The Prodigy – What Evil Lurks

Listen to the bassline of What Evil Lurks and then carefully listen to the acidic bassline of Rubbernotes (Stretch Mix) on Kenny Larkin - We Shall Overcome. If anyone thinks those notes aren't extremely similar, then I give up.

I remember when a group of my mates and cousins used to think that the ''Breakdance'' vocoder chant said ''Space Man''. It was nearly impossible trying to convince a bunch of obstinate unappreciative non fans of all things 1980s electro, recent rave newbie know-it-alls that it was originally taken from West Street Mob's Break Dancin' Electric Boogie classic electro hip hop tune. ''Space Man'' suited their utopian, child-like fantasies I suppose.

We Gonna Rock. The spongey synth bassline was subsequently sampled by several other artists. Not keen on the chipmunked Run DMC samples I'm afraid. The same synths were used better on other artists' tunes, in my opinion, namely: Nebula II, DJ Phantasy or X-Static (the Production House one) amongst others.

My favourite tunes on this Prodigy debut are Android and Everybody In The Place. The breakdown on Android at two thirds in always sounded extra special blasted out of a 15-30k sound system. If I recall correctly, I wasn't that impressed when I first heard this on record or tape until I heard it at a warehouse party, then I understood.

But the original Everybody In The Place here is my favourite version. Played a fair bit on its initial release but hardly played later. When people mention this title, it is this version I always think of, not all the other remixes which either charted (Fairground Mix) or featured on albums (155 And Rising). To many it's way too simplistic but for me it's perfectly raw and to the bare essentials. Serious, heads down, illegal warehouse party breakbeat techno style and captures 1991 to the bone.

What a great EP. All bangers, ahead of its time for sure. Simpler in many ways to what the Prodigy would come out with later but I love it for that reason, and this first version of Everybody in the Place is tastefully understated compared to the later ones, so has a special place in my heart and record box. Worth every penny, and even the reissue sounds great.

Even at the back end of 1991 DJs where searching high and low for this one, changing hands in the clubs for £40-£50
I was lucky enough to have 2 copies at the time and swapped one for 6 other records !

i have one... 8709912
xl recording 1991
i hope that can help you....

my copy has a phone number of 870-7511 (same as on the press release). everything else looks as per description for this release.
the runouts are per variant 2 (not other releases, official or unoffical, have PAUL'S THE EXCHANGE).
i've added a pic of the label.
anyone know anything or also have this?
best prodigy release by far imho!

Today Keith Flint passed away. RIP to the original fire starter.

The syncopated bass line of What Evil Lurks is just amazing. Such a vital building block of The Prodigy's sound. Liam Howlett is a funk genius!

What Evil Lurks. Starts off well with the breakbeat and vocal sample but the bass line is annoying.
Android is an amazing stomper of a beat!
Everybody In The Place dancefloor killer.
We Gonna Rock! OMFG what a heavy track for 1991!

Was gutted when this got a reissue in 2004 and knocked about 500 quid off my original pressing's value. Was definitely the jewel in my prodigy collection back in the day when imho the Prodigy were still credible i.e. before all their current pop-punk nonsense.

Be careful when buying this because 'Hard to find' records booted it along with lots of others such as Expose - Tell me why & CeCe Rogers - Someday. I think the way to tell is the matrix in the run out wax starts with 'HTF' but the records themselves look identical