Homely dance music
Dance duo The Chemical Brothers belong to a rare breed whose cutting-edge music enjoys tremendous success in the mainstream music industry. Their new album Push the Button is vivid proof of their versatility.
The Chemical Brothers are Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. They met at Manchester University in the UK 11 years ago. Starting out as bedroom musicians making dance tunes for underground clubs, they have grown into successful studio recording gurus receiving considerable radio airplay.
This album shows a further development - their music has evolved from aggressive bomb-studded beats to more well-structured and song-oriented tracks. It features an array of guest vocalists such as hip-hop master Q-Tip, The Charlatans' lead singer Tim Burgess, Anna Lynne from Trespassers Williams, and Anwar Superstar.
The first track Galvanize is a spectacular beat-induced track. Q-Tip's robotic voice layered with Middle-Eastern flavour is addictive. Another standout track is Left Right, a hip-hop piece about war and politics. But the mood of the album changes abruptly with Close Your Eyes, a melodic chill-out piece featuring soothing vocals from The Magic Numbers.
With this album, The Chemical Brothers prove that dance music can be enjoyed at home too.
