This topic is lockedThe beats that rock the Chemical Brothers' blocks off
Every week, The Playlist asks a musician to put together - you'll never guess - a playlist. This week, Tom Rowlands, the curly-haired Chemical, talks about ten tracks that influenced the Brothers' upcoming album, We Are the Night. Plus: Stream the video for the group's new single, Do It Again, and listen to an exclusive remix
Monday June 18, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
The Chemical Brothers
Tom Rowlands, left, of the Chemical Brothers recommend that you listen to J Dilla, David Bowie and Nina Nastasia. Photograph: Martin Godwin/Guardian
The Matter (Of Our Discussion), Boom Bip & Nina Nastasia, from the album Blue Eyed In the Red Room
Nina Nastasia has the most beautiful voice that I had never heard. The words are amazing too: "I don't believe in power of love. I don't believe in wisdom of stone. I don't believe in a God or a mind. And I'm not alone." It's accompanied by this great, swirling sound bed. I'm addicted to this one! Buy the track on iTunes.
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You May Be Blue, Vetiver, from the album To Find Me Gone
Something about the heavy kick drum and the menacing words makes this one perfect for late-night country driving for me. Buy this track on iTunes.
Gravity Grave, The Verve, from the album This Is Music: The Singles 92-98
I've always been a big Verve fan but this single stands out. They really make use of the psychedelic aspect, so it sounds likes this groovy mass of music. Buy this track on iTunes
Stand Together, Beastie Boys, from the album Check Your Head
I'm a huge Beastie Boys fan so I'd be hard picked to choose my favourite. But, if forced, Stand Together would be the stand-out track on this album, which is also one of my favourites of all time. I think it's the sound of chickens arguing at the start that does it. Genius. Buy this track on iTunes.
Ceremony, New Order, from the album International - The Best of New Order
The song is made for me in the opening few seconds. It never fails to send shivers down my spine. Buy the track on iTunes
The Factory, J Dilla, from the album Donuts
Detroit MC and producer J Dilla was really one of the finest hip-hop producers around. It's a terrible shame that Donuts was to be his last album. (He died in February last year.) The Factory is just proper, wonky hip-hop. I happen to think the groove will send you into a delirium. Well, hopefully... Buy the track on iTunes.
A New Career In A New Town, David Bowie, from the album All Saints (Collected Instrumentals 1977-1999)
It has a very futuristic sound, but it's very of its time. I think it's about him moving to America, and in a way it's full of possibility. Possibililty, and synthesizers! Buy the track on iTunes.
Atlas, Battles, from the Atlas EP
It's just thrusting, spinning, exciting music with strange singing in it. When I heard it, I thought: "Count me in." Buy the track on iTunes.
Lazyitis, Happy Mondays, from the album Bummer
Typical of the Mondays, Lazyitis has a wonderful, ramshackle groove and then, of course, there's Shaun Ryder's voice. Much copied, never matched. Buy the track on iTunes.
Relevee, Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom, from the album The Days Of Mars
These two are signed to DFA and all their stuff is great, but this track in particular makes for great indoor trance-a-thon music. All welcome! Buy the track on iTunes.
ยท Plus: Download an exclusive version of the new Chemical Brothers single, Do It Again, in association with Guardian Unlimited featuring the Oliver Huntemann Dub version, which is unavailable anywhere else.
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