Prodigy’s The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume One is the prodigy of Liam Howlett. This mix album is a sonic masterpiece of modern music history.
The album jumps out with some cuts from the Ultramagnetic MC’s mixed with a dash of the Chemical Brothers and a pinch of Time Zone’s “Wildstyle”. The beats thump on for over seven minutes and never lose its momentum.
Track two is perhaps the best on the album. Liam pays homage to The Charlatans, Janes Addiction, KRS-One, and Prodigy’s own “Poison”. The back and forth repeating of “I’ve got the poison/ I’ve got the remedy” runs perfectly into Janes Addiction’s “Been Caught Stealing”. Track four partners the Beastie Boys “It’s The New Style” with the Propellerheads “Spy Break”. The mixture is close to perfect and is capped off with Herbie Hancock, who was always ahead of his time. Then, The Sex Pistols’ “New York”, Fatboy Slim, and Medicine make for a slick punk-techno elixir. Next, track six goes back, way back, as breakdance beats mix with Barry White. Don’t miss the rap revolutionaries, Public Enemy, or the clowning of the Beastie Boys.
If you thought that Digital Underground’s “Humpty Dance” was dead, you will learn that it has been revived and can be heard weaving in and out of L.L. Cool J.’s “Get Down”. Track eight is the most time-tested on the album, yet the most curious. With lots of scratching and breakdance cuts, you will soon find yourself missing the days when you could backspin and when beat-boxing was the newest form of self expression. The jam mixes that with some old-school funk of the ’70’s from the likes of The Jimmy Castor Bunch’s “It Just Begun”.
Prodigy fans looking to hear another “Breathe” or “Firestarter” will be disappointed. This album is a powerful dance through Liam Howlett’s record collection, one that any music fan will love.
+ cc
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.