We Are the Night [VINYL]

Chemical Brothers

Recorded in a bombproof subterranean studio in south London, the Chemical Brother's sixth studio album, We Are the Night brings us more of the duo's famed block rockin' psychedelia. Shot through with trademark acidic bleeps, sidereal synths and thrusting basslines, We Are the Night gets off to a strong yet stormless start with the level-headed title track, and solid but less-than-incendiary cuts like "All Rights Reversed," (which features new ravers The Klaxons) and "Do It Again." Only on the irrefutable "Saturate" do the duo begin to reach their form: a building, twisting, highly infectious tune that blends baggy drums with washes of kaleidoscopic electronica. "Das Spiegel" takes on minimal house with endearing consequences, while former Pharcyde rapper Fatlip waxes lyrical on the decidedly fishy "Salmon Dance." Things hot up again with "A Modern Midnight Conversation," and its thudding disco b line and "Battle Scars," with distinctive husky vocals provided by Willy Mason. "Harpoons" and "The Pills Won't Help You Now" end the trip on a suitably phantasmagoric note; though not much on We Are the Night approaches their glory years, it does reinforce their continued relevance in terms of twisted, danceable, electronic music. --Paul Sullivan