[1] Il Pleure (At The Turn Of The Century (Art of Noise ) - 8:02
[2] Born On A Sunday (Art of Noise ) - 4:40
[3] Dreaming In Colour (Art of Noise ) - 6:42
[4] On Being Blue (Art of Noise ) - 4:58
[5] Continued In Colour (Art of Noise ) - 1:19
[6] Rapt: In The Evening Air (Art of Noise ) - 4:21
[7] Metaforce (Art of Noise ) - 3:44
[8] The Holy Egoism Of Genius (Art of Noise ) - 7:56
[9] La Flute De Pan (Art of Noise ) - 2:45
[10] Metaphor On The Floor (Art of Noise ) - 2:06
[11] Approximate Mood Swing No. 2 (Art of Noise ) - 2:14
[12] Pause (Art of Noise ) - 2:29
[13] Out Of This World (Version 138) (Art of Noise ) - 5:27
Rakim - Vocals
Alejandro "Alex" Acuña - Percussion
Charles Baudelaire - Poetry
Sally Bradshaw - Bass, Drum Programming, Keyboards, Sampling, Singer, Vocals
Paulinho Da Costa - Percussion
Philippa Davies - Flute
DJ Sond - Turntables
Nikki Harris - Vocals
Earl Harvin - Drums
Henry Jackman - Drum Programming
Carol Kenyon - Drum Programming, Singer
Stewart Levine - Saxophone
Donna Lewis - Vocals
David McCracken - Drum Programming
Jamie Muhoberac - Bass, Keyboards, Sampling
Ramon Stagnaro - Guitar (Acoustic)
Dan Vickers - String Pads
Paul Waller - Drum Programming
Tim Weidner - Drum Programming
Dan Bierton - Assistant Engineer
Alex Black - Assistant Engineer
Sally Bradshaw - Programming
Debbie Caponetta - Production Coordination
Spencer Chrislu - Digital Editing
Ian Cooper - Mastering
Andre Coulam - Assistant Engineer
Matt Crawford - Assistant Engineer
Andy Davies - Assistant Engineer
Anne Dudley - Arranger
Roger Dudley - Engineer
Tom Elmhirst - Engineer
Justin Fraser - Technical Assistance
Andy Gallimore - Engineer
Henry Jackman - Producer, Programming
Carol Kenyon - Programming
Marc Lane - Assistant Engineer, Engineer
Richard Lowe - Engineer, Mixing
Stephen Marcussen - Mastering
Michael Perfitt - Engineer
Andy Richards - Programming
Don C. Tyler - Digital Editing
Dan Vickers - Assistant Engineer
Paul Waller - Programming
Tim Weidner - Digital Editing, Engineer, Mixing
Paul Wright - Engineer
Anne Dudley und Co. haben so lange mit einem neuen Album gewartet, bis
die alten Werke vergriffen waren. Wer sich jetzt "The Seduction ..."
kauft als Ersatz für "Invisible Silence", der wird sicherlich
enttäuscht sein - außer, er steht auch auf die Musik von
Claude Debussy. Dieser jüngste Streich ist nämlich als nicht
als Fortsetzung der experimentellen Rhythmen-Melodien-Melange aus den
80-ern zu verstehen, sondern als Hommage an einen der
größten Komponisten des 20 Jahrhunderts. Dazu hat sich
Dudley nach dem Ausscheiden von JJ Jeczalik passende Größen
wie Rapper Rakim, BBC-Sprecher John Hurt und die Opernstimme Sally
Bradshaw an Bord geholt. Und die helfen, die atmosphärischen,
pulsierenden, schwebenden und rockenden Stücke so zu
präsentieren, dass die Repeat-Taste bald zum Lieblingsfeature am
CD-Player wird. Das Thema wurde konsequent umgesetzt: Genauso
müssten Art Of Noise klingen, wenn Claude Debussy eines ihrer
Mitglieder wäre.
Seminal mid-'80s electro-pop players (their hit "Close to the Edit"
recently provided sample fodder for Prodigy's "Firestarter"), Trevor
Horn, Paul Morley, Anne Dudley, and new addition Lol Creme (of 10cc),
have regrouped as Art of Noise just in time to introduce
classical-jungle fusion to the world. Using revered composer Debussy's
melodic blueprint to build its elaborate, velvety drum & bass
compositions, the group manages to make what initially seems like a
dodgy idea sound somewhat viable, particularly on dreamy, atmospheric
tracks like "Out of This World." Vocal contributions come from Sally
Bradshaw, Donna Lewis, Rakim, and even actor John Hurt.
Aidin Vaziri, Amazon.com
An eccentric blending of innovative sound.
The Art Of Noise reaches into the mind of classical composer Claude
Debussy and extracts their vision of what most listeners will find to
be an eccentric blending of innovative sound.
This long awaited release has expanded the traditional ambient sound of
The Art Of Noise by introducing a diverse range of musical styles and
textures. Unique blends of opera, jazz, hard rock, opera and even rap,
make this extraordinary recording a must for the distinguished ambient
listener. Unlike many ambient artists, the Art Of Noise offers the
listener true melodic substance and does not leave you feeling like you
have just subjected yourself to an hours worth of experimental digital
sound effects.
For those who are expecting a 'new age remix' of Debussy's classical
style, you will find only vague musical similarities. The recording is
more an experimental visitation of creative expression with odd and
very inappropriate biographical undertones. The entire project has
scattered tidbits of narrated 'facts' that are sometimes surreal and
innovative, but more often annoying and repetitious. The use of
narration is interesting, but leaves you feeling as though you are
being read to from a music history book. Fortunately, these segments
are short and non-obtrusive and lead up to a layered blend of beautiful
ethereal passages of mystical sound.
This particular recording is not for everyone, but for those of us who
are musically connected with the spirituality of ambient sound, this
recording will bring you on an amazing journey.
thomasoo@gate.net from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, July 22, 1999
Today's major dance influences are hip-hop and drum & bass, not
disco and new wave, as when the Art of Noise's seminal Who's Afraid of
(The Art of Noise) (1984) made its initial impact. No problem, say
Trevor Horn, Paul Morley and Anne Dudley.
Composer Claude Debussy made the mundane beautiful with careful,
minimalist ornamentation (he is, as our narrator tells us on "Il Pleure
[At the Turn of the Century]," "considered not only the greatest French
composer who ever lived, he is considered the revolutionary who set
20th-century music on its way"), and his MO is cleverly folded into the
AoN's postmodern, profane aesthetic.
On "Born on a Sunday," backbeats break and fly about in studied chaos
before segueing remarkably smoothly into the sensual, jazzy flow of
"Dreaming in Color." The silky Impressionistic piano harmonic of "La
Flute de Pan" melts into "Out of the World (Version 138)," a minimalist
tribute to the heavens. "Rapt: In the Evening" softens the
machine-produced sounds with melodic colors; "Metaforce" conjures a
summertime of block parties and barbecues.
Despite the broad strokes of poetic beauty and hope on The Seduction of
Claude Debussy, a menace lurks, quiet and patient. The Art of Noise is
poised and ready.
This stands as a fitting tribute to one of the leading classical
composers of the 20th century, Claude Debussy. The Art Of Noise astound
with a rich array of sounds, colours and speech suitable for
widescreen. There is a huge variety of musical styles here, held
together often by short snatches of reflection on the French composer's
life. The overall impression is a picture as blue as the cover.
The whole work is loosely based on a sarabande from Debussy's piano
suite "Pour Le Piano," a versatile theme that works remarkably well
when set to a flitting drum-and-bass beat, or as breakdown material.
There are clips of Debussy's songs, orchestral music and instrumental
pieces ("Syrinx" among them), all woven into the texture. Moods range
from the serenely chilled-out opening to the more aggressive punchiness
of the rap-based "Metaphor On The Floor." An extraordinary piece of
music, then, and one which both demands and rewards repeated listening.
In its own form of impressionism, it will uplift and inspire even the
most doubtful cynic.
More than a decade after splitting from Trevor Horn's ZTT label,
founding members Anne Dudley and Paul Morley return to the Art of Noise
coop and emerge with a concept piece organised around the work of
French modernist Claude Debussy. A tad pretentious? Yes, but that?s Art
of Noise for you. The mélange of operatic female Vocals,
techno-driven beats and suave narration by actor John Hurt is less
brash than their previous offerings with lush, hypnotic dreamscapes and
strong rhythmic tracks. Rapper Rakim?s savvy mic provides a interesting
nod to Eighties hip hop plus its Nineties equivalent, drum'n'bass.
by Chris Mugan www.virgin.net
"...brings things mildly up-to-date by sneaking in some tasteful jungle
beats close to the edits....they've recorded an unapologetically
pretentious concept album about a pioneering classical composer..."
Spin (9/99, p.195) - 6 out of 10
"...Witty, flamboyant and playfully out-of-step with 1999 electronica,
THE SEDUCTION OF CLAUDE DEBUSSY spans the timeline of 20th century
modernism..."
CMJ (5/3/99, p.27)
"...stunningly beautiful concept piece that's both ambitious and forward-looking..."
Alternative Press (8/99, p.69) - 4 (out of 5)
"...savor the dance-driven charms..." - Rating: B-
Entertainment Weekly (7/9/99, p.79)
"...The filmic instrumental sketches are...beautifully executed....the
oddly insidious whole emerges greater than the sum of its parts."