The Chemical Brothers - Born In The Echoes (Album Review)
Wednesday, 29 July 2015
Written by Huw Baines
Remaining relevant across a couple of decades in any sphere of music is tough, but to continue to cut through the technological advances, stylistic innovations, and regressions, of electronic music’s patchwork quilt requires both dedication and rapid adjustments.
It’s a push and shove that the Chemical Brothers have become accustomed to and also one, bar a handful of missteps, that they have fared well against. ‘Born In The Echoes’, while not perfect, is evidence that the duo have a grasp of songwriting beyond the grasp of the drop-obsessed.
Their eighth album is one that toys with elements from the past, whisking Let Forever Be's psych-funk, vintage synths and a Q-Tip guest spot into a surprisingly low key, nuanced mix.
There is a creeping, alluring unease at the heart of Under Neon Lights, on which Annie Clark spins yet another strange, satisfying melody. Its beats tick, the bass skitters and even the ‘big’ midpoint reveal is conducted almost under the radar. It’s emblematic of the approach here, with Go - Q-Tip’s contribution - notable as a giddy exception to the rule.
EML Ritual is constructed, taken apart again and rebuilt over the course of its five minutes, developing into a menacing, seemingly relentless piece, something that also works for the minimalist, percussive Just Bang. Reflexion, meanwhile, is slowly twisted into new shapes as the pace gradually increases, its edges less clearly defined but similarly off kilter.
There is a balance between gradual melodic reveals and the expected beats, one which largely works. There are precious few moments where ‘Born In The Echoes’ heads off in a straight line when a mazy walk will do, which gives it a queasy air of adventure. If Taste of Honey’s buzzing fly detracts from a superbly weird intro and Beck’s Wide Open is a toothless sign-off, then the damage is only cosmetic.
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