Album #9: No Geography

[Conn6orsuper117]

when you're the one guy left on the planet who still uses CDs

[Stefan]

when you're the one guy left on the planet who still uses CDs

Hey there 
I bought my CD on Friday at a store because I never trust Amazon to deliver it on release day (and I live in a big city so there's a good chance at least one store will have it).
Doesn't Amazon usually offer you to also download the tracks if you bought a CD?

[inchemwetrust]

No Geography - The Universe Sent Me To Review It



2015 was the year when the dark and furious 'Born in the Echoes' came into the picture.

Deformed, Deranged, Delicious

So here we are again as we do many times. Write our reviews, compare thoughts,another post,etc. But alot of things have changed since the last album including changes in this world lately. Gaining acceptance in social media, crazy political storms, the #metoo movement, anti-vaxxers, movie studios rehashing the same old shit, music streaming still aint making enough money for the artists, and how in the hell do people make a living off of making Youtube videos?

Speaking of change, while people used to believe that the brain became fixed after a certain age, newer research has revealed that the brain never stops changing in response to learning.

Example 1: The Chemical Brothers
1) Learn a different way to put out an album using dated equipment.
2) Try new album concepts to pull away from the last album
3) The 'Chemical' sound is not a distinct sound. It is a way of putting music together from past experiences to make new and distinct ones.

The 9th album, No Geography! A Review! A Change!

Note: Album was listened 5 times. Twice on record, 2 times from a streaming music service  and one from an mp3 album which included playback through speakers and a sub at a Guitar Center.

Packaging and artwork is such a change from the black and white albums from the past. I really like the font used for the album sleeves and the back of the album. 10 tracks make up the album so lets test them.

Eve of Destruction - There's a drive to it. Love it when that 90's house kicks in at 1:45 with a superb sample of "Gotta find a friend to spend the weekend" Very tricky of the bros to make another version of this track that is much different than the DJ version they played live, but its not as loopy! 2:46 changes it up with Nene rapping. Great first statement track. Good Aurora!

Bango - There's now a breakdance fight! And I love it. I actually attempted a windmill on my living room. There's a party going on in here, as if you just parked your car and heard the party down the street and you knew which house the music was coming from! Did Jimmy Castor and Shiela E get busy or what? Near the end, it sounds like Chrono from Kraftwerk for some reason. A Banger!

No Geography - I feel this should've been the last track! There's a feeling of completeness of some sort of goal that has been reached. The song definitely has a Rockmaster Scott (Roof is on Fire) to it. "Ill take you along with me" says alot here. The emotional of all the tracks. So far i'm really impressed with the album. Thanks you to Mr Brownstein for giving life to this track with your words.

Got To Keep On - I admit, I'm still not bored with song. Tbh, I actually put this in my top 3 chemical songs as of now, right below Star Guitar, and Chemical Beats. There's a movement and space this song creates to force you to be a part of something you wouldn't normally do if you were by yourself or alone...and that is to dance.  We have a winner!



Gravity Drops - It's.... ok! Sort of has its own identity or special trait as the previous tracks. But it sounds like if I was waiting in the lobby of the international space station and looking out thru an airlocked window and seeing stars and planets sending signals to each other. Its passable study music! it needs another sound element to lift it.

The Universe Sent Me - Tough Call! The last 1/3 of the track should've been used more and spreaded out. Really hard to feel this track. I feel Aurora wasn't really needed on this track. I think she caved the track in! Bad Aurora!

We Got To Try - Ok! Were back on track! YES I KNOW WE CAN MAKE IT GIRL! So many bit and pieces to chew on. Kind of like a box of chocolates with so many tastes. The most ambitious track on the album. Love those strings. I'm bobbing my head on 2:32. The album is still going strong so far. Brilliant track!

Free Yourself - Of all the tracks on the album, this one didn't sit too well with me at first listen but I really wanted to like it because, well, it was the first single of the new album, and the excitement of the new release was sort of hiding my real displeasure. I appreciate that my tolerance has changed with some chemical tracks in the past that were hard to listen at first, But this track grew on me admittingly. Another dance stomper with just enough kick to get praise!

MAH - Most improved track for me after repeated listens. It has aged very well. I admit the EBW version contributed to my love for this track more. Those buzzing pulses throughout and at the end are just a small part of the energy with the matching sample. Strongest sounding track of the bunch. Damn! Just love it!

Catch Me I'm Falling - Not a closer, but very spacey! "The danger is so much greater" sample reminds me of a Moby track. Not sure which instrument is mostly used in this track (arp maybe) but I love the squeaking of it ( if you can call it that) but that alone doesn't help much. Stephanie Dosen vocals are here but I also feel they weren't needed as they don't positively impact or lift the track. An instrumental would've been fine. A relaxing end finishes the album.




Final Score:
Eve of Destruction - 8
Bango - 9
No Geography - 8
Got To Keep On - 10
Gravity Drops - 7
The Universe Sent Me - 5
We Got To Try - 9
Free Yourself - 8
MAH - 9
Catch Me I'm Falling - 6

Verdict
No Geography Is a an reinvigorating, sampler-slapping, foot-stomping, gear-shifting package that surpasses at least half of their other albums in the dust, but faults on collaborations, and minor deterrents that made it come close to the upper echelons such as Dig Your Own Hole and Surrender. But you have to hand it to Tom and Ed since they started this journey back in 95 with 'Dust', as they can still 'Bango' it out with the rest of EDM/Dance acts out there now. No Geography is a barrierless escapade that you can find on the living room floor with your headphones on and not giving a crap on what's going on in this world.

Much Love To Tom and Ed and all that they do for their music and fans. Thank you for this album! Love is all!

Hi Kevin! I get the joke now

One more thing...

This album is better than:
BITE
PTB
CWU
WATN
FURTHER

[inchemwetrust]

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

This has crossed my mind as well but I've decided to let things be. I think your question probably got answered by now!

[Joslyn]

Can anyone confirm this?

Sides A.B and E play at 45 RPM
Sides C,D and F are 33 1/3 RPM

bit strange

[sandelic]

Alright, so I know both Csar and you did your best not to listen to any of the material before album drop. Were you able to do that successfully (you too Csar)? And if so, good on you guys, I wish I had that discipline.

I did listen to new songs before album was out but only once each, so fortunately I didn't suffer from being overly familiar with good chunk of the album.
It was a good thing. I didn't have the urge to skip some parts of the album on that account.

[Nekcore]

Since the last time I listened to an album of The chemical brothers in repetition for a long time, it was in the era of dig your own hole. Now, for heavenly reasons, the universe made me perceive in the most apotheosical way, that this album will be listened in an amount without limit or without end, that is, once again: infinite repetition.

This is just majestic. This makes me feel like a kid again, playing those CDs that my brother used to get every thursday afternoon after his work. Me and my little boombox enjoying those sweet sounds in the air, without worries of every upsetting thing going on around me. It's just joy... pure, flawless happiness. Will do a proper review in my spare time. It needs one.

This feels like the 90's once more. A return of the original Art-Form. Let's keep dancing to the mind bending brothers.

[Hutch108]

The greatest identifying quality of any exceptional Chems album is consistency. The demand for the record to be listened to in full, the focus in tone and the perspective that the album is coming from. This is the most important thing that gives an album its identity and increases its longevity. No Geography is so strong in this respect, in my opinion, the strongest since CWU. It is such a comforting and exciting release.

[inchemwetrust]

The greatest identifying quality of any exceptional Chems album is consistency.

Yes! And at the same time, keep your music fresh, and set the creative bar higher than the last album.

Damn! How are they gonna top this album? Chemical 10 will be a challenge!

[UltimatePelmeni]

No Geography is so strong in this respect,

True. I've got a playlist where all the chemical songs are listed in order of release - album, then album b-sides, next album and so on. For example, i can sometimes start the listening from TPPR skipping all the other songs from DYOH, but with No Geography i just can't do this. May be it's because of fresh emotions of the release or something else, but i can't start it from Bango or any next song.

[𝒥𝑅𝒮𝒵]

Does anybody have and can pm me the fan thai or any other of the instrumentals/bonus tracks?

[SouthernBrother]

Can anyone confirm this?

https://oncewasanote.com/2019/04/14/april-14-2019-the-chemical-brothers-no-geography/

[Wolkenkrabber]

Bango's bongos may not be from the Bongo Band's Apache as suggested in a review. I think they're from J.J. Johnson's Willie Chase.
Of course bango's bongos start most clearly at the end of Eve of Destruction...
Anyway, judge for yourself.

J.J. Johnson - Willie Chase

[WhiteNoise]

Can anyone confirm this?

Sides A.B and E play at 45 RPM
Sides C,D and F are 33 1/3 RPM

bit strange

Would love to in person, but they haven't even shipped my copy out yet...

[neorev]

Does anybody have and can pm me the fan thai or any other of the instrumentals/bonus tracks?

+1 on Japan and deluxe bonus tracks in WAV/FLAC. Maybe I have something interesting I can trade for your help. 

[Biff]

Only 6 more days until my preorder from Astralwerks arrives!😶🎉

[Csar]

Alright, so I know both Csar and you did your best not to listen to any of the material before album drop. Were you able to do that successfully (you too Csar)? And if so, good on you guys, I wish I had that discipline.

Ha, oh well, I wasn't as abstemious as I wanted to be. It was so tempting, really, I had to at least check out those 15 seconds promo clips and I was of course accidentially exposed to EOD, GTTKO, FY and WGTT through their DJ mixes and live sets (some of which I edited). But when they uploaded that Free Yourself breakbeat clip which I could not stop listening to, I finally caved in and re-watched the Dom&Nic video with sound on. So there you have it, I sinned!

However, up until that moment, it was quite a bizarre thing to deliberately not listen to any new material. Like when they were broadcasting live sets in 2018, I muted the volume whenever an unknown track popped up (of course sneak peeking here and there and then quickly muting again, you know, just to check whether it's over yet ). But overall I must say it was all worth it. Not to really know what to expect and being spoiled as much is such a great experience, especially given todays marketing strategy of excessivley releasing singles before the album's official release. I mean, half the album was already out there so I reckon that would have taken away some of the excitement and fun of exploration.

If we're lucky enough to get yet another album from them, I'll try my best to avoid listening to any new material in advance altogether.

[Csar]

Bango's bongos may not be from the Bongo Band's Apache as suggested in a review. I think they're from J.J. Johnson's Willie Chase.
Of course bango's bongos start most clearly at the end of Eve of Destruction...
Anyway, judge for yourself.

J.J. Johnson - Willie Chase

Sounds very close but the bongos there have some sort of triplets/ drum rolls which Bango doesn't. I'd say it could very well be the source of inspiration because the booklet states that the guys from replayheaven played the additional drums. Anyways, great find!

[hubie]

^ There are no known plans to separately release EBW12 digitally (they didn't with EBW11).
As for the instrumentals that come with the triple vinyl as downloads...
Different nationalities on the forum were given different info about what bonus instrumental tracks they would get.

I see Ben_J (France) has been redeeming his bonus tracks today. I'll be interested to see if people in other countries get the same bonus tracks that Ben did. At some point in the next few days/weeks perhaps people on the forum can pool their knowledge/results?
Again Hubie, there are no known plans to release these separately. I guess they're meant to be a reward for spending big bucks on the vinyl.

BITE had not one but two different Japanese CD releases. Those of us who bought the first one (me) may have been a bit miffed when they later released a second version with even more bonus tracks. Who knows what they'll do? But I suspect these tracks will end up on the internet sooner or later. 

Ps Is it really 40 quid? I'm seeing £17.20 + postage on CD Japan.

Cool that's all helpful thanks dude.

Yeah I can't remember where I found it for £40 (incl. postage to UK), might've been Japanese HMV, I'm not sure. I'll check CD Japan again, I don't think it was in stock last I checked.

What's BITE? Google's not telling me much 

[Mumbo]

What's BITE? Google's not telling me much 

Born
In
The
Echoes