Vox Magazine

LONDON, Vodooo People Tour

• 1997

Tonight is nothing less than the full-on, frenzied chaos of a hardcore rave. And that's just how The Prodigy like it. Their albums may be uncompromising but live, their sound is twice as aggressive. Familiar snatches of former Top 20 singles slip seamlessly into a powerful hour of jungle, techno, trance, heavy house and hip-hop. A deep bass anchors every beat, while infectiously simple samples add the perfect pop touch. What sets the Prodigy's songs apart from cheap and cheesy rave, however, is their complexity and constant change. Unlike almost all electronic hardcore, the relentless, repetitive, speedy beats are never allowed to become monotonous. Liam is clearly in control, maintaining the engaging, hypnotic pace and incessantly progressing the sounds and samples to hold the audience's attention. The effect is pure paranoia, an all-encompassing confusion from which there seems no escape. The volume, recurring references to voodoo and sheer severity of the music combine to create an almost evil force. There is more black magic to The Prodigy than any death-metal band could muster.