Causing A Reaction: Top Ten Chemical Brothers Songs

By Seb Gorlov

Over the last thirty-one years, The Chemical Brothers have been one of dance music’s most influential artists. They had to adopt the name in 1995, three years after their initial formation, when a change from their original name of the Dust Brothers was required so as to avoid legal issues from a duo with the same name.

Despite the change of name, the duo – consisting of university friends Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands – have become famous for their genre-defying work, club-ready beats, outstanding live shows and commitment to making music to delight fans of all ages.

“Hence The Chemical Brothers’ universality. Their music has proven to be timeless – appealing to older, long-term fans, while continuing to enlist each new generation. Age is irrelevant, as is the depth of one’s fandom. From the hardcore fan to the casual, such is the spectacle of The Chemical Brothers’ live show that it is magical with or without the context of knowing each song.” (Winter, NME, 10/13/23).

They are truly one of the greatest to ever grace the industry. With that in mind, here’s a run through of the top ten Chemical Brothers tracks and what makes them so wonderful.

 

10) “Got To Keep On” (No Geography)

“Got To Keep On” is a standout on the duo’s 2019 album No Geography. The track really emulates the rave style electronica that the Chemical Brothers are masters of crafting, with a synth-laden background beat, handclaps in between the chorus line of “ Gotta keep on making me high”, which is sung in a style similar to Daft Punk’s classic “Around The World”

The song may have simplicity in its lyricism, but the background acoustics are a maelstrom of sound effects, from synth patterns, to the cheering of crowds and even the ringing of bells. On top of this, there’s a fantastic line that samples Rod McKuen’s 1958 classic poem “The Sounds of Day”.

“And the rain comes down/ Like tears, like tears” (“Got To Keep On”, No Geography, The Chemical Brothers).

The song won the band a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording and was a standout in their 2019 Glastonbury Festival setlist, with the instrumental being used in the intro for the BBC coverage of the festival that year.

(9) “Hold Tight London” (Push The Button)

With an introductory beat fusing staccato guitar rhythms, drum beats and a synthesiser together before angelic vocals take centre stage, “Hold Tight London” is a solid addition to Push The Button. It may not be the most popular album but still highlights the band’s approach to making creative music.

It also won The Chemical Brothers a Grammy Award in 2006, where the record was hailed as the Best Electronic/Dance Album, beating the likes of Daft Punk and LCD Soundsystem. It’s an award they’ve been familiar with, winning in 2008 with We Are The Night and 2019 with No Geography.

The song is boosted by those aforementioned vocals, which are down to Anna-Lynne Williams, a singer who goes by the stage name of Lotte Kestner and formerly worked with the group Trespassers William, from 1997 until their disbandment in 2012, although she started her solo career in 2007.

Williams is also known for her work within other forms of media – her  cover of the famous New Order song “True Faith” was subsequently used on the soundtrack to the video game The Last Of Us, also featuring on the television show of the same name.

 

(8) “Music:Response” (Surrender)

“Music:Response” is the opening track on the duo’s 1999 album Surrender, a record that was instantly popular, finishing in pole position on both the Scottish Albums Chart and the UK Albums Chart, even going on to have a resurgence in 2019, where it finished in the end of year UK Dance Albums Chart in second place.

The track is powered by synthesisers, with robotic vocals and a sample of the classic RnB tune “ Make It Hot” by Nicole Wray and Missy Elliott, adding dynamism to the song.

“ Music response/ Music that triggers some kind of response” (“Music:Response”, Surrender, The Chemical Brothers).

Thematically this song is very strong too. The repetition in the chorus sets the tone for the album and is a good advertisement for the duo’s music itself – over the years they have become not only pioneers of electronic music, but they make tunes that can evoke strong emotions in their listeners, such as their upbeat song “Go” from 2015 album Born In The Echoes and “Let Forever Be”, which is possibly the standout track on Surrender.

 

(7) “Star Guitar” (Come With Us)

“Star Guitar” reached number one on the UK Dance Chart and it’s not hard to see why. The track is an elegant, ethereal masterpiece which even has a similar style to the David Bowie song “Starman” – Bowie was a big fan of the duo’s work and similarly was a huge inspiration for them.

It is the fourth track on the 2002 album Come With Us. Even though the lyricism is simplistic, repeating the same two lines throughout, the catchy drum beats and synth tones add flair to the calming background acoustics,

Simons and Rowlands recruited the singer Beverly Skeete to provide vocals and when her singing is combined with the duo’s melodies, the sound that is created is similar to that of a late-night club scene when things are winding down, especially with the repetition of the same line and the multitude of different rhythms.

“ You should feel what I feel/ You should take what I take” (“Star Guitar”, Come With Us, The Chemical Brothers).

The serene yet creative music video was directed by Michel Gondry. Gondry is a famous French filmmaker, known for directing the 2004 award-winning classic Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and working with other high profile artists as well as The Chemical Brothers, including Bjork, Radiohead and The White Stripes.

 

(6) “All Rights Reversed” (We Are The Night)

The vocals on this underrated gem from the duo’s 2007 album We Are The Night might sound familiar for fans of British 00s indie rock. They were provided by James Righton and Jamie Reynolds, members of the famous former band Klaxons (of which Reynolds was the frontman) and Devonte Hynes ( formerly known and credited on this song as Lightspeed Champion).

Hynes currently performs under the moniker Blood Orange, famous for the trending song “Champagne Coast” and his vocals shine through here too amidst the intense rock-style beat

“All Rights Reversed” stands out on the album for its creative and unique approach to electronica. The Chemical Brothers are not afraid to experiment with their sound and this is something reiterated by the usage of drumbeats and guitars alongside the futuristic dance elements.

We Are The Night didn’t just win the band a Grammy Award but was also their fifth consecutive number one album, which is testament to the hard work and dedication the group put into what they do. It also went gold in sales in the UK.

 

(5) “Hey Boy Hey Girl” (Surrender)

“Hey Boy Hey Girl” is an instant classic and a powerful addition to Surrender. The track – like many works from the Chemical Brothers – proves that sometimes simple lyricism works best.

Taking its one repeated line from a 1984 rap song by Rock Master Scott and The Dynamic Three and building a club-style beat around it is a trick that The Chemical Brothers mastered.

“ Hey girls/ Hey boys/ Superstar DJ’s/ Here we go” (“Hey Boy Hey Girl”, Surrender, The Chemical Brothers).

Doing so was a decision that paid dividends. Not only did it culminate in a tune which is catchy and fun, making the listener feel as if they were in an underground rave, but it also gave the duo a lot of chart success. The song was in the chart for ten weeks running in the UK, coming in at third on the UK Singles Chart and first on the UK Dance Chart.

The track was released at the perfect time given the history of EDM and rave culture and where it was at the time. Over in France, other big industry names like Daft Punk were making their mark and The Chemical Brothers were beginning to follow the same trend.

“Released in 1999 as part of The Chemical Brothers’ album “Surrender,” “Hey Boy, Hey Girl” was an electrifying anthem that transcended the boundaries of electronic music. Its pulsating beats, infectious hook, and catchy vocal samples created an immediate and lasting impact. The track became an anthem of dance floors worldwide, uniting ravers and clubgoers under its hypnotic rhythm.” (Dov, WeRaveYou, 09/21/23).

 

(4) “Let Forever Be” (Surrender)

“Let Forever Be” is one of the most creative and scintillating songs on Surrender. It features vocals from Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher, adding a Britpop-infused twist to proceedings. The blending of electronic and rock music culminates in a record that is sonically fantastic.

Thematically, the song is fantastic too, with a clever juxtaposition between happiness and vulnerability in the beautiful lyricism. This is testament to Gallagher’s ability as a singer and songwriter- he was responsible for co-writing “Let Forever Be”. He also co-wrote the track “Setting Sun” from Dig Your Own Hole. 

The song’s themes include the shift from being happy to being down and vulnerable, exploring how the two major human emotions can contrast amidst a synth-fuelled background beat.

“And how does it feel like/ To let forever be/ And how does it feel like/ To spend a little lifetime sitting in the gutter/ Scream a little symphony” (“Let Forever Be”, Surrender, The Chemical Brothers).

The song was recorded at the famous Orinoco Studios, which has since merged with other recording studios to create a group called Miloco Studios. Over the years, many famous artists have worked with this brand, including Foals, Spiritualized, Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys. The mixing for the famous 2008 Slipknot album All Hope Is Gone was done by Miloco Studios.

 

(3) “Block Rockin’ Beats” (Dig Your Own Hole)

“Block Rockin’ Beats” starts off with an eerie synth sample before descending quickly into a frenzied pattern of guitar riffs which powers the song. The track is slightly different to others in their discography in the sense that there were no guest vocalists for this song, credited or otherwise.

The catchy singular line, “Back with another one of those block rockin’ beats” is taken from one sample, a 1989 rap record by the artist Schoolly D called “Gucci Again”. Sonically, the song is one of their best. Alongside the chaos of frenzied guitar riffs, synth noises and a pounding drum beat which gives it the feel of a rock tune.

“Big beat, a frenetic mishmash of breakbeats, techno, hip-hop samples and rock guitars, was the sound of late-’90s rave culture, and no track better encapsulated its manic appeal than the opening track from The Chemical Brothers’ era-defining second album, Dig Your Own Hole.” (Hermann, LA Weekly, 20/11/15)

The song earned the group another Grammy Award, this time for Best Rock Instrumental. “Block Rockin’ Beats” also made its mark on popular culture when it was featured in the soundtrack for the movie Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle in 2003.

 

(2) “Go” (Born In The Echoes)

“Go” is another prime example of how The Chemical Brothers can craft songs with multiple sonic elements and make them unforgettable. It’s an empowering tune about always finding that extra edge to do your best when you feel out of control or powerless.

“ (Oh) no time to rest/ Just do your best/ What you hear is not a test/ We’re only here to make you/ We’re only here to make you/ We’re only here to make you go” (“Go”, Born In The Echoes, The Chemical Brothers, Q-Tip).

The song, which features on the duo’s 2015 album Born In The Echoes has suddenly become extremely popular, mainly due to its usage in pop culture. When it was released it charted in fourty-sixth, but since featuring in the relatively new drama film Apex, it has climbed up the charts and ended up in fourth on the UK Singles Chart as well as earning the band a number one on the UK Dance Chart. It was also one of the standout performances when the band headlined Glastonbury Festival in 2019.

Vocals are provided by rapper Q-Tip, an industry legend who has worked with a plethora of other rap stars such as Nas, Eminem, Busta Rhymes and Mos Def, and worked with The Chemical Brothers on their major hit “Galvanize”. Q-Tip was also part of the famous New York City group A Tribe Called Quest, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he has provided guest vocals for the fantastic track “Meltdown”, which features on the soundtrack of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One.

 

(1) “Galvanize” (Push The Button)

Released at the beginning of 2005, the fifth Chemical Brothers album Push The Button starts off incredibly strongly with “Galvanize”, a song that ended up finishing in third on the UK Single Chart and which has been certified platinum in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The song is sonically majestic and this is helped by the fantastic strings melody – a sample from a 1992 single by Moroccan artist Najat Aatabou, who specialized in folk music. The string melody powers the song further and keeps listeners hooked. With Q-Tip’s flowing rap lines and the multitude of other elements, this epic ballad – which clocks in at just over six and a half minutes – truly stands out in the duo’s discography.

The song delves into themes of self-discovery and doing what feels right for you, not letting other people have control over your decisions, living life freely and to the fullest. The word “galvanize” also refers to when people are so excited about or engaged with something they decide to take action”. The track’s lyricism reflects this idea exceptionally.

“(Don’t hold back) And you shouldn’t even care/ Bout’ their noses in the air and the crooked stares/ Cause there’s a party over here/ So  you might as well be here where the people care” (“Galvanize”, Push The Button, The Chemical Brothers, Q-Tip).

The music video also does this, as it showcases a group of boys who make enemies with a group of older boys, go on the run, get involved in a dance battle in a club and eventually get arrested. Their actions in the video act as a metaphor for being galvanized – the main character puts on clown makeup and sneaks out of the house to hang out with his friends and have adventures, an indication he wanted more excitement in life and that he will do anything to experience it, no matter the consequences.