10 Years Old and Still Cutting Edge
This album is truly a masterpiece album, and will always resonate as one of the most beautiful and creative electronic pieces EVER. Don't think about it. DOWNLOAD IT!
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They ditched "noise" for "art"
I first stumbled across old Art of Noise albums ("Who's Afraid?" and "In No Sense? Nonsense?") when I started exploring electronic music in the 90s, so was very excited when this album came out - and so, so disappointed. There are things to enjoy, but it lacks the whimsy and randomness I associate with their old work and has a kind of bougie art-appreciation vibe that turned me off. This one left my collection a while ago.
GREAT - GREAT - GREAT
This is really a masterpiece (dare I say cutting edge?!?!) of the an album cd or whatever you want to call it. Truly. Great comments below by cool fellow Emusic'r's BTW. I really dig Born On A Sunday & Dreaming IN Colour but all in all the narrating voice is INCREDIBLE. A real gem. Enjoy
Thank you ZTT!!!!
Thank you ZTT for joining in the emusic cult! This album was missing from my collection. This is nothing short of mastery & command - what the Art of Noise exhibited from day one - but much much more intricate and delicate. This is easily my favorite AoN recording!!!
More High Art Than Noise
This album belongs in everyone's list. It's a fabulous use of electronic and ambient sound that creates a concept album that fills the air and stirs the thought. It is a triumph, a disc that elevates popular musical forms to new levels of sophistication.
One of the best in my collection
As a long time AON fan, I was thrilled when they re-formed briefly in '99 to put out this disc. It's pretty much unlike anything they did in the 80s, but it's a really incredible work in its own right. Anne Dudley's sparkling piano work and orchestral arrangements mixed with Trevor Horn's genius production work, along with provocative writing by Paul Morley and a group of breakbeat studio whizzes. This album is amazing.
At last
I was beginning to grow old and lonely - so much silence. Then the noise returned. It only got better when they stepped out of the shadows... and played this live... I am biased, the AON taught me to listen to music. And this is for those who knew them back then, and this is now. Yes this is arty, but that is to be expected. Hey! (I just got hold of And What Have You Done With My Body, God? It really took me back.) I am hoping for more... maybe next decade?
Well Blended
I love this album. I did not pick this album up with prior familiarity and expectations of the past. I listened to their older albums after and did not enjoy them as much. This is a more refined work from an artist that has matured years later rather than being rough that worked for the other reviewer. I've introduced this album to several of my friends in the Faculty of Music at the University of British Columbia and it has been a fast favourite. It brings out an excellent fusion blending of old (classical) and new (electronica/rap). It plays upon the classic Debussy pieces and seamlessly weaves and mixes new melodies with it. The technical and artistic complexity of mixing superceeds those that I have so far heard from Egnima. The artistry is more akin to Bach and his melodic lines that work well both on its own but create something greater when combine. Favourite tracks include: The Holy Egoism Of Genius and Dreaming in Color.
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This sounds to me much more like an Enigma album than what I'd expect from the Art of Noise or even an album influenced by Debussy. Part of what made Art of Noise work for me was that their approach to sampling was charmingly heavy-handed. 15-20 years later, the act of sampling simply wasn't as novel as it used to be. AON wound up trying to sand down those rough edges, weaving the samples more smoothly with their electronic music. Sadly that means it sounds like it could be anybody. For an Art of Noise record, check out "Daft". For something sampling Debussy, check out "Shenzhou" by Biosphere
