Album #9: No Geography

[Explud]

Something from my own "attic":

Spoiler

https://scontent.fhel5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/s2048x2048/56744627_306425656693428_1321619393267892224_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_ht=scontent.fhel5-1.fna&oh=a2b384e29d0c4e21a0b5e966ccf5dd4a&oe=5D48FC4B

[Csar]

Something from my own "attic":

Spoiler

https://scontent.fhel5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/s2048x2048/56744627_306425656693428_1321619393267892224_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_ht=scontent.fhel5-1.fna&oh=a2b384e29d0c4e21a0b5e966ccf5dd4a&oe=5D48FC4B

Thanks! Now we have it in black and white: Sample recreation on GTKO and WGTT (by Replayheaven, Hal Ritson and Richard Adlam, Eshan Gopal on vocals)!

[Wolkenkrabber]

Something from my own "attic":

Spoiler

https://scontent.fhel5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.15752-9/s2048x2048/56744627_306425656693428_1321619393267892224_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&_nc_ht=scontent.fhel5-1.fna&oh=a2b384e29d0c4e21a0b5e966ccf5dd4a&oe=5D48FC4B

Thanks. So the two songs sampled in Catch Me I'm Falling are:

Snowbird (Simon Raymonde & Stephanie Dosen): Bears On My Trail
(you can hear the sample early on "we're in our finery...")

Emanuel Lasky: A Letter From Vietnam
(the sample is near the end at 2.25)

[actionjackson780]

Curious if Catch Me I'm Falling started out as a remix of the Snowbird tune?

[androidgeoff]

Geoff, you just climbed the ranks of my most favorite forumers list with that TNG reference!
Let me reply with a reference from todays TNG, the Orville: Tomorrow's gonna be my personal Ja'loja!

I am on season 4 of TNG

I have slowly been going through Star Trek and soaking in as much as I can

[WhiteNoise]

Two listens, you all know the drill.

this review is art

it boomed me. it's so good (x4)

[mfc83]

On my 3rd listen. Absolutely better than BITE and WATN. At this stage I think it's better than Further... and maybe even PTB

That's putting it in the realm of EPD, DYOH, Surrender and CWU. Which is a huge deal for me. Wow.

Seconding the comments that Eve of Destruction and Bango are seriously good tunes. There's an awesome cut up super early Chem Bros feel to Eve of Destruction and Bango that I love. And at first it felt like too many different vocal snippets but after a few listens it totally works and makes sense.

No Geography is pretty emotional, especially after reading Ed's interview where he talks about the words coming from that poem about distance and borders not being able to break apart love. My wife and I lived for a year on opposite sides of the world early in our relationship, so this resonates with me hard.

Then you get to Gravity Drops, and I don't agree that it's a weak track at all. It has the soul of one of those tracks from EPD like Three Little Birdies Down Beats. Sounds totally different, but there's something connecting them. Strangely it's that pitched down vocal snippet that hooks me in and puts a smile on my face.

The Universe Sent Me is another hugely emotional one, and really adds some depth to the album at this stage IMO. Love Aurora's vocals. And the emotional chord change build ups are fantastic. "I cave in" is a superb vocal loop for so many reasons.

Then the We've Got To Try -> Free Yourself -> MAH triple header is fantastic. I'll admit Free Yourself was the weakest of the singles for me, but in the context of the album it's great. It's actually turned the track around for me. I still prefer the MAH battle weapon version, but this version works great for the album too.

And the closer Catch Me I'm Falling... truly beautiful. Again, loving Aurora's vocals. Very emotional. The soul singer vocal sample didn't agree with me at first, but on 3rd listen I think it really works. A beautiful way to close out the album, but heart wrenching as well.

If the album keeps growing on each listen like it is, it might even break into the top 4.....

edit: Sorry, not Aurora on Catch Me I'm Falling. I was listening on Spotify so there's no liner notes or nuthin.

[neorev]

This album pisses all over Push The Button and Born In The Echoes. Born In The Echoes feels very slapped together and a bit uninspired to me. The production felt stagnant on Echoes. There is so much more depth to the production on No Geography and the tracks are so good you want them to keep going on forever. Born In The Echoes, I had that "Is this song over yet?" feeling for most of it save for EML Ritual, Under Neon Lights, and Reflexion. No Geography gave me those old school Chemical feels like Further.

I am quite a fan of We Are The Night and Further (minus Escape Velocity as trsck 2, think it should have been later in the album and Don't Think should have been on the standard release). I did not like Push The Button at all, unless the Bros. ever release Snow/Surface To Air in studio form. We Are The Night is much stronger than PTB.

To me, No Geography feels like the rightful follow up to Surrender. It feels like it's going for what Come With Us tried to do. It has that funk side I felt Come With Us should have focused more on that you could hear with b-sides like Base 6 and Hot Acid Rhythm.

Is it their best album since Surrender? Could well quite possibly be. I love it on first 3 listens and it is growing.

I put it on in the car today and my girl asked what we were listening to. "It's the new Chemical Brothers," I answered. A few tracks pass and she turns and asks "Who are we listening to now?" I looked at her confusingly "What?," I continued, "It's still the new Chemical Brothers. I told you!" She looked at me surprised, "This? This is the Chemical Brothers?!?!" She nodded her head, "Wow, this is different. I like it." "Better than that Born In The Echoes album?," I asked. "Oh God yes," she quickly responded.

The Chemical Brothers with No Geography...
The Prodigy with No Tourists...
Orbital with Monsters Exist...
Underworld with the Drift series...
Meat Beat Manifesto with Impossible Star...
The Crystal Method with The Trip Home...
Plus Autechre and Aphex Twin!

It's been a great time in electronic music for us old school 90s folk. Plus another new Meat Beat Manifesto album next month.

[Bosco]

about to plug myself into the matrix...

[Conn6orsuper117]

1 hour left in the period!!!! (or until amazon ships the preorders for america which will most likely arrive in 2-5 days)

[whirlygirl]

Amdroidgeoff's Dog planet review wins top honors for the evening (oh wait, it's midnight now where I am).

I couldn't sleep because Chems so I was browsing about and thought I'd check iTunes and there it was. The album, earlier than expected because it was still Thursday.

So... I'm not ready to review yet. I'm still listening to the album. But I'm blown away by the cohesiveness so far. Where Born In The Echoes felt disjointed in areas, this album is a solid follow up filled with the peaks and valleys and textured soundscapes that make me love what Tom and Ed do so much.

I will say right now, I'm in love with The Universe Sent Me. Aurora's voice is powerful when it needs to be, delicate when it wants to be, and so beautifully raw and feminine. I love the arrangement of her voice on this track.

Anyway, I'm gonna go back to 

We shall meet again back on Dog Planet soon!

[Bosco]

The album really clips along. Almost like it's in a hurry.

My feelings too.

I think Whitenoise mentioned in his other thread this plays like a Chemical DJ mix, and I got that too.

Overall, I'm not feeling instant impact of like I did with the previous two releases (Further and BITE).

This album just feels really different for me, and I'm personally having a hard time absorbing it. If I were given the Pepsi challenge, (apart from a few signature sounds) I don't think I would pick The Chemical Brothers as producers of this album.  I'll admit my taste or pacing for music maybe has gotten stale, but as of right now all I can say is... It's new.

I look forward for this one to grow on me.

[mfc83]

So my mate just clued me into a pretty cool link between Come With Us and No Geography: "Come with us, and leave your world behind" and now "If you ever change your mind about leaving it all behind, remember, no geography. Me, you him etc. I'll take you along. I'll take you along with me.". And the come with us synths later on. So cool.

[wrclaguna]

The Chemical Brothers - Catch Me I'm Falling   ❤️

[MIKL]

I think I'm still processing the album. First thoughts, It's too damn short. And I think what I like from this album may differ to rest here from what I've read maybe. I feel a bit disjointed listening to it with the stronger tracks already been released and whats left to enjoy and soak in.

Eve of Destruction

Its OK. but...

(Comparing it to the early DJ version) What happened to the bass line? (and big bass). It was perfect? now its copying the house tribute synth? I liked how the DJ version was more simpler but quite addictive and had that groove to it still. And knowing the other vocal samples were going to come back for another hit cause they're so good and deserve the stage more. I wouldn't have mind if it went for longer with the original stuff. Why not thats what albums are for.

Bango

Nice to hear some faster drum rhythms and various synth stabs swirling around everywhere especially at the Give me my thunder part. You can definitely get that mix tape vibe that Tom was talking about from the first 2 tracks.

No Geography

This feels like a song thats a sequel to Escape Velocity with the guy talking again about travelling and escaping, energy and people. And sounds like the same from even Exit Planet Dust from One Too Many Mornings. "We're out of control". It feels like a moment in Stranger Things as well where the boys are reunited with Eleven from the upside down or something special like that.

Got To Keep On

Instantly loved this track when heard earlier versions and still prefer live version as already mentioned.

Gravity Drops

This is where I said my taste may differ to everyone elses for this album..

I actually think this is my favourite song on the whole album. I instantly liked it. Its different from them but has that mentality of theirs where they have perfectly crafted sound elements from bass and treble highlights and how its structured and played around with in rebellious way but in a cool slow groove. And its an instrumental.

The Universe Sent Me

Well its not what I thought it would be as warned by others on here regarding the hype machine reviews from online/publications which made sound like a different sound song altogether. I do like it but it feels unfinished and finishes too soon. Like the guitar riff. Another one for the Like Neon Lights, Hold Tight London Family. (4x4 beat, catchy guitar riff and hypnotic female vocal) I also almost get a Grimes vibe in parts.

We've Got To Try
The acid groove and beats what more do you want. Samples and a vocalist adds greater depth. Maybe my second favourite song on the album.

Free Yourself

After getting used to hearing Auroua in the other songs, you're almost tricked into believing its her now doing the Free Yourself vocals. Not much else to say I loved the song as well as GTKO when heard earlier versions. The transition is tighter into MAH.

MAH

At this point I'm thinking is the album nearly over already?! Knowing that this is the last chance of getting off on some euphoric soundscapes. (Knowing how the song goes already). Like FY and GTKO Ive heard this too many times leading up to the album.

Catch Me I'm Falling

The lyrics are bit raunchy if I'm interpreting them correctly. Last song was maybe Believe with lyrics "Can you feel me in between you". Its nice sounding and with the vocal sample. Kind of felt a bit short changed for some reason though I hate saying that but with that as the last song and it all over. Maybe another song should've been in-between MAH and this one?

I don't know where I sit with comparing it to other albums. With DYOH and Surrender still the best for me, I still think CWU, PTB, EPD were better albums than this one. This album is better than WATN and maybe the same as BITE (That album was diverse as well and had maybe some stronger songs with the exception of a couple of fillers more than this one)Its a somewhat better than Further. It depends on what type of chemical tracks you're in the mood for.

[WhiteNoise]

Imagine paying loadsamoney to have it split over six sides of vinyl!

Imagine missing out on unmixed Eve of Destruction > Bango

https://www.discogs.com/The-Chemical-Brothers-No-Geography/release/13482212

A Eve of Destruction
B1 Bango
B2 No Geography
C1 Got To Keep On
C2 Gravity Drops
D1 The Universe Sent Me
D2 We've Got To Try
E Free Yourself
F1 MAH
F2 Catch Me I'm Falling

[Csar]

Thank you Universal for giving me the ultimate "No" Geography experience on a release date! I decided to go walking to my store instead of driving just to get a breeze of fresh air and clear my mind before taking all in. But of course, you weren't able to supply my MediaMarkt store with anything this morning. Well, at least I was able to have a look at the LP because that's what you managed to deliver the day before according to the clerk there but which I didn't care about. What a classy move.

What added to all of this was the depressing mood the CD shelves were giving me. Most of the artist labels are replaced by generic alphabetic letters and rough genre categories. MAH!

[Ben_j]

Has anyone who got the vinyl been able to redeem the download code on redeem.thesoundofvinyl.com ? For me, after I try to log in nothing happens.

EDIT: I guess the problem was Chrome. Tried with Firefox and it works

[Ben_j]

It's a little weird that the Eve of Destruction instrumental gets rid of all vocals but keeps Nene's vocals

[MIKL]

Ooh cotroversial. Idealism v reality perhaps. A bit like when the Chems want you to enjoy a shared experience when you see them live, but the tickets are £50 a pop!

Translate that to almost $200 Australian for a stand alone show. which was the last time they toured. (including costs to get the whole thing down here)