Search - 808 State :: Ex:El

Somewhat dated but still a fun listen

filterite | Dublin, Ireland | 04/02/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Released in 1991 at the height of the rave culture in the UK you can see that this CD has dated somewhat in terms of sound. The analogue synths sounding almost quaint today. But having said that it's still a fun listen to mainly for the singles In Yer Face and Cubik. But there's a lot of hidden gems in here - this is somewhat Bjork's debut outside of The Sugarcubes. And the two tracks are a bit mixed. In QMart she just does a lot of growling and I don't know whether she's making up nonsensical sounds or if she's singing in her native Icelandic language. Either way it's a little bit irritating or idiosyncratic depending on what your view is. Ooops, however is a different story. Everything is beautiful: the arrangements and Bjork's singing combined make a surprisingly effective and affecting song. Again I can't catch the lyrics completely but I do know they're being sung in English. Bernard Sumner also makes an appearance ( it wouldn't be the last time he collaborated with techno acts ) and it's a nice song. The rest however such as Nephatiti, Lambrusco Cowboy, Techno Bell and Olympic are as equal to the rest of the tracks. In short while the production values may leave this a somewhat dated but it can still pack an effective punch."

This album is sheer genius!!!

_Griphin_ | Victoria, BC Canada | 05/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Not bad for an album that was composed on an Atari ST back when there were no MP3 or computer music the way we have it now, 808 State plain rock, and this album is well worth adding to your collection!!!"