Customer Reviews

Dirtchamber Sessions 1

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Probably 90% of everybody out there will hate this mix. If you came to the Prodigy through rock music, be warned that the vast majority of this mix is old school rap and both new and old techno. If you were hoping for a pure dance mix a la "Global Underground", be aware that this mix does contain Jane's Addiction, Sex Pistols, Barry White, Public Enemy, and the Beastie Boys. The point is if you want this mix to be neatly filed in one genre of music, you'll be upset.

If, however, you can appreciate and enjoy rap, big beat, early 90's rave, soul, and alternative/punk, this is like a dream. Cutting through 50 tracks in 50 minutes, there's no time to get bored, and all of the tracks are entertaining on their own. The real fun, though, is when Liam Howlett blurs between the songs. My personal favorite part, for example, is when the Prodigy's own "Poison" suddenly veers off into Jane's Addiction's "Been Caught Stealing" and then the bassline from that is looped under Tim Dog and KRS-One's "I Get Wrecked" (!).

Basically, if you like a lot of different music, this is a must buy. If you don't, don't even bother.

That's right! In my humble opinion, I think Liam Howlett has made one THE best DJ mix albums (along with The Chemical Brothers' Brothers Gonna Work It Out) I've ever heard...and I've heard quite a few. From intro to conclusion, there's always a surprise waiting for you. the way Liam mixes Chemical Bros.' "Chemical Beats" with Ultramagnetic MC's "Kool Keith Housing things" was just awesome, adding Hip-Hop beats to Charlatans UK's "How High" and blending Jane's Addiction with KRS-One...pure genious. The best thing is that you get a lot of this. Babe Ruth's "The Mexican" with B-Boys' Rock da House, Meat Beat Manifesto's "Radio Babylon" with Propellerheads (which is layered with Beastie Boys rapping from "The New Style"), Sex Pistols with Fatboy Slim, JVC Force with Primal Scream, then Public Enemy... the list goes on and on. Basically, there's highlights in all the tracks and make you wonder: "How did he do that". Being a music lover, I love the tracks that he chose maybe 'cause I have quite a few of them in their original form. If you love old school Hip-Hop, Electronica and Rock, then this is definately an album for you. I know theres people who think this sucks because "It's just not Prodigy", but this is just to give you an idea what influences Liam has had to make the music Prodigy makes, so I hope if you do buy this, you'll listen to this with an open mind...enjoy!

Despite being credited as a Prodigy disc, this CD is most definitely the brainchild of Liam Howlett, the musical intellect behind the band since its inception. By issuing his first continuous-mix CD for a major label at the height of his fame, he opens himself to easy accusations that he's cashing in on the studio cut-and-paste world of DJ comps made popular by many of the acts on Los Angeles's great Moonshine label, among others. But this amalgamation is quite unlike anything else that has been put out by a mainstream artist to date. Dirtchamber isn't a record to be indifferently danced to in an archetypal sense; rather, it's a virtual composition intended to be absorbed and experienced.

To avoid being dismissed as a one-trick techno pony, Howlett throws down constantly diverse grooves; for example, "The Mexican" sets Babe Ruth's flamenco guitar against a nice Chemical Brothers underbeat that leads to the B-Boys' "Rock the House." This idea is reinforced through the use of standout old-school cuts such as Word of Mouth's "King Kut" and Grandmaster Flash's "Pump Me Up," which manage to sound unexpectedly fresh within the context of Howlett's musical canvas.

Occasional flashes of humor turn up--Howlett juxtaposes the Sex Pistols' "New York" with Fat Boy Slim's "Punk to Funk" (get it?)--as do moments of just plain delicious mixing: Who wouldn't love the combination of the Propellerheads' "SpyBreak" with "It's the New Style," by the Beastie Boys, Prodigy's supposed nemesis? Clearly, Howlett feels that anything with a beat can be united, and by compressing 49 credited samples into a scant 51 minutes, he goes a long way toward proving it. The selections are gratifying yet surprising, and when they're heard in totality, they create a recording that's not unlike a painting by Monet. If you look at it too closely, all you'll see is incoherent spots--but if you examine it as a whole, you're likely to be overwhelmed.

Let's get one thing clear before we start this review: if you are not familiar with the concept of a mix album, DO NOT get this CD. You'll just end up listening to it and feeling ripped off, and when you post your review to warn everyone else that Dirtchamber doesn't have any new songs, you'll look like an idiot.

Now, that being said, this isn't even a standard mix album; it's more like a huge (and I mean HUGE) megamix of Liam Howlett's record collection. This CD provides a glimpse into the music that inspires Howlett, from a large variety of genres. If you're the type of person who listens to techno or hip-hop and tries to identify the source of the samples, you're going to love this.

Since this is not an easy album to listen to casually, here are a few highlights you can be listening for:

--The origin of The Prodigy's most controversial hook
--The transition between "Poison" and the original mix of "Been Caught Stealing" (Yes, it's that good).
--A sped up Beastie Boys sample played over Propellorheads' "Spybreak!" (aka that one song from The Matrix)
--"I got rhythms I ain't even used yet!"

These are but a few of the surprises waiting for you, if you're willing to take the risk of buying a Prodigy album that doesn't really work on the dance floor.

Prodigy`s wonderboy Liam Howlett delivers an addictive and gripping mix CD, where he exposes some of the band`s influences and preferences, creating an exciting and eclectic record. This is more than an average, by-the-numbers dance mix works that seem to be around, since Howlett clearly knows what he`s doing and is able to create a rich, solid and well-balanced record. The rehashed material is tight and well blended, proving that Howlett is indeed a key element in Prodigy and manages to pick some credible, diverse and appealing references (Chemical Brothers, Sex Pistols, Meat Beat Manifesto, Jane`s Addiction and the Prodigy themselves, it`s all here and more). The overall result is convincing, surprising, and keeps getting better with multiple listens.
More Sessions, please.

For starters if your expecting Prodigy, dont ! Expect Liam Howlett spinning vinyl...and believe me, in a fun, groovy-refreshulous way... The Dirt Chamber Sessions Volume One is nothing less than a classic mix. Liam Howlett's Dirt Chamber will fill your speakers with funky, old school beats mixed with artist such as: the Beatie Boys, the Chemical Brothers, Frankie Bones, Meat Beat Manifesto, Propeller Heads, Janes Addiction, and FatBoy Slim to name a few. What else can I say ..? Most Excellent !

this CD is the roots of the Prodigy...it is better than any interview you'll ever read with Liam because his life story is all here musically. throwing in Sex Pistols, Bomb the Bass and Charlatans in the mix made me nod and smile with approval. this CD is the ultimate respect to the musicians that inspire Liam. right on!!!

Why expect that Prodigy dish out album after album, all the same? Although this DJ mix contains a lot of hip hop, Prodigy fans who have actually been following the history of the band would know that this was to be a DJ mix as opposed to Howlett's own work. Doesn't one listen to *every* CD one buys, Prodigy notwithstanding just because of one's expectations?

Other people who have written reviews complain "oh, it's not typical Prodigy." Well let me tell you something, there IS NO SUCH THING as "typical" Prodigy; they change just like everything else, they develop just like everything else. And for those of you who don't like the kind of music Liam Howlett has demonstrated as his "mentor," you really should expand your horizons ...

This is the best mix CD I own. It really packs an incredible punch. It is even better than the proper Prodigy records. I bought mine in this CD shop in Bern that does not exist anymore (CD 61?) and was completely surprised by the high quality of the concept. A must-buy.

People who come here looking for a prodigy cd, don't expect anything. This is basically Liam Howlett releasing a mix CD of his own via the prodigy name and record label. The mix-tape is simply awesome, he really blends things well, and i have friends who are breakers who just adore this CD. Liam knows how to not only make good beats, but also create good beats too. Buy this if you like DJ-ish type things and what not. Don't get this if you wanna hear that normal prodigy stuff. Of course, if you're a real fan then you'll just buy about anything.