ex:el

ex:el

by 808 State
ex:el

ex:el

by 808 State

Vinyl LP(Long Playing Record - Special Edition / Colored Vinyl)

$69.99 
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Overview

Capturing 808 State at their absolute best, none of their subsequent albums quite matched Ex:El's perfect blend of art, mass appeal, and zeitgeist (one of the most common vocal samples in techno, Willy Wonka's "We are the music makers," made its first major appearance here). A major change here from past releases is the increasing variety and power of the State's percussion: beats are heavier and more staggered, embracing earlier flirtations with hip-hop and industrial music with even greater success, as heard on heavy duty groovers like "Leo, Leo." A sign of how influential Ex:El ended up being can be seen in how one of the commonest cliches of U.K. techno albums -- the guest appearance of a noted indie/alternative rocker on a track or two -- got its start from the cameo vocals here. Fellow Mancunian dance pioneer Bernard Sumner of New Order sings one of his patented gentle ruminations over "Spanish Heart," a nice piano-led number with a solid backbeat. Meanwhile, even more notably, the Sugarcubes' Bjoerk lends her swooping singing to the lower-key but still active "Qmart" and the dramatic, flamenco-tinged "Ooops," establishing a partnership with the State's Graham Massey that would result in his working on many of her solo projects. Add to all this two of the best techno singles from the early '90s -- "In Yer Face," a subtly politicized anti-American slammer, and the almighty "Cubik" (in America replaced by an astonishing remix of the same song, the original having appeared on Utd. State 90) -- and Ex:El stands out all the more strongly. A true masterpiece. ~ Ned Raggett

Product Details

Release Date: 10/20/2023
Label: Umr / Universal
UPC: 0602455887030

Album Credits

Performance Credits

808 State   Primary Artist
Bernard Sumner   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Bjoerk   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Bjoerk Gudjmundsdottir   Vocals

Technical Credits

Andy Barker   Composer,Producer,Musical Producer
Bjoerk Gudjmundsdottir   Composer
Andrew Barker   Composer
Graham Massey   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Musical Producer
Michael Haas   Engineer
Bernard Sumner   Composer,Lyricist
Bjoerk   Composer,Lyricist
808 State   Group,Composer,Producer
Darren Partington   Composer,Producer,Musical Producer
Martin Price   Composer,Producer,Musical Producer
Aaron Chabraverty   Mastering
Darrin Tidsey   Engineer
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