Prodigy present: The Dirtchamber Sessions, Volume One

Arizona Daily Wildcat

A lot of artists working in music today are equally as talented at mixing as they are at creating their own sounds, especially those hailing from the electronic and hip-hop arenas.

Of course, the DJ mix is nothing new, with series like DJ Kicks putting out consistently good releases, but lately there have some pretty high profile mix CDs, including ones from the Chemical Brothers and Portishead's Andy Smith.

Now, Liam Howlett of the Prodigy hits us with what looks to be the mix album of the year. The diversity of sounds on The Dirtchamber Sessions alone make this CD a treat to listen to, mixing in everything from old school rap and funk to modern rock and electronica. An example: One track starts out with Bomb The Bass's "Bug Powder Dust," before slipping into a Grandmaster Flash tune, followed by the Charlatans, the Prodigy's "Poison," Jane's Addiction and finally Tim Dog with KRS One.

The mixes are seamless, the tempo is always upbeat, and, in showing us just where he's coming from in terms of influence, Howlett just increases the anticipation surrounding where he'll go next.

- doug levy