Psychic Karaoke
| Psychic Karaoke | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Genre | Dance pop, electronic music | |||
| Label | Nation[1] MCA | |||
| Producer | Transglobal Underground | |||
| Transglobal Underground chronology | ||||
| ||||
Psychic Karaoke is an album by the English group Transglobal Underground, released in 1996.[2][3] It was released in the United States the following year, via MCA Records.[4]
The album peaked at No. 62 on the UK Albums Chart.[5] Transglobal Underground promoted the album by participating in the 1996 WOMAD festival.[6]
Production[edit]
The album was produced by Transglobal Underground.[7] The group used fewer samples on Psychic Karaoke, while also working on the songs in a live setting before recording them.[8] The group made use of tablas and double tonguing.[9]
Critical reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| Chicago Tribune | [11] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [12] |
| MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |  [7] |
| Muzik | [13] |
| Sunday Times | 6/10[14] |
The Chicago Tribune wrote that "in this frequently exhilarating brand of danceable exotica, guitar-like ouds glide atop hip-hop loops, tablas underpin sweeping strings and the incantations of Moroccan singer Natacha Atlas send it all spiraling heavenward."[11] The Washington Post thought that the group "may be misusing Indo-Arabic music, but such tracks as 'Chariots' and 'Lexicona' prove that the music can take the transglobal exploitation."[15] The Guardian called the album "unique, gilded dance pop—strange, resonant and utterly enchanting."[16]
AllMusic wrote that "things start to bog down a bit by the end, and as you approach the 78th minute of this generous album, you might be forgiven for checking to make sure you didn't accidentally hit the 'repeat' button on your CD player."[10] Colin Larkin thought that "there were echoes of dub reggae, film scores and even European art rockers such as Can in places."[12] MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide opined that Natacha Atlas's "soaring vocals often carry the disc, as she is probably the one element essential to Transglobal Underground's diverse pastiche of sound."[7]
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Chariots" | |
| 2. | "Mouth Wedding" | |
| 3. | "Bullet Train" | |
| 4. | "Lexicona" | |
| 5. | "A Tongue of Flame (Unidentified Flying Dubplates Mix)" | |
| 6. | "Ancient Dreams of the Sky" | |
| 7. | "Good Luck Mr. Gorsky" | |
| 8. | "Eyeway Souljah" | |
| 9. | "Boss Tabla (Full Length Mix)" | |
| 10. | "Scully" | |
| 11. | "Psycho Karaoke (Mangasouk Mix)" | |
| 12. | "Daughter of the Desert" |
References[edit]
- ^ Donnell, Alison (11 September 2002). Companion to Contemporary Black British Culture. Routledge.
- ^ "Transglobal Underground Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ Gill, Andy (24 May 1996). "Rock record reviews". Pop. The Independent. p. 10.
- ^ Flick, Larry; Reece, Doug (15 February 1997). "Electronic Music Rises From Underground". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 7. p. 79.
- ^ "Transglobal Underground Full Official Chart History". Official Charts.
- ^ "Get in the Transglobal groove". Reading Evening Post. 10 May 1996. p. 23.
- ^ a b c MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1163.
- ^ "If You're Dancing, You're Dancing". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 43. March 1997. p. 19.
- ^ Wood, Nick (9 May 1996). "Psychic Karaoke Transglobal Underground". Dunmow Observer. p. 28.
- ^ a b "Psychic Karaoke". AllMusic.
- ^ a b Kot, Greg. "Transglobal Underground Psychic Karaoke". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 244.
- ^ Wyatt, Kieran (June 1996). "Transglobal Underground: Psychic Karaoke" (PDF). Muzik. No. 13. p. 120. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 April 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
- ^ Hepburn, Graham (7 July 1996). "Albums". Features. Sunday Times. p. 18.
- ^ Jenkins, Mark (30 March 1997). "The Languorous Sound of British Electropop". The Washington Post. p. G8:3.
- ^ Bennun, David (24 May 1996). "Dance Transglobal Underground Psychic Karaoke". Features. The Guardian. p. 19.
