ex:el

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ex:el
Studio album by
808 State
Released4 March 1991[1]
RecordedSeptember – December 1990 at Revolution Studios
Genre
Length
  • 57:32 (UK)
  • 63:34 (US)
Label
808 State chronology
Utd. State 90
(1990) 		ex:el
(1991) 		Gorgeous
(1993)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[4]
Q[5]
Record Mirror8/10[2]
Select[2]
Tom Hull – on the WebB+ ((2-star Honorable Mention)(2-star Honorable Mention))[6]

ex:el is the third studio album by 808 State, released on 4 March 1991 by ZTT Records.[5] In contrast to the band's previous work, the album features more catchy melodies and heavier acid techno beats and percussion, "embracing earlier flirtations with hip-hop and industrial music".[3]

The album also features the guest vocals of Bernard Sumner of Joy Division and New Order, who sings on "Spanish Heart".[5] In addition, Björk sings on "Qmart" and "Ooops", and is credited with co-writing both;[2] this album marked the start of a long-running working relationship between Björk and Graham Massey.[5]

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. It is also the first electronic album to feature guest vocals by important alternative rock artists on selected tracks, which became commonplace too on later pop-oriented electronic albums.[3]

Phil Sutcliffe in Q Magazine called the album "irresistibly full of fun"[5]

The album is last to feature founding member Martin Price, who left the group in October 1991 to perform solo production work, eventually forming his own label, Sun Text.[7]

UK track listing[edit]

No.TitleLength
1."San Francisco"4:56
2."Spanish Heart" (featuring Bernard Sumner)3:51
3."Leo Leo"4:01
4."Qmart" (featuring Björk)4:58
5."Nephatiti"4:50
6."Lift"5:12
7."Ooops" (featuring Björk)4:41
8."Empire"4:20
9."In Yer Face"4:54
10."Cubik"3:44
11."Lambrusco Cowboy"4:05
12."Techno Bell"4:56
13."Olympic"4:21

US track listing[edit]

No.TitleLength
1."San Francisco"4:56
2."Spanish Heart" (featuring Bernard Sumner)3:51
3."Leo Leo"4:01
4."Qmart" (featuring Björk)4:58
5."Nephatiti"4:50
6."Lift"5:12
7."Ooops" (featuring Björk)4:41
8."Empire"4:20
9."In Yer Face"5:12
10."Cubik (Tomix)"9:28
11."Lambrusco Cowboy"4:05
12."Techno Bell"4:56
13."Olympic"4:21

2008 deluxe edition[edit]

In September 2008, ex:el was re-released as a 'deluxe edition'. The original album was remastered by Graham Massey, and Ian Peel and Graham Massey compiled a bonus disc of remixes and unreleased tracks which included:[8]

  1. "In Yer Face" (Facially Yours Remix) – 4:17
  2. "Olympic" (Euro Bass Mix) – 5:44
  3. "Lift" (Heavy Mix) – 4:42
  4. "Cubik" (State to Pan Am Mix) – 4:29
  5. "Open Your Mind" (Sound Garden Mix) – 4:28
  6. "Lambrusco Cowboy" (Alt Mix) – 4:17
  7. "Ski Family" – 5:14
  8. "Ooops" (Mellow Birds Mix) – 4:04
  9. "In Yer Face" (Cheadle Royal Mix) – 3:26
  10. "Olympic" (Unreleased Mix) – 4:55

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for Ex:el
Chart (2009) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[9] 109
UK Albums (OCC)[10] 4

References[edit]

  1. ^ "808 State - Discography".
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "808 State Album Review: Gorgeous". www.808state.com. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b c AllMusic review
  4. ^ "ex:el". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 16 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e Sutcliffe, Phil (5 March 1991). "ex:el review". Q Magazine. 55: 68.
  6. ^ Hull, Tom (8 November 2023). "Grade List: 808 State". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  7. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 311–312. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  8. ^ "808 State - ex:el Deluxe Edition (808 Archives Part II)". www.808state.com. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Bubbling Down Under Week commencing 17 December 1990". bubblingdownunder.com. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 August 2022.


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