ex:el
ex:el is the third studio album by 808 State, released on 4 March 1991 by ZTT Records. Contrast to the band's previous works, the album features heavier catchy melody-line, beats and percussion, "embracing earlier flirtations with hip-hop and industrial music".[3]
ex:el | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 4 March 1991[1] | |||
Recorded | September – December 1990 at Revolution Studios | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 57:32 | |||
Label | ||||
808 State chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[4] |
Q | [2] |
Select | [2] |
Record Mirror | 8/10[2] |
The album also features the guest vocals of Bernard Sumner of Joy Division and New Order fame, who sings on "Spanish Heart". In addition, Björk sings on "Qmart" and "Ooops", and is credited with co-writing both.
It is considered to be the first major release to feature the sample from the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory of the phrase "we are the music makers", which became one of the most common vocal samples in electronic music.[5] It is also the first pop-oriented electronic-music album to feature guest vocals on a few tracks by important alternative rock artists, another thing that became commonplace on pop-oriented electronic-music albums.[3]
Original track listing
- "San Francisco" – 4:56
- "Spanish Heart" (featuring Bernard Sumner) – 3:51
- "Leo Leo" – 4:01
- "Qmart" (featuring Björk) – 4:58
- "Nephatiti" – 4:50
- "Lift" – 5:12
- "Ooops" (featuring Björk) – 4:41
- "Empire" – 4:20
- "In Yer Face" – 4:54
- "Cübik" – 3:44
- "Lambrusco Cowboy" – 4:05
- "Techno Bell" – 4:56
- "Olympic" – 4:21
2008 deluxe edition
In September 2008, ex:el was re-released as a 'deluxe edition', the original album remastered by Graham Massey, and Ian Peel and Graham Massey compiled a bonus disc of remixes and unreleased tracks which included:
- "In Yer Face – Facially Yours Remix" – 4:17
- "Olympic – Euro Bass Mix" – 5:44
- "Lift – Heavy Mix" – 4:42
- "Cubik – State to Pan Am Mix" – 4:29
- "Open Your Mind – Sound Garden Mix" – 4:28
- "Lambrusco Cowboy – Alt Mix" – 4:17
- "Ski Family" – 5:14
- "Ooops – Mellow Birds Mix" – 4:04
- "In Yer Face – Cheadle Royal Mix" – 3:26
- "Olympic – Unreleased Mix" – 4:55
Equipment used
Per the liner notes, the music equipment used in the production of the album included:
- Akai S1000
- Alesis HR-16
- Amek Mozart Desk & Software
- ARP Axxe
- Atari 1040ST running Hybrid Arts SMPTE Track
- Crumar Bit 99, Crumar Bit One
- Casio FZ1
- Casio MIDI Guitar
- Gibson Les Paul Deluxe
- Ibanez Acoustic Six String
- Korg M1
- Kurzweil Module
- Moog Midimoog
- Moog Minimoog
- Pearl Drums Syncussion
- E-mu Proteus XR
- Roland Juno-106
- Roland JX-8P
- Roland TR-909
- Roland R-8
- Roland SH-09
- Roland SH-101
- Roland MKS-80 Super Jupiter
- Roland TB-303
- Technics SL-1200
- Waldorf Microwave
- Yamaha CS30
- Yamaha SY77
References