On the Record: The Chemical Brothers

Artist : The Chemical Brothers
Album : Push the Button (EMI)

It was once said that electronic music was the future of rock 'n' roll, and bands like Sneaker Pimps, Prodigy and fatboy slim were the genre's stars. Now, the bubble has burst, the revelation proven wrong, and such bands were once again relegated to the sidelines.

The Chemical Brothers is one among a few groups that survived the fall and remains the genre's last hope. Their signature hit Block Rockin' Beats from Dig Your Own Hole (1997) rocks so hard, it has become an anthem for clubs and discos.

The band's latest release, Push the Button, carries on the tradition of painting a sonic collage extracted from music machines with vocals borrowed from hot hip-hop stars (Q-Tip lends his vocals in the opening track, Galvanize).

Another track that stands out is the anti-war cry Left Right, in which rapper Anwar Superstar name-checks Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and Idi Amien.

And to add poetic talent, their rhyming lyrics are as urgent as the monster beat. -- M. Taufiqurrahman