Contempt by Assemblage 23 - Uhune

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ALBUM

Tom Shears' debut release as Assemblage 23 is a powerful tour through a broken emotional landscape. Pulsing electro melodies hover over ethereal sweeps of sound and play against the sometimes complex rhythms and beats. On top of the layers of sound, Shears' rich vocals resurrect the notion of undistorted vocals in electro music. The mix of moods varies, ranging from upbeat at the album's beginning ("Surface," one of the few tracks sporting vocal distortion), to melancholy minimalist ("Sun"), to plain scary (such as the pounding melodies of "Skyquake"). "Purgatory" has all the makings of a genre classic -- uplifting melody, contrast and complexity, and a stable dance beat. The three remixes at the end provide an interesting contrast and fresh perspective on the album, featuring artists from Pain Station and THD. Despite the album's strengths, some listeners may find that there isn't the variety of sound to hold their interest (arguably partly due to the mastering of the album, which at times can seem flat). This is the only weakness on an otherwise impressive debut album, which solidly puts Assemblage 23 on the map of electro music.
© Theo Kavadias /TiVo

1. Anthem

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

2. Surface

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

3. Coward

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

4. Bi-Polar

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

5. Pages

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

6. Purgatory

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

7. Sun

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

8. Skyquake

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

9. Never Forgive

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

10. 7 Days

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

11. Coward

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Remixing: Pain Station; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

12. Skyquake

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Lyricist: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Remixing: Manhole Vortex; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

13. The Drowning Season

by Assemblage 23

Primary Artist: Assemblage 23; Main Performer
Composer: Tom Shear; Composer
Artist: Assemblage 23; Production
Remixing: Thd; Production
Music Publisher: Copyright Control; Other

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

13 tracks available

Type

ALBUM

Format

Digital Media

Duration

1 hour, 11 minutes and 33 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 3000x3000 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

CD Quality (Lossless)

16bit / 44.1 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

All tracks have lyrics

Synchronized Lyrics

4/13 tracks have synced lyrics

Genres

Dance, Electronic, Electronica, Alternative, New Wave, Industrial

Label

Accession Records

Music Distribution Service

Kontor Records GmbH

Country

Germany

Language

English (United States)

Popularity

Release Date

Dec 31, 1998

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

718750361721