallagher featured track 'Let forever be'(a blatant nod to the beatles' 'Tomorrow never knows'),the mind-altering 'Hey boy hey girl' and the infectious 'out of control'.Their criticised follow-up,'come with us' gives us the underrated 'Star guitar' and the well meaning but overlong 'the test',featuring Richard Ashcroft from the Verve on vocal duties.The two new tracks here are no match for the earlier stuff,Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips proves he really can't sing on 'The golden path',but 'Get yourself high' is better,a successful effort at replicating Paul Oakenfold's starry eyed surprise single.
Overall,absolutely classic stuff from the duo who even rock muisc fans truly admired.If you don't have any of the albums mentioned above,then this is an essential purchase.

Ho Hum, 25 Oct 2003
It seems rather odd for a "dance" band to have something as boringly conventional as a "greatest hits" album, but when the dance band in question is The Chemical Brothers, there's an embarrassment of riches to choose from.

As the title suggests, this album traces a chronological line from their arrival on the scene in 1993 with the still-stunning "Song To The Siren", through the commercial zenith of the "Dig Your Own Hole" and "Surrender" albums with the slightly formulaic rock/dance splicing of "Setting Sun" (arguably the best thing Noel Gallagher's ever done, including his work with Oasis) and the heavenly end-of-the-century track "The Private Psychedelic Reel" and the punkish Donna Summer tribute "Hey Boy Hey Girl".

It draws to a conclusion with only a dissappointing two tracks from last year's "Come With Us" (Star Guitar and The Test), arguably their most cohesive work since "Exit Planet Dust" and finishes off with two new tracks, the joyous religion-inspired Flaming Lips collaboration Golden Path and the rather less exciting Get Yourself High neither of which, while quality recordings in their own ways, add much to the Chemical sound which we haven't heard already.

All in all, this is a good story-so-far album, which may also serve as a fine introduction to the band for casual buyers.

better than ever, 22 Sep 2008
I would not say the other reviewer is much of a prodigy fan if he cant hear the difference in the remastering ! sounds better than ever, and although some of the bonus remixes / additional tracks are not up to the prodigy polished touch - the ruff in the jungle and weather experience remixes more than make up for it. An excellent introduction to early 90s 'dance' music.

Don't bother, 20 Sep 2008
I'm a huge Prodigy fan but I wouldn't bother with this if you've already got the original CD.
Give it a miss - it's pretty disappointing.

Brilliant...!!!, 05 Aug 2002
The diamond of the old skool rave scene. The best Prodigy album in my opinion (although I'm a big fan of fast paced dance music like happy hardcore) with some of their best tracks, and at the same time it is an absolute disaster. Why Liam and the gang decided to leave out the released single versions of Fire and Wind it up used to be a mystery to me, I now know why, to earn more money. Charly is a bit different aswell, though some would argue better on the album, aswell as a couple of others being a little different. The brilliant versions of Fire and Wind it up (rewound) were left out and replaced with terrible remixes in comparrison. You used to have to fork out another £10 just to get the two singles, worth every penny (especially Wind it Up which has "We are the Ruffest", a brilliant tune). The albums great but don't buy it. Go back, type in Eperience expanded and pay the extra couple of quid to get the cd with the b-sides, because on it are 2 of the best Prodigy tracks ever, the proper version of charly with full cat influenced safety messages aswell as We are the Ruffest. Compare the tracks on the 2 cd's and you will c what I mean then appreciate being able to buy this reworked version of Experience, because I had 2 do it the hard way and spend a lot more than you'll have to. The extra money spent is worth it ten fold, trust me.

This is where is all started, you must own this album., 05 Sep 2001
The Prodigy's first album. They might not release albums as often as we wish, but each time they do the music has evolved and owning this album allows you to 'experience' how The Prodigy have changed. This first album features songs that go back to the good old days of rave music, with songs featuring many sound samples including the classics Charly (a must for anyone that can remember the 'Charly says' adverts) and Fire, which leaves its lyrics in you head long after you have stopped listening to the song, which in this case is not a bad thing. All of the songs on the album are original and have their own very distictive sounds, helped by the great use of the sound samples. Don't be put off by the age of the album it still sounds fresh.

65 mins of music perfection, 13 Jul 2001
A slice of music history wrapped in a plain white cover. This album is arguably the best dance album ever made and testament to the writing genius of Liam Howlett. When I first bought 'Experience' I listened to in virtually non-stop for 3 months and still find it interesting today. It's consistent song quality throughout is rarely seen in albums of any genre.

100% fantastic, 03 Nov 2008
What an album! Great for getting ready for a night out, blasting in the car, or pretty much anytime when you want to feel good.
classic

Their Best., 21 Jan 2008
Surrender is, for me, the album that defines the The Chemical Brothers, and builds on the exceptional production of Dig Your Own Hole. Surrender has mellower moments than Dig, but still contains belters such as "Music: Response", "Out of Control", "Hey Boy Hey Girl". These tracks demonstrate the Chemicals' ability to zap your mind and body of emotion, and absorb you completely in terrific, pumping dance music. But this is no ordinary dance album, for its musical nuances, beats and imagination make it a cut above the rest. "The Sunshine Underground" grows satisfyingly, and "Asleep From Day" and the title track provide tranquil moments to balance out the heavy, thumping drive of tracks like "Under The Influence". The Chemicals are at the top of their game here, losing their way with their next two albums, but, fortunately, back to their best on We Are The Night.

Pschdelic beats, 19 Dec 2006
The Chemical Brothers, unlike too many dance acts, weren't satisfied with sticking to the same formula. So where "Exit Planet Dust" was more of a big-beat album (note how many tracks are called "(something) Beats"), and "Surrender" is more of a techno album (see "Elektrobank", "Setting Sun" with it's beat pinched from The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows", and "Doesn't Matter), "Surrender" is more of a pschdelic album. It's less about the rhythm and more about differing colours, rhythms and timbres.

So "Music: Response" opens things up with a tinny sound, relieved when the bass rumbles in. "Under The Influence" is quite cold, as is "Out Of Control" - they seem to be more about the texture of the sound rather than the stomping beats of old. This however really does work on the key tracks, "Let Forever Be", with it's very Beatlesey bassline and on "Sunshine Underground" which shimmers and vibrates with a delicious delicacy. Then there's "Hey Girl Hey Boy", which is the dancefloor-filler, but it's more a disco tune than a techno slammer.

Overall, it's an interesting album, which stretches the boundaries of dance music, but takes it away from what made it (and the Chemical Brothers) successful in the first place - kicking beats, funky rhythms, meaty hooks.


Great Album!, 24 Oct 2004
This is a great album and one of my favourites in my CD collection.

Music: Response - this song gets a bit tedious after about 3 minutes, but it has a catchy rhythm.

Influenced - Personally don't like this song, as I think it's extremely boring, the worst song on the album. It just seems to drag on for the entire 4 mins or so and so now I just don't bother listening to it!

Out of Control - Fantastic song, one of my favs on this album. It has a really catchy bass line which I found myself humming for days afterwards after the first time I heard it. The vocals could have been better though...

Orange Wedge - Again, a great song, with a catchy rhythm, especially the intro. The song varies throughout and doesn't get boring at all, another one of my favourites.

Let forever be - Another good song with a good intro and a fantastic bass line, again very catchy, the lyrics go well with it as well.

The Sunshine Underground - Some say this is the best song on the album? I personally disagree, but we each have our own opinions, I think it just drags on and on.

Asleep from Day - A calm song, with good lyrics, a good song if you like the slow quiet type songs as well, which I do.

Got Glint? - Great intro with a good rhythm throughout. Bass line is progressive and catchy.

Hey Boy, Hey Girl - This was the first ever song I heard by the Chemical Brothers, and this is what persuaded me to buy one their albums, so it is fair to say I think this is a great song!

Racing the Tide - This is another great song, another one of my favourites from this album. Throughout the song, there is the feeling of progression with good drum riffs and bass lines.

Dream On - Not a bad song, but not as good as some of the others. Vocals blend in well into the background, but the song does drag on a bit.

Overall, this is a fantastic album and I would reccommend it to anybody, wether they are current Chemical Brothers fans or just want to listen to some of their stuff!

Psychadelic Heaven, 25 Feb 2004
This is a masterpiece. Nothing less. I bought this album 3 years ago, its a timeless, inovative, and something that The Chems are famouse for, genre busting.

Like every album, there are always standout tracks, however all tracks on this cd are amazing, each song having its own personality to match whatever mood you are in.

The singles are very strong, Heyboy Heygirl charting the highest at number 3 in 99. The best track on the album however is The Sunshine underground, a Pink Floyd, Asian Techno explosion, pure hedonism.

Buy this, rite now, because this is a classic, THe chemical Brothers are without doubt the best dance group the industry.

Fatboy slim has come a long way, 15 Nov 2008
A great mix of tracks from this album it's probably his best album yet ok i'll admit i aint heard that much but out of the two albums i've heard this is the best one.

big beat master, 21 Jul 2006
Fatboy Slim looks like a normal bloke, but really he's a freak of nature. He has this mad scientist mentality that creates these classic dance tracks. In my opinion the guy was mr 1998 and 1999. I still think the guy has potential even though big beat has feel through. Shame he released that Slash Dot Dash as his first single from his last album.

Fatboy slim was made in heaven, 07 Mar 2002
Top album just dont listen to it to often coz like all good albums you play it to death and end up hating it. Picture the scene nice hot sunny day, driving along in your car the stereo pumping out "Right about now the funk soul brother".............Nuff said.............Respect.......We praise you like we should

some quality bonus tracks, euphoric to any fatboy fan!, 20 Dec 2001
if you've not heard this album yet or have heard it and have yet to acquire it for yourself, this imported version beats it's uk twin hands down. guaranteed you'll listen to this and think "oh...it was fatboy who did that track"!! the bonus tracks such as "michael jackson" and "everybody needs a carnival" are hard to find and give you that little 'my mate doesn't have this and probably never will' edge! for an extra few tracks it's a bargain! definately a classic

THE GREATEST ALBUM IN THE WORLD, 17 Apr 2001
This truly is one of those albums you pick up and will continue listening to for years. It is beautifully enginnered with classics like PRAISE YOU and Gangster trippin coupled with some of the best b sides ever on an album which will hold its head high in the music industry for many years it has a song for every mood and occassion. Without doubt the best album he has ever produced well done Norman

in my opinion "THE BEST", 26 Jun 2007
i have all the albums (apart from we are the night) and i think this has to be the best. yes the beats are quite simple, but they are genius! very addictive listening if your in the mood.

tracks 1-6 are quite simply brilliant. "leave home" is a brilliant start to the album and probably their best piece of work. another track is "three little birdies down beats" this is very repetitive, but is a tune which will get you dancing. "f*ck up beats" is basically a follow up beat to "chemical beats" and they both mix in very well. from track 6 onwards the pace of album slows and is more relaxed, track 10 is very weird but is something different to listen to.

if you havent got this album then buy it! i worried that it may sound dated but in reality it doesnt, as a matter of fact it sounds more up to date than most of the trash thats currently out there.

lets hope "we are te night" is a good release and not like the weak "push the button"

a legendary album, 24 Sep 2006
Took me a while to buy this, ten years after its release. I thought the beats would be quite dated,which is kind of true,but then it was recorded 12 years ago. It starts off with a stomper ,`Leave Home`. which i first heard 10 years ago, and its a great start. `In Dust We Trust` is ok, has some interesting scratchy sounds. `Song to the Siren` is great,consisting of a whiny female vocal which may sound bad but is good.the next track`3 little birdies down beats` is repetitive but energetic, `fup beats` is kind self explanatory,`chemical beats` is slightly annoying after a while, tracks 7& 8 are slightly dull. `Life is Sweet` is possibly the best track. track 10 is weird, the album finishes with `Arrive Alone` with vocals by beth orton. Possibly the most normal track on the cd. Overall a very dark and disturbing album, unlike anything else out in 1995. i give it 4 stars cos i think tracks 1,3,5 and 11 are worth buying it for. Its not as good as `dig your own hole` but for a debut its good. the beats are slightly dated but are certainly different. Might be a bit weird for some, but if you like messed up beats to be cranked up loud this is for you.

ein klein elevator music?!, 23 Aug 2005
For a while I used to believe that the Chem's singles were the only audiable listenable stuf they could produce, and the rest is just to fill in the gaps, but this album prooves otherwise. At times they're tunes can be very scary and one can imagine the madness you can sucumb to on drugs, however I think they're music suggest some drug inspired look into the darkr aspects of the human psyche. This album is not as scary as the likes of setting sun and the surrender album, and is great to listen to if your mashed, sounding more 'chilled' than they're later stuff.

The first and the worst, 18 Feb 2005
Released in 1996, this was the Chemical Brothers debut album. Unfortunately, it is also the weakest of the Chem's collections. Not to say that this album is awful - in some instances it is actually very good - but compared with the other musical gems that Ed and Tom have released, this is simply not up to standards.

The first 6 songs do not show off what the Chemical Brothers are good at - they are simply a collaboration of uninspiring melodies, slow, tame drumbeats, and a few unusual sound effects. 'Chemical Beats' is a good example of this, having the same dull repetitive bassline throughout the duration of the song, with a few odd vocals thrown in. Of the six, some of them had great potential, for example 'In Dust We Trust' started off with some funky scratching, as well as a dark bassline. This could have been built up to something spectacular, but instead an apathetic beat is added, and that's the end of that. 'Song to the Siren' also isn't that bad, having a powerful drum beat and mysterious siren-like vocals; the best song out of the first half of the album.

After hearing these songs, I wasn't entirely optimistic about hearing the second half of Exit Planet Dust. But listening to this half was like stepping into another album. The last 5 songs had what the first 6 didn't - power. They had catchy melodies and lyrics, great drum beats and the funkiness that you expect from the Chemical Brothers. It made me frustrated, as I knew the chemical brothers could produce some top-class tunes, and they proved this in the second half of the album, yet they couldn't do this in the first half. Especially as they had some tunes with a lot of potential. Surprisingly, the songs in the second half are slow and chilled - usually you except the fast-paced 'big-beat' Chem's songs to be the best.

Exit Planet Dust, although being the weakest Chem's album, does, in some instances, show off some of their great musical talent. It's just a shame they could only limit it just to one half.

pop, 08 Jul 2003
the most poppy of their albums i think. still worth a listen.

When Danny DeVito commissioned Irish producer David Holmes to provide the score for the film Out of Sight, he chose wisely. Holmes's gritty, urban dance music, first exposed on the sadly underrated The Film's Crap Let's Slash the Seats, is perfect for evoking scenes and atmospheres, yet it's interesting enough to stand on its own. For this album, Holmes and a friend wandered the streets of New York, collecting voices and noises; Holmes then assembled them into an imaginary soundtrack with the structures of modern dance music and the sonic qualities of rock and dub reggae. Let's Get Killed is a disjointed cut-up session that brings the grit and excitement of city life into your living room without leaving a drop of blood. --Matthew Corwine

psychosomatic addict insane!!!, 09 Oct 2007


music+beat+lyrics. that says it all!! 2 thumbs up!


The Prodigy is the greatest band out there, 05 Sep 2007
Aside from Fuel my fire and firestarter, this album is truly one of the seven wonders of the world. If you like any forms of electronica, this album is for you.

The Only album greater than this is the Prodigy's previous album - Music for the jilted generation.

Heaviest electronic album I have heard, 11 Jul 2007
This record is excellent. It has some catchy melodies, delightfully offensive lyrics and abundant energy flowing at you. I usually listen to it when I am in a mood for something hard-hitting (when Metallica is already not enough).

very good, 07 May 2006
I have spent many hours listening to this. Well put together and good vocal, plus some catchy beats and songs.

good, 07 May 2006
liked this album, got it for my bday. particularly liked firestarter, v. catchy. very good indeed

bargaub, 07 Oct 2008
This was such a bargain. Arrived in excellent condition, really quickly and was cheaper to buy as a CD than just downloading the tracks I really like from any download site.

Glorious Dance Pioneers, 19 Nov 2007
There are few bands who can be considered to be peerless in their musical creativity. Like so many bands before and since, though, their back catalogues are obliged to be condensed into singles packages for the mass market, which is fine by me.

Song To The Siren sets the tone, and the message is that you must turn the volume up louder. By the time you reach the musical beanstalk that is The Private Psychedelic Reel, you might be physically in your lounge or kitchen, but mentally you will be in a souped up Citroen Saxo doing donuts at your local Asda.

This is a great album for the casual fan, the kind of person that tunes in to their live performance at Glastonbury, and turns it up loud on Radio 1!

Incredible sound, 03 Jun 2006
this album is eveything you could want from the chemical brothers with some world class number ones and some others that you may not have heard of.The tracks also improve with listening and there isnt a disappointing track on the album

Superb compilation, 03 Jan 2004
This faultless celebration of dance music's most important names since Kraftwerk demonstrates the diversity and imagination that it is possible to produce within the much maligned genre.
Kicking off with three singles off their fine debut album 'Exit planet dust',this CD continues to impress with the excellent Noel Gallagher collaboration 'Setting sun', the classic 'Block rockin beats' and the otherworldy 'Private psychadelic reel' off the superb 'dig your own hole' album.
The pattern here at this point begins to prove how Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons are peerless singles artists,dance music or not.
The award winning(courtesy of Q magazine) Surrender album from 1999 is also their best,as it contains the second Gallagher featured track 'Let forever be'(a blatant nod to the beatles' 'Tomorrow never knows'),the mind-altering 'Hey boy hey girl' and the infectious 'out of control'.Their criticised follow-up,'come with us' gives us the underrated 'Star guitar' and the well meaning but overlong 'the test',featuring Richard Ashcroft from the Verve on vocal duties.The two new tracks here are no match for the earlier stuff,Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips proves he really can't sing on 'The golden path',but 'Get yourself high' is better,a successful effort at replicating Paul Oakenfold's starry eyed surprise single.
Overall,absolutely classic stuff from the duo who even rock muisc fans truly admired.If you don't have any of the albums mentioned above,then this is an essential purchase.

Ho Hum, 25 Oct 2003
It seems rather odd for a "dance" band to have something as boringly conventional as a "greatest hits" album, but when the dance band in question is The Chemical Brothers, there's an embarrassment of riches to choose from.

As the title suggests, this album traces a chronological line from their arrival on the scene in 1993 with the still-stunning "Song To The Siren", through the commercial zenith of the "Dig Your Own Hole" and "Surrender" albums with the slightly formulaic rock/dance splicing of "Setting Sun" (arguably the best thing Noel Gallagher's ever done, including his work with Oasis) and the heavenly end-of-the-century track "The Private Psychedelic Reel" and the punkish Donna Summer tribute "Hey Boy Hey Girl".

It draws to a conclusion with only a dissappointing two tracks from last year's "Come With Us" (Star Guitar and The Test), arguably their most cohesive work since "Exit Planet Dust" and finishes off with two new tracks, the joyous religion-inspired Flaming Lips collaboration Golden Path and the rather less exciting Get Yourself High neither of which, while quality recordings in their own ways, add much to the Chemical sound which we haven't heard already.

All in all, this is a good story-so-far album, which may also serve as a fine introduction to the band for casual buyers.

better than ever, 22 Sep 2008
I would not say the other reviewer is much of a prodigy fan if he cant hear the difference in the remastering ! sounds better than ever, and although some of the bonus remixes / additional tracks are not up to the prodigy polished touch - the ruff in the jungle and weather experience remixes more than make up for it. An excellent introduction to early 90s 'dance' music.

Don't bother, 20 Sep 2008
I'm a huge Prodigy fan but I wouldn't bother with this if you've already got the original CD.
Give it a miss - it's pretty disappointing.

Brilliant...!!!, 05 Aug 2002
The diamond of the old skool rave scene. The best Prodigy album in my opinion (although I'm a big fan of fast paced dance music like happy hardcore) with some of their best tracks, and at the same time it is an absolute disaster. Why Liam and the gang decided to leave out the released single versions of Fire and Wind it up used to be a mystery to me, I now know why, to earn more money. Charly is a bit different aswell, though some would argue better on the album, aswell as a couple of others being a little different. The brilliant versions of Fire and Wind it up (rewound) were left out and replaced with terrible remixes in comparrison. You used to have to fork out another £10 just to get the two singles, worth every penny (especially Wind it Up which has "We are the Ruffest", a brilliant tune). The albums great but don't buy it. Go back, type in Eperience expanded and pay the extra couple of quid to get the cd with the b-sides, because on it are 2 of the best Prodigy tracks ever, the proper version of charly with full cat influenced safety messages aswell as We are the Ruffest. Compare the tracks on the 2 cd's and you will c what I mean then appreciate being able to buy this reworked version of Experience, because I had 2 do it the hard way and spend a lot more than you'll have to. The extra money spent is worth it ten fold, trust me.

This is where is all started, you must own this album., 05 Sep 2001
The Prodigy's first album. They might not release albums as often as we wish, but each time they do the music has evolved and owning this album allows you to 'experience' how The Prodigy have changed. This first album features songs that go back to the good old days of rave music, with songs featuring many sound samples including the classics Charly (a must for anyone that can remember the 'Charly says' adverts) and Fire, which leaves its lyrics in you head long after you have stopped listening to the song, which in this case is not a bad thing. All of the songs on the album are original and have their own very distictive sounds, helped by the great use of the sound samples. Don't be put off by the age of the album it still sounds fresh.

65 mins of music perfection, 13 Jul 2001
A slice of music history wrapped in a plain white cover. This album is arguably the best dance album ever made and testament to the writing genius of Liam Howlett. When I first bought 'Experience' I listened to in virtually non-stop for 3 months and still find it interesting today. It's consistent song quality throughout is rarely seen in albums of any genre.

100% fantastic, 03 Nov 2008
What an album! Great for getting ready for a night out, blasting in the car, or pretty much anytime when you want to feel good.
classic

Their Best., 21 Jan 2008
Surrender is, for me, the album that defines the The Chemical Brothers, and builds on the exceptional production of Dig Your Own Hole. Surrender has mellower moments than Dig, but still contains belters such as "Music: Response", "Out of Control", "Hey Boy Hey Girl". These tracks demonstrate the Chemicals' ability to zap your mind and body of emotion, and absorb you completely in terrific, pumping dance music. But this is no ordinary dance album, for its musical nuances, beats and imagination make it a cut above the rest. "The Sunshine Underground" grows satisfyingly, and "Asleep From Day" and the title track provide tranquil moments to balance out the heavy, thumping drive of tracks like "Under The Influence". The Chemicals are at the top of their game here, losing their way with their next two albums, but, fortunately, back to their best on We Are The Night.

Pschdelic beats, 19 Dec 2006
The Chemical Brothers, unlike too many dance acts, weren't satisfied with sticking to the same formula. So where "Exit Planet Dust" was more of a big-beat album (note how many tracks are called "(something) Beats"), and "Surrender" is more of a techno album (see "Elektrobank", "Setting Sun" with it's beat pinched from The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows", and "Doesn't Matter), "Surrender" is more of a pschdelic album. It's less about the rhythm and more about differing colours, rhythms and timbres.

So "Music: Response" opens things up with a tinny sound, relieved when the bass rumbles in. "Under The Influence" is quite cold, as is "Out Of Control" - they seem to be more about the texture of the sound rather than the stomping beats of old. This however really does work on the key tracks, "Let Forever Be", with it's very Beatlesey bassline and on "Sunshine Underground" which shimmers and vibrates with a delicious delicacy. Then there's "Hey Girl Hey Boy", which is the dancefloor-filler, but it's more a disco tune than a techno slammer.

Overall, it's an interesting album, which stretches the boundaries of dance music, but takes it away from what made it (and the Chemical Brothers) successful in the first place - kicking beats, funky rhythms, meaty hooks.


Great Album!, 24 Oct 2004
This is a great album and one of my favourites in my CD collection.

Music: Response - this song gets a bit tedious after about 3 minutes, but it has a catchy rhythm.

Influenced - Personally don't like this song, as I think it's extremely boring, the worst song on the album. It just seems to drag on for the entire 4 mins or so and so now I just don't bother listening to it!

Out of Control - Fantastic song, one of my favs on this album. It has a really catchy bass line which I found myself humming for days afterwards after the first time I heard it. The vocals could have been better though...

Orange Wedge - Again, a great song, with a catchy rhythm, especially the intro. The song varies throughout and doesn't get boring at all, another one of my favourites.

Let forever be - Another good song with a good intro and a fantastic bass line, again very catchy, the lyrics go well with it as well.

The Sunshine Underground - Some say this is the best song on the album? I personally disagree, but we each have our own opinions, I think it just drags on and on.

Asleep from Day - A calm song, with good lyrics, a good song if you like the slow quiet type songs as well, which I do.

Got Glint? - Great intro with a good rhythm throughout. Bass line is progressive and catchy.

Hey Boy, Hey Girl - This was the first ever song I heard by the Chemical Brothers, and this is what persuaded me to buy one their albums, so it is fair to say I think this is a great song!

Racing the Tide - This is another great song, another one of my favourites from this album. Throughout the song, there is the feeling of progression with good drum riffs and bass lines.

Dream On - Not a bad song, but not as good as some of the others. Vocals blend in well into the background, but the song does drag on a bit.

Overall, this is a fantastic album and I would reccommend it to anybody, wether they are current Chemical Brothers fans or just want to listen to some of their stuff!

Psychadelic Heaven, 25 Feb 2004
This is a masterpiece. Nothing less. I bought this album 3 years ago, its a timeless, inovative, and something that The Chems are famouse for, genre busting.

Like every album, there are always standout tracks, however all tracks on this cd are amazing, each song having its own personality to match whatever mood you are in.

The singles are very strong, Heyboy Heygirl charting the highest at number 3 in 99. The best track on the album however is The Sunshine underground, a Pink Floyd, Asian Techno explosion, pure hedonism.

Buy this, rite now, because this is a classic, THe chemical Brothers are without doubt the best dance group the industry.

Fatboy slim has come a long way, 15 Nov 2008
A great mix of tracks from this album it's probably his best album yet ok i'll admit i aint heard that much but out of the two albums i've heard this is the best one.

big beat master, 21 Jul 2006
Fatboy Slim looks like a normal bloke, but really he's a freak of nature. He has this mad scientist mentality that creates these classic dance tracks. In my opinion the guy was mr 1998 and 1999. I still think the guy has potential even though big beat has feel through. Shame he released that Slash Dot Dash as his first single from his last album.

Fatboy slim was made in heaven, 07 Mar 2002
Top album just dont listen to it to often coz like all good albums you play it to death and end up hating it. Picture the scene nice hot sunny day, driving along in your car the stereo pumping out "Right about now the funk soul brother".............Nuff said.............Respect.......We praise you like we should

some quality bonus tracks, euphoric to any fatboy fan!, 20 Dec 2001
if you've not heard this album yet or have heard it and have yet to acquire it for yourself, this imported version beats it's uk twin hands down. guaranteed you'll listen to this and think "oh...it was fatboy who did that track"!! the bonus tracks such as "michael jackson" and "everybody needs a carnival" are hard to find and give you that little 'my mate doesn't have this and probably never will' edge! for an extra few tracks it's a bargain! definately a classic

THE GREATEST ALBUM IN THE WORLD, 17 Apr 2001
This truly is one of those albums you pick up and will continue listening to for years. It is beautifully enginnered with classics like PRAISE YOU and Gangster trippin coupled with some of the best b sides ever on an album which will hold its head high in the music industry for many years it has a song for every mood and occassion. Without doubt the best album he has ever produced well done Norman

in my opinion "THE BEST", 26 Jun 2007
i have all the albums (apart from we are the night) and i think this has to be the best. yes the beats are quite simple, but they are genius! very addictive listening if your in the mood.

tracks 1-6 are quite simply brilliant. "leave home" is a brilliant start to the album and probably their best piece of work. another track is "three little birdies down beats" this is very repetitive, but is a tune which will get you dancing. "f*ck up beats" is basically a follow up beat to "chemical beats" and they both mix in very well. from track 6 onwards the pace of album slows and is more relaxed, track 10 is very weird but is something different to listen to.

if you havent got this album then buy it! i worried that it may sound dated but in reality it doesnt, as a matter of fact it sounds more up to date than most of the trash thats currently out there.

lets hope "we are te night" is a good release and not like the weak "push the button"

a legendary album, 24 Sep 2006
Took me a while to buy this, ten years after its release. I thought the beats would be quite dated,which is kind of true,but then it was recorded 12 years ago. It starts off with a stomper ,`Leave Home`. which i first heard 10 years ago, and its a great start. `In Dust We Trust` is ok, has some interesting scratchy sounds. `Song to the Siren` is great,consisting of a whiny female vocal which may sound bad but is good.the next track`3 little birdies down beats` is repetitive but energetic, `fup beats` is kind self explanatory,`chemical beats` is slightly annoying after a while, tracks 7& 8 are slightly dull. `Life is Sweet` is possibly the best track. track 10 is weird, the album finishes with `Arrive Alone` with vocals by beth orton. Possibly the most normal track on the cd. Overall a very dark and disturbing album, unlike anything else out in 1995. i give it 4 stars cos i think tracks 1,3,5 and 11 are worth buying it for. Its not as good as `dig your own hole` but for a debut its good. the beats are slightly dated but are certainly different. Might be a bit weird for some, but if you like messed up beats to be cranked up loud this is for you.

ein klein elevator music?!, 23 Aug 2005
For a while I used to believe that the Chem's singles were the only audiable listenable stuf they could produce, and the rest is just to fill in the gaps, but this album prooves otherwise. At times they're tunes can be very scary and one can imagine the madness you can sucumb to on drugs, however I think they're music suggest some drug inspired look into the darkr aspects of the human psyche. This album is not as scary as the likes of setting sun and the surrender album, and is great to listen to if your mashed, sounding more 'chilled' than they're later stuff.

The first and the worst, 18 Feb 2005
Released in 1996, this was the Chemical Brothers debut album. Unfortunately, it is also the weakest of the Chem's collections. Not to say that this album is awful - in some instances it is actually very good - but compared with the other musical gems that Ed and Tom have released, this is simply not up to standards.

The first 6 songs do not show off what the Chemical Brothers are good at - they are simply a collaboration of uninspiring melodies, slow, tame drumbeats, and a few unusual sound effects. 'Chemical Beats' is a good example of this, having the same dull repetitive bassline throughout the duration of the song, with a few odd vocals thrown in. Of the six, some of them had great potential, for example 'In Dust We Trust' started off with some funky scratching, as well as a dark bassline. This could have been built up to something spectacular, but instead an apathetic beat is added, and that's the end of that. 'Song to the Siren' also isn't that bad, having a powerful drum beat and mysterious siren-like vocals; the best song out of the first half of the album.

After hearing these songs, I wasn't entirely optimistic about hearing the second half of Exit Planet Dust. But listening to this half was like stepping into another album. The last 5 songs had what the first 6 didn't - power. They had catchy melodies and lyrics, great drum beats and the funkiness that you expect from the Chemical Brothers. It made me frustrated, as I knew the chemical brothers could produce some top-class tunes, and they proved this in the second half of the album, yet they couldn't do this in the first half. Especially as they had some tunes with a lot of potential. Surprisingly, the songs in the second half are slow and chilled - usually you except the fast-paced 'big-beat' Chem's songs to be the best.

Exit Planet Dust, although being the weakest Chem's album, does, in some instances, show off some of their great musical talent. It's just a shame they could only limit it just to one half.

pop, 08 Jul 2003
the most poppy of their albums i think. still worth a listen.

Awesome. Work of genius., 30 Mar 2002
Why is David Holmes so relativly unknown, even after producing work of this jaw dropping quality, when his emulators, such as Fat Boy Slim get so huge? This album just makes old Norm seem so...crass. Subtle, delicate, groovy and oh-so-cool, this album is a film, it's a huge hollywood blocbuster without pictures. It feels not like a collection of seperate tracks, but a continual narrative. An album in the truest sense of the word. I came across Holmes by accident and now just want everything he's ever done.
Buy this buy this buy this buy this.

Quality, mate, 16 Jun 2000
This is brilliant, plain and simple. A real mix of styles - some are plain funky (my mate paul), some are heartachingly beautiful (don't die just yet) and some make you want to laugh out loud with exhilaration (headrush on lafayette). All mashed together over a backdrop of the sounds of new york. Buy this.

And also buy his essential mix LP (it's on amazon, but not as david holmes. It's the essential mix 1998 one, I think, by various artists. The one that starts with contact by brigette bardot, anyway. That's even better than this)

David Holmes; I'd shake your hand & say "fair play to ya"!, 09 Feb 2000
What a superb album this is !

Bought it about 18 months ago.. & within about the 2nd/3rd airing of it, ABSOLUTELY fell in love with it.

Would MOST DEFINATELY now be in my "Top 5" CDs out of the 40+ that I own.

I rate it so highly that (about 2 weeks ago) bought his earlier album: "This flim's crap, lets slash the seats" (via this site of course ! ) just on the sound of this CD.

Favorite tunes for me are No. 3 and 12 - beautiful ! Moody, Mellow & Mysterious would be one way to describe all the tunes.

I say to all those who read this review:

"Enough of reading this - go buy it ! ".

Yo