The Chemical Brothers are back and, unlike some of their contemporaries, they refuse to fade away. On Push the Button, the Chemical Brothers’ Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons enlist a interesting set of collaborators, giving the album a variety of sounds without sounding fragmented.

Push the Button is the CB’s fifth studio album, and it’s a nicely crafted, mature work of pop electronica. There’s nothing on the album that’s too surprising or edgy, but it’s full of well-crafted, stylish work.

The CD is strong overall, full of the big beats and trippy effects that have made the Chemical Brothers one of the top electronica acts.

It kicks off with Galvanize. The Brothers are joined by A Tribe Called Quest guest rapper Q-Tip. The track mixes a Bhangra-style violin sample with big beats. Hold Tight London is a hypnotic track with female vocals that shows off the Brothers melodic style.

Come Inside sexes things up a bit. It’s a big-beat track overlayed with a female/vocoded vocalist asking “Would you like to come inside?”

Shake Break Bounce is short but sweet. It’s built around a flamenco guitar sample. Once the Chemical Brothers get done with it, it sounds a bit like Fatboy Slim running Ottmar Liebert through a blender. Video game noises bounce between the speakers, and the whole thing starts an stops on a dime.

Push the Button is a good album – probably as good as anything that the Chemical Brothers has ever done. After several disappointing albums recently from 90’s electronica artists, this CD is a welcome changes. Push the Button is an album that should keep Chemical Brothers fans happy, and win them some new ones.

Tracks:

• Galvanize
• The Boxer
• Believe
• Hold Tight London
• Come Inside
• The Big Jump
• Left Right
• Close Your Eyes
• Shake Bounce Break
• Marvo Ging
• Surface To Air