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Art of Noise: The Seduction of Claude Debussy

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s

Artist: Art of Noise
Title: The Seduction of Claude Debussy
Released: 1999
Label: ZTT Records
Time: 56:49
Producer(s): Trevor Horn
Appears with:
Category: Pop/Rock
Rating: ********.. (8/10)
Media type: CD
Purchase date:  2000.12.23
Price in €: 9,01
Web address: www.ztt.com/artistpages/AON_expand.html

 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[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

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


Anne Dudley - Keyboards, Piano, Voices
Trevor Horn - Bass, Keyboards, Voices
Paul Morley - Keyboards, Voices
Lol Creme - Programming

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

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


Für Debussy- und Art-Of-Noise-Fans

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.

Marie Elsie St. Léger, July 1, 1999
Copyright © 1994-1999 CDNow, Inc. All rights reserved.



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."

Q Magazine (7/99, p.104) - 3 stars (out of 5)

 L y r i c s


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 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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