The Chemical Brothers: Tom Rowlands, Ed Simons.
Additional personnel: Tim Burgess, Beth Orton (vocals); Seggs (bass).
Engineers: Steve "Dub" Jones, Dan Zamani, Tim Holmes.
Principally recorded at Orinoco Studios and Da Da Studios, London, England between August and November 1994.
The Chemical Brothers were formerly known as the Dust Brothers. The name change seems particularly appropriate, as many observers viewing the disc's cover would be hard-pressed to perceive this as anything remotely electronic-based. Rave faves and flamboyant studio techies in their native England, the Brothers may be the '90s inheritors of Adrian Sherwood and his On-U Sound legacy.
EXIT PLANET DUST is a record concerned more with the urban jungle than space-time continuums, although there's no shortage of tripped-out effects, stereo panning, reverb, and a healthy amount of studio gimcrackery. Mobile fidelity is the nucleus here, so anyone expecting ambience need look elsewhere. With this record, one of the first to break so-called "electronica" mainstream and on Main Street, USA, The Brothers have assimilated so many dancefloor ideologies that their stance within the "big beat" genre should ultimately get them through the next musical revolution--and beyond. To many, this is the possible future of pop: Spock & roll, anyone?
What the critics say...
Q (2/96, p.63) - Included in Q's 50 Best Albums of 1995.
Q (9/95, p.115) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...a seamless, electro-gliding whole, the Brothers show...their ability to weave hip hop breakbeats and techno thumping, before everything subsides for the lush, chilled-out `One Too Many Mornings'..."
Alternative Press (10/95, p.88) - "...The overused epithet `slammin'' really does apply to the music of Brothers Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Subtle it ain't, but EXIT PLANET DUST will trigger more hedonism per square foot than any other dance album this year..."
Melody Maker (12/23-30/95, pp.66-67) - Ranked #36 on Melody Maker's list of 1995's `Albums Of The Year' - "...percussive mayhem....breakbeat-driven, anthemic debut opus..."
Village Voice (2/20/96) - Ranked #24 in Village Voice's 1995 Pazz & Jop Critics' Poll.
Village Voice (2/20/96) - "...Starts out whomping irrepressibly, ends up schlocking imperturbably, and either way provides the noise, beats, and basslines us earthlings like in our electrically enhanched popular music..." - Rating: A-
NME (Magazine) (12/23-30/95, pp.22-23) - Ranked #20 on NME's `Top 50 Albums Of The Year' for 1995 - "...full-on snarling rock beasts of electronica, laying waste with skyscraper-sized breakbeats and much burbling acid house..."
