The Chemical Brothers- For That Beautiful Feeling
30 years on, the duo have delivered their best record yet.
Good Morning!
Today we’re taking a quick look at For That Beautiful Feeling by The Chemical Brothers.
Hearing those opening big beats on 1995’s Exit Planet Dust, who’d have guessed that almost 30 years later, The Chemical Brothers would still be going strong?
It’s been quite a ride for Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, from scrappy upstarts in the big beat genre to their status as elder statesmen today. Through it all, the duo have consistently iterated, changed up their style, and pushed up against the corners of their sound.
In a genre known mainly for putting out singles, the two bet the other way, putting out records that worked as a whole rather than something that felt like a compilation slapped together with an “LP” sticker thrown across the front.
The result is an excellent discography that is difficult to force rank.
The Chemical Brothers1 have a great predilection for exploration… They kind of sit in an unusual place between different eras of electronic music and DJ culture. It’s like they have one foot in multiple decades at the same time in a way that is utterly unique among their peers.
~Beck
That streak continues with For That Beautiful Feeling, their 10th album. Once again, each track could stand alone if needed, but this record works beautifully as a complete work, with each track segueing seamlessly into the next. The release also happens to coincide with some tour dates (none stateside, unfortunately) and "Paused in Cosmic Reflection," a memoir (!) coming out later next month.
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One of the advantages of longevity is that you know what works and what doesn’t. You’re also afforded the freedom to stretch your legs a bit. To be clear, there is no mistaking this for anything but a Chemical Brothers record, but it feels like they’ve taken some of the best parts of earlier records and reimagined them into new tracks & a fresh sound. Listening, I was sometimes reminded of earlier concussive dance floor fillers like Three Little Birdies Down Beats and the transcendent vibe of No Geography.
Live Again is all gas & no brakes, with a woozy synth line that feels like it will spin right off the face of the Earth if it’s not careful. The Weight feels like Block Rockin’ Beats era Chemical Brothers. It would work as well on Dig Your Own Hole as it does here. The Darkness feels, well, transcendent with lofty vocals, beautiful keys, and a driving beat.
They have also reunited with Beck for Skipping Like A Stone, having previously collaborated on 2015’s Wide Open from their heir Born In the Echoes album. On a record full of strong candidates, this is my runaway favorite. The best music hits you at a gut level and elicits a visceral reaction. This will remind listeners of nights on a pulsing dance floor with friends and parties still going as the sun rose.
Until a few weeks ago, I had No Geography and Exit Planet Dust tied as my top Chemical Brothers record. I kinda liked the idea of my faves also being bookends of their discography. That’s now changed, with For That Beautiful Feeling being AOTY material. Having it at the top was both a quick and easy decision. The album's second half is especially strong, but again, the entire record works as a whole.
Rowlands and Simons are only improving with age, and this gorgeous record bears that out.
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Listen:
The Chemical Brothers | For That Beautiful Feeling, 2023
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As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the record. Share your thoughts below!
Thanks for being here,
Kevin—
https://pitchfork.com/news/the-chemical-brothers-tap-beck-for-new-song-skipping-like-a-stone-listen/
I’m going to pretend you just said that it’s their worst album yet so that I don’t make my expectations too high! :-) Though enough of you here in the Stackosphere have sung its praises for me to feel secure in not over inflating my excitement.
That back half, baby! You know I already had this in the mix for my AOTY candidates, but I threw it on a night drive trying to get back to town Friday night, and woah! Talk about loving a record even more.
I love your idea of having your favorite Chems records be the bookends to their careers, and I'm with you. As much as I love No Geography, this new one is even better.