The Dirtchamber Sessions Volume 1 is Prodigy's newest release album (released on February 22nd of this year). The album which is supposed to be a DJ mix album has been described by a Prodigy newsletter as "a densely-packed fifty-minute trip through the sounds that have influenced Liam's music, taking in raw hip-hop, edgy rock and a fine selection of prime old-school beats."

Why the name Dirtchamber? If you have seen the "Smack My Bitch Up" video you would probably have noticed the girl at the beginning of the video put a CD into the "Dirtchamber". Keen Prodigy fans would know that one of Liam's few works in 1998 was the "Dirtchamber Remix of Diesel Power" and those of you who have seen the soundtrack album of the movie "Spawn" may have realised that part of "One Man Army" was made in the "Dirtchamber". Well what is the "Dirtchamber"? It is Liam's studio. Part of One Man Army was created outside of Liam's studio by guitarist Tom Morello of "Rage Against The Machine".

The Dirtchamber album is quite a mystery. For one, I first heard of the Dirtchamber on a fan Prodigy site some months ago and the official Prodigy site apparently is now being updated to bear information on the Dirtchamber. Secondly, Liam Howlett said that the "Fat Of The Land" would probably have been the group's last album and now here's the Dirtchamber. The Dirtchamber consists of over 50 tracks consisting of eight segments (see tracklisting).

The CD package contains an eight-page booklet, with the tracklisting and copyright publishing credits, stored inside the gatefold. The Dirtchamber CD cannot be removed from its case in the usual manner. The CD itself is planted on a press-button mechanism. You can't pick the CD out by 'normal' means - you have to keep the button depressed to get the CD!

From all the reviews that I've seen the Dirtchamber seems to be a very impressive DJ mix album but I don't see it being Prodigy's best album.

For further information on the Dirtchamber Sessions Volume 1 album see the reviews below.