The Chemical Brothers are the gods of electronic music. 

Incredibly, their drawing-power continues to go from strength-to-strength, epitomised by the rapturous crowds that have been in attendance at their shows at most major music festivals across the UK this summer (and unlike the British summer, the Chemical Brothers have been on fire). Their music performances at festivals have even been topped by their accompanying light shows.

So how can the highs of seeing the Chemical Brothers perform a live show ever be matched by playing one of their albums? It probably can't.  However, the new release ‘Brotherhood’ may get you halfway there.  The album is the first ‘best of’ by the music act since ‘Singles 93–03’and would particularly appeal to any first-time fan.

The album begins irresistibly with ‘Galvanize’, before the more commercial ‘Hey Boy Hey Girl’ and ‘Block Rockin' Beats’ kick in.  It is ‘Block Rockin' Beats’ that gives me that "I-remember-where-I-was-when-I-first-heard-this-song" moment, projecting me metaphorically back onto some sweaty dance floor of my latter youth.  There are no songs on the album that are tiresome and some of the latter tracks such as the manic and timeless ‘Out Of Control’, the striking ‘The Golden Path’ and forever catchy ‘Setting Sun’, showcase the eclectic variety of dance music that has been the feature of the Chemical Brothers’ career.  The inclusion of ‘Let Forever Be’ is ironic considering that it features the vocals of Noel Gallagher who recently famously slated the hip-hop star Jay-Z for not being a ‘true’ musician.  Does that make ‘Let Forever Be’ a song that would have assumed grand status but for its electronic overtones in Gallagher's mind?

It is clear that the Chemical Brothers have drawn inspiration from a multitude of different bands and such is the diversity of the sounds on the album, you often wonder whether you're listening to the same band.  That, for me, is the mark of a talented band and reason enough to purchase this greatest-hits album from the band who have always been ahead of the rest of the electronic music pack.

9/10