It's been a good month or so since the release of new Chemical Brothers album. Just enough time for the weirdness to sink in. We are the Night (July, 2007) proves alot for the brothers of electronica. They've been through it all, the whole club progression from 90's to the present. A recent article by Charlie Brooker in The Guardian sheds resentful light on the modern club experience. Clubs, according to his misanthropic-ness, are no longer where its at (summing up his article painfully quickly here I'm sorry). Christ, its taken this long for people to realise? Like all great movements in music it all selfdistructs eventually. Look what happened to indie! Not exactly 'indie' now is it children? Clubs have had their day a long time ago in my opinion and, since they were originally defined by a combination of mood enhancing drugs and insanely trippy synth-based music, they're on the horrifying comedown. Take away the drugs and the experimental sonic sounds and you're left with the modern club: repetitive, soulless and asinine.The bro's have created something thought almost impossible: They've brought back a certain amount of dance retro to the album (residing from the re-use of old analogue synths) while moving their sound forward into fresher, original pastures green. They do all this and retain their own style and voice. A far cry from the frankly disapointing previous album. With a strong track structure they include moments of unpredicable psychedelia and melancholoy. The last track "The pills wont help you now" could symbolise a respectful goodbye wave to club. You can almost feel the lasers fading and the sun melting into the red horizon. Setting, with the promise of morning.
Shit, where does all the meaning is these great movements go? Does it have to be so hallow? Unlike Charlie B I see a future for club society. The new chemical brothers album is either a swan song of its death, or its exactly what we've all been waiting for. I guess only time will tell.
Stupid "time"...
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