Review: The Prodigy – ‘The Day Is My Enemy’


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The shape of electronic music has shifted and evolved over the course of the Prodigy’s twenty-five year existence, but few groups have had a larger impact on the genre and culture itself.

Initially born out of the late-80s rave scene the Prodigy, along with fellow British acts Fatboy Slim and The Chemical Brothers, pioneered the Big Beat explosion which bombarded the mainstream in the mid-late 90s.

Fearless in musical direction by combining elements of punk and break beat, the group has pushed the boundaries of what exactly defines electronic music. Six years after their last release, Liam Howlett and company return with their ferocious sixth album ‘The Day Is My Enemy‘, re-establishing the group’s place as one of the most hard-hitting bands in all of music.

The title track’s booming and cackling militant drum opening sets the tone for the rest of the album. Guest vocalist Martina Topley-Bird gives the song a seductive pull that expertly leads into a raging glitched-out chorus. The big beat influence remains relevant within the structure and rhythm of the song, but there are modern textures scattering around the battlefield, it is without a doubt an album highlight.

The first single ‘Nasty’ is led by Keith Flint’s aggressive vocal but it is the Asian-tinged hook that melodically draws in the listener. The later half of the track features a backwards breakdown which eventually bursts into a final explosion. On ‘Rebel Radio’, meanwhile, the beats punch and the synths slice, all before building into a thumping chorus that is sure to be a live standout.

The spastic ‘Ibiza’ is a collaboration with fellow genre benders Sleaford Mods. Few groups can match the Prodigy’s aggression within their sound and ethos, but the Nottingham duo provide a perfect sparring partner. Lyrically, the track is a satirical depiction of the ‘modern’ DJ. “What’s he fucking doing?” Jason Williamson shouts half humorously, half frustratingly. ‘Wild Frontier’ and ‘Destroy’ are two prototypical songs from the group, but the latter is a club banger that combines 90s-era synths with modern cascading sounds. The final sequence of the song features a breakdown that is more akin to Led Zeppelin than it is to Skrillex.

The cinematic ‘Beyond The Death Ray’ provides a much-needed breather within the middle of album. With no hard-hitting beats, the song’s synths serve as a prelude, building anticipation for the next track. ‘Rhythm Bomb’ features UK dubstep super producer Flux Pavillion – and it is an absolute rave rage. The rapid-fire beats burst out with a blistering ferocity, and when combined with the catchy pitched up vocal melody the track instantly becomes a dance anthem. ‘Roadblox’ is a blur of a track with heavy drum and bass influences, and ‘Invisible Sun’ is wobbling and steady, giving the listener one last breather before the album’s fiercest track, ‘Wall Of Death’.

Since the Prodigy’s last release, EDM has become the latest trend in electronic music, and each year it seems to steadily grow in terms of mainstream popularity and influence. In the context of electronic music in 2015, the Prodigy are veterans who approach the genre with a completely different view; on ‘Ibiza’ they attack the lazy DJ culture that has gained popularity over the past half decade.

For a quarter of a century the Prodigy have made massive leaps for electronic music and they’ve sold over twenty-five million albums. They are a rare musical act that has gained popularity but never lost their musical drive. There’s a sense of frustration throughout ‘The Day Is My Enemy’ which is targeted towards rebelling against popular (electronic) music. “I’m not here to be sterilized,” the group states on ‘Wall Of Death’.



More than two decades into their career, the Prodigy sound just as dirty, dangerous and fierce as they did in their prime.

(Trey Tyler)


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