THE DIRTCHAMBER SESSIONS VOLUME ONE is a continuous in-the-mix recording compiled and mixed by Liam Howlett.

As though he wasn't the feature player on each of the three Prodigy albums preceding it, The Dirtchamber Sessions presents Liam Howlett in a solo setting. But here, instead of showing off his production wizardry, his long history as a DJ and mixing abilities are on display. They're proved more than up to the task, as Howlett plays mix and match with over 50 records from his hip-hop and funk past. While the Chemical Brothers' mix album (released the year before) showcased the duo digging deep in their record crates for a set of soul chestnuts and rare finds, Howlett's selection and feel for the flow of a mix is superior. Including tracks by the JB's, Herbie Hancock, the 45 King, L.L. Cool J, the Sex Pistols, and Jane's Addiction, Howlett chooses grooves familiar to all and improvises around them (as any old-school DJ would think obvious) instead of mixing between two tracks few have ever heard. The result is an enlightening, practically flawless mix album. ~ John Bush

Prodigy put its name on the map by adding pop song structures and punk attitude to electronica--Underworld with a chip on its shoulder, or the Chemical Brothers with an in-house vocalist. That's why THE DIRTCHAMBER SESSIONS comes as such a surprise. Like the Chemical Brothers (who are extensively sampled here), who followed the songful DIG YOUR OWN HOLE with a DJ album, Prodigy doesn't attempt to capitalize on their previous pop breakthrough here.

Instead of hard-edged electronic pop tunes, the group focuses on the turntable and sampler. As the album's painstakingly detailed sample credits make clear, DIRTCHAMBER SESSIONS is more DJ-oriented than anything else in Prodigy's catalog. Interestingly enough, the reliance on alternative (mostly hip-hop-oriented) sound sources reduces Prodigy's notorious arrogance factor, making DIRTCHAMBER accessible even to those put off by the group's previous attitudinal excesses.

Alternative Press (10/00, p.120) - Included in AP's "10 Essential DJ-Mix Albums" - "...Dark, raw and furious..."

Muzik (1/00, p.84) - Ranked #9 in Muzik's "Compilations Of The Year '99" - "...as this glorious mash of styles signifies, [Liam Howlett] knows a thing or two about pop music....The track sequencing is equally inspiring..."