En-Tact

Some of these Shamen singles were inescapable in the early 90s because they released them soooo many times in a never-ending array of marginally varied mixes. My mate Tim, who was much more into dance music than me, looooved 'Move Any Mountain'. Or was it 'Make It Mine'? No matter, there is only a cigarette paper between them. Looking through my collection, I have a surprisingly extensive collection of Shamen 12's and this album which I must have acquired as hand-me-downs or from $1 bins. They are mostly variant mixes on essentially the same two songs. And this album feels like it only has 2 or 3 songs, remixed by an admittedly stellar line-up of celeb remixers of the era. The Shamen had that cute trick of side-chaining synths (and vocals and guitars and sometimes the whole main mix bus) against a quick drum track. Innovative at the time, but once you've heard it, so what? The vocals hooks are often catchy and 'inspirational' if you're on a lot of drugs, I'm sure. But there is no excuse for Mr C's rapping; his flow is on par with the Spice Girls but with not a soupçon of their charisma or charm.

About ninety seconds in, I was waiting for the chorus of 'Ebeneezer Goode' to arrive. It never does. Every track on here SOUNDS like 'Ebeneezer Goode', with the same bouncing beat and the same rave-in-a-field energy, but not one of them actually is, and it's really annoying! It's like being promised a banger and handed a very well-produced loop. Credit where it's due: the production is great, the beats are infectious, and I'd happily have it on at a house party. But nearly every song hangs off a single lyrical line, repeated until it's worn smooth. I wanted them to 'Move Any Mountain' and build something bigger than one idea per song. Good vibes, not much to chew on. 3 stars.

5/10 Pure techno/dance music from 1990. It definitely sounds dated, but I'd never have guessed it was from 1990 - more like the mid- to late-90s - which indicates to me that the production is excellent and it sounds ahead of its time. That being said, this album is far too long, many of the songs are repetitive (how many variations on "move any mountain" do we really need to hear??), and it's a little boring. I don't hate it, but I don't think it has aged all that well, either.

I really think we need to have a discussion on "You Must Hear Before You Die", half of these albums have been flops so far.

A cool very 90s rave album. I must say that I don't particularly noticed the prog-rock inlfuences they have.

Как же я не люблю музыку 90-х за распространившуюся в то время моду на часовые альбомы, когда их с легкостью можно ужать до приемлемых 30-40 минут. Этот альбом не исключение. Эти бесконечно повторяющиеся паттерны…

Very few ideas played over the uninspired beats with the most vapid and stupidly aspirational "lyrics" and very weak hooks. Honestly, I can't even see this going over well in a club in 1990 on all the drugs.

Dance music poised between 80s synths and 90s Brit pop. Never caught on much in the States, but it’s catchy and proficient.

The longer this went on the less I enjoyed it and the more annoying it became. Not for me. 2/5

I thought it was ed Sheeran

Was originally going to give this 3 stars cause it was fine background music, but the longer it went on the more my disdain for it grew. Could have died without this one tbh. ⭐️⭐️

It’s fine. For like 3-4 minutes. Then it needs to stop.

Pretty good. Listened to it in the office and I was scared to put on Scottish electro, but it had a pretty good rhythm to work to and the children (Cole, Rebecca, Sofia) loved it. I'd probably like to listen to it again during the work day for ambiance. I feel in my heart that this is a 3/5, but I'll bump it up to a 4/5 due to the office enjoying it

Electronica has a terrible track record on this website for most people. Having grown up in the era when Dubstep was quickly albeit briefly taking the music world by storm, it dominated my life for some of my most formative years. Even before that, I tended to enjoy Electronica music due to its prominence in the video game space. It’s not a genre that most people can appreciate, and it’s not one that most people even tolerate to begin with. When I roll a Rock, Rap, Country etc album with a low rating on the site, I tend to immediately brace for something terrible. Sometimes I’m right, sometimes I’m wrong. But when I roll a low rated Electronica album, I’m not the least bit upset at doing so. There are exceptions, but for the most part, I find them very relaxing, enjoyable, and easy to listen to. I know I just used the word relaxing, but the exceptions mostly have to do with the softer, more Lo-Fi albums I’ve run into on several occasions. I don’t enjoy those. I like the albums with a fast paced BPM, where I can use the beats of the music to concentrate on what I’m currently doing. And if I’m not doing anything, I’d much rather listen to something I can jam out to than something that’s slow and downtempo. This album is not perfect. It’s way too long. It’s very repetitive. It’s perhaps a little, or rather extremely dated sounding. But it’s fast paced, it’s got some cool vocals, and I can jam to it. From the very first song to the last, it’s fun to groove to, which is important. Some Electronica albums are dreadfully boring, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Coincidentally, this is also the third Scottish album I’ve rolled in a week, and I think it’s pretty safely going to be my favorite of the 3 when I look back on them all. Do I understand why it has a low rating?? Yeah. I get it. People don’t like repetitive beats. It’s a very hard sell. I won’t hate on someone for not getting that. After all, I don’t understand why people pretend to enjoy Jazz. I simply don’t understand it, and I’ve mentioned that in probably about 40 of my reviews now. In the same sense though, I love some of the weirder genres like Acid House, Triphop, Dubstep, etc. While something like Skrillex, Knife Party or Zomboy are never going to be on a list like this, even though they should be if we’re being realistic, they would all unanimously be some of the lowest rated artists on the site. Now, this album specifically might not be the most important album on the list. And some albums are naturally going to be either pretty divisive or outright disliked across the board. But for having inclusion in the book to begin with, I’m appreciative that it’s here as a representation of the genre all the same. My favorite song was “666 Edit”. I’m a sucker for songs that glitch out and have funky cuts. That song was really cool, and I’m happy to have it as my number 1. To wrap this one up, I get why this album is so low rated, but I wholeheartedly enjoyed listening to it from top to bottom, even if it does drag a little bit in places. Very fun earwormy sounds and cool singing for a little over an hour, it’s a low-medium 3 out of 5. I wish this one had a higher rating on the site, as I feel it’s not fair to have it rated as low as it is currently. But I get it, it’s a hard sell. I’m the target audience. Whatever. This is a cool album. More for me!!

I have become an IDM fan over the last few years, listening to more and more electronic music of various forms. I think I lean more minimally/ambient/low-fi than to stuff you’d hear in a club (says the guy who hasn’t been in anything close to a club in decades). This was fine, but nothing notable, if you ask me. Asking me is inherent in this list, so there’s my answer.

I think we're good on this particular genre, I don't think I need to hear any more 90s electronica/house music before I die. These guys do get some respect for being from Aberdeen, but that's all.

Stundtals soft men blev segt i längden

Tidvis bra men kändes onödigt långt.

Riktigt stark inledning och avslutning. Lite sådär där emellan.

too greedy with vocals on these tracks... had potential. vocals are not necessary but when the song dont give anything else... (2.0/5.0)

Repetitive, monotonous and songs that go nowhere just a boring listen

Pas fameux.

Le souci avec ce genre, c'est que plus j'en écoute, plus je m'habitue. Je l'ai quand même fermé dans l'auto pour mettre Harvesy. Mais pour faire la cuisine et bercer le bébé, ça fonctionne étrangement... étrangement méditatif...

Uff...

Not great, some songs got skipped which I rarely do on a album

Really grasping at Electronic Music straws with this one. I guess it's on the list because it's from the UK.

1087 - "Here's your juice box and orange slice. Thanks for coming."

1.5. I’ve been getting more into electronic music recently but this just wasn’t it for me.

Went thru waves with this album. On the first track I was under the impression I was gonna hate this, as I settled into it I fell in line with the vibe of the album. Lightspan struck me as a really cool Halloween track with some screaming mixed in alongside some Indian flair. It was a bit of a mixed bag for me overall but definitely enjoyed it more than I had initially expected. 3 stars

Thin, ethereal vapor with EDM beats. Would be great in a club but isn’t much of a listening experience.

British DJ Music?! WHAT?!?! HUH?!?! Ah man, it's like I'm there! Grooving with my birds and blokes in Sutton-upon-Chesham in the garage (gare-ahge) to the unifying beats of the mighty Shamen! Heck yeah! One tribe! Lets not unpack the problematic use of that word in the works of pseudo-spiritual chalk-white grifters, and lets just feel the V I B E. That V I B E is M E D I O C R E electronica played by another vapid Brit in an obnoxious hat. The dance floor opens into a yawning chasm alight with a demonic glow. Towering stalagmites impale pasty party-goers, showering the remaining souls with gore. Scalding hail bombards the falling souls, tearing through skulls with crippling velocity. You whir past half-corpses with faces twisted into rictus smiles as you feel your own body torn apart by the messengers of hell. All the while, The Shamen play on, louder, stronger, as if their hackneyed techno is the very call that was heeded on this hellish day. Gaze to the sky and know there is nothing but hell itself. Bound to infinite suffering. Great stuff! -666 HIGHLIGHTS: Oh yeah, you've got to check it out, it's a broom closet in an abandoned high school and a pudgy white guy tries out presets on his keyboard. It's in the east-end of south-end Shroppingham.

front man of The Shamen Mr C once said that the C stands for C**t, which is exactly what I feel like having listening to this album, monumentally bad.

Nope didn’t like. Just noise for no reason

No more please.

Why is this on the list? I listened once through then I just listened to Skrillex. Frankly, I’m still mad that he chose not to put skrillex any early dubstep on this list. considering how huge that is today. My rating of this album reflects my anger.

Thought it might be ok, then he started rapping on the first track and it never left that spot

Not as bad as I feared. But if I wanted to go raving, I know of much and much better music. Overall, the album was mildly boring—and it went on for over an hour. I don't need to listen to that again. 3/5

This was weak. There were a few moments of catchiness throughout, but the whole thing was too long and very boring. It’s a House record with nothing interesting and no real redeeming qualities. I’m sad to award this my first 1 star of the 1001 Album generator.

Not really my sort of thing and I never did like this lot back in the day. Turns out I still don’t.

This one won’t appeal to fans of the genre as they are a bit like The Farm were to indie kids. Neither will it appeal to everyone else, because, well it’s rubbish! OK as background music but it went on way too long.

Well at least that has confirmed my opinion of 36 years ago that I throughly wasted £15 buying the CD. Just utterly uninspiring tunes which are completely bettered by pretty much any of their contemporaries I can think of. No place on this list (even with the absent Eberneezer Goode).

If you know how Electronica, or Techno albums are, you will be good(bonus if it's from the UK). It's over an hour long, becomes repetitive, it has very few lyrics, and often sounds like Nintendo 64 menu music. Favorite Track: "Possible Worlds".

This right after Frankie Goes To Hollywood is the generator trying to make me lose my mind.

How I feel about this album is how Joey felt about Rachel's meat trifle in Friends. I like it

Shitttttttt

The amazing artists that missed out on the list in favour of this dog shite is a crime against humanity. Go pour bleach down your ear holes instead.

Piss

That was a struggle to get through, too in your face and jarring. This kind of music is only enjoyable in a club or field off your face on pills.

Na Into The Woods was dit een welkome album. Ik heb genoten van de Beats and het ritme. Heerlijk om met mijn brein weer in andere hersengolven te komen en ontspanning te vinden. Ik weet niet of dit zo is, maar deze plaat voelt wel als een soort opa die in zijn jongere jaren is begonnen met feestjes organiseren op Ibiza en zo de dance scène is gestart.

Het is op zich wel een prima house-plaat, maar er valt ook nog genoeg op aan te merken. Vooral de vocals op dit album waren een beetje cringe. Soms voelde het ook een beetje alsof de samples werden ingezet als een beginnende dj die de airhorn knop heeft gevonden. Dit hele album heeft de vocals ook niet echt nodig gehad, maar de artiest dirfde het toch niet aan om een album zonder vocals te maken. De beats vond ik vaak wel heel leuk, maar het ging niet altijd ergens heen dan miste ik het idee.

Wel vermakelijk, de beginselen van de dance. Je kan goed horen waar het is begonnen. Er zitten wel grappige dingen en er word ontzettend veel geprobeerd/geexpirimenteerd met wisselend succes. De zang is een beetje irritant en het is erg veroudert, productioneel wat primitief. Meer geschiednis dan nu nog relevant voor mij.

Ik weet niet of er veel goeds komt uit 1990.. ik heb toch het gevoel dat de electronische muziek nog niet helemaal rijp is om echt vet te zijn, t klinkt daardoor ook best gedateerd. De teksten zijn een beetje generiek alsof t is gegenereerd door ChatGPT uit de 90s.

*sigh*

Wow, who would have thought you could make an entire album of stuff that is literally the incidental music to Mindcraft. I suddenly had an urge to get a Pepsi Max, some pop tarts and a joy stick. I just listened to entire album of The Shamen. I'm a little bit proud of myself, I am.

I’d choose dental surgery over hearing this album again.

613/1089 - This is perfectly fine electronic music. A lot more sonically interesting than the Let's Get Killed from a bit ago but not as tight form-wise as stuff like Screamadelica or the Pet Shop Boys albums.

It's electronic dance music. Sometimes interesting, sometimes exotic, sometimes sinister, but it's always a repetitive four-on-the-floor beat with a bunch of samples layered on top. Not for me.

Pretty bland and repetitive. Rounding down from 2.5/5.

So, I finally took the bait and looked it up. There are 80 Electronica/Ambient/Synth Pop albums on this list. 80. To paraphrase, what the editors have done is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever seen. At no point in their incoherent rambling were they even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this project is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

My body is barely en-tact after that spin.

# En-Tact by The Shamen: A Critical Review Released in 1990, *En-Tact* marked a pivotal moment for The Shamen, capturing a Scottish psychedelic rock band in the midst of a radical transformation into one of Britain's most forward-thinking electronic acts. It was the first Shamen album to feature rapper Mr. C and the last to feature bassist Will Sinnott, whose death in May 1991 lent the album an unintended poignancy. As a document of early British rave culture and a collision of psychedelic utopianism with club rhythms, *En-Tact* remains a fascinating artifact — though one that divides listeners to this day. ## Context and Musical Direction The Shamen formed in Aberdeen in the mid-1980s as a psychedelic indie rock band, but by the late '80s, founder Colin Angus had become increasingly drawn to sampling, beats, and the emerging acid house scene. The addition of Will Sinnott in 1987 accelerated this shift, and after relocating to London and connecting with figures like Paul Oakenfold and the nascent rave scene, the group released the transitional *Phorward* EP before fully embracing electronic music on *En-Tact*. The album emerged from a remarkable convergence of talent. Production and remix work involved an extraordinary roster: Paul Oakenfold, William Orbit, Graham Massey (808 State), Orbital, Evil Eddie Richards, Meat Beat Manifesto, Joey Beltram, and The Irresistible Force, among others. This collaborative density gives *En-Tact* a diverse sonic palette that reflects the breadth of early '90s British dance music. ## Music and Production Musically, *En-Tact* operates at the intersection of house, techno, acid, and ambient, with flourishes of hip-hop and the band's residual psychedelic instincts. The production is dense with samples, loops, and layered synthesizers — hallmarks of the era — creating a soundscape that is simultaneously euphoric and disorienting. The album's strongest moments harness this density into coherent, transcendent tracks. "Move Any Mountain" (the remixed single version of "Progen") is an undeniable anthem, its infectious chorus and driving beat making it the most accessible entry point. "Omega Amigo" has been described as an early ambient classic, offering a more meditative counterpoint to the album's more frenetic passages. "Make It Mine" and "Hyperreal Orbit" showcase the band's ability to blend rapped vocals with euphoric synth textures. However, the album's ambition often exceeds its coherence. *Entertainment Weekly* noted that the "unrelenting speed is sometimes so flickering and flat" and that the album "can't quite pull you through the looking glass". Individual tracks contain compelling ideas — a haunting vocal snippet, a striking synth line — but these elements don't always cohere into satisfying songs. Several tracks, particularly in the album's middle section, feel like extended sketches rather than fully realized compositions. ## Lyrics and Themes The lyrical content of *En-Tact* is steeped in the psychedelic-utopian vocabulary of early rave culture. Lines about "human energy," "power and serenity," and "visions of eternity" reflect a sincere, almost naively optimistic belief in technology, community, and expanded consciousness. The album's very title — a play on "intact" and "en-tact" — suggests a preoccupation with wholeness and connection, themes that permeate the record. The band's earlier political instincts hadn't entirely vanished. The previous album *In Gorbachev We Trust* had been explicitly engaged with contemporary geopolitics, and traces of that engagement linger in *En-Tact*'s more abstract calls for collective awakening. But the politics here are more spiritual than material, more about consciousness than policy. This utopianism is both the album's charm and its limitation. In 2024, the unironic embrace of "human NRG" and virtual reality as liberatory forces can feel dated, even quaint. Yet it also captures a genuine historical moment — the pre-crash optimism of rave culture before commercialization and cynicism set in. ## Influence and Historical Significance *En-Tact* holds a significant place in British electronic music history. It is included in the book *1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die*, and it helped establish the template for indie-dance crossovers that would proliferate in the early '90s. Alongside acts like 808 State and The KLF, The Shamen demonstrated that rock bands could successfully reinvent themselves as electronic acts without losing their identity. The album also paved the way for The Shamen's subsequent mainstream success. *Boss Drum* (1992) would become a massive hit, but *En-Tact* is often regarded by fans as the more artistically adventurous record — the moment before the band became a pop phenomenon. The tragic death of Will Sinnott shortly after the album's release adds a layer of historical weight; his drowning during the filming of the "Move Any Mountain" video lent the song's euphoric chorus an indelible sadness. ## Pros and Cons **Pros:** - **Historical significance**: A key document of early British rave culture and the indie-dance crossover moment - **Collaborative richness**: Features contributions from an extraordinary roster of electronic music talent - **Genre-blending ambition**: Successfully fuses psychedelic rock instincts with house, techno, and ambient textures - **Standout tracks**: "Move Any Mountain," "Omega Amigo," and "Make It Mine" remain genuinely compelling - **Utopian sincerity**: The album's belief in music as a transformative force feels earnest rather than cynical **Cons:** - **Inconsistent quality**: Several tracks feel underdeveloped or meandering - **Dated production**: The acid house sounds and sample-heavy approach have not aged gracefully for all listeners - **Lyrical naivety**: The spiritual-utopian rhetoric can feel vague and overly earnest - **Multiple versions**: The existence of significantly different "original" and "update" versions of the album creates confusion for listeners - **Coherence issues**: The album struggles to maintain momentum across its full runtime, with the middle section particularly sagging ## Verdict *En-Tact* is best understood as a transitional album that captures a specific cultural moment with all its excitement and excess. It is not a flawless record — its inconsistencies and dated elements are real — but its historical importance and the strength of its best tracks make it essential listening for anyone interested in the evolution of British electronic music. For those approaching it fresh, the "updated" version featuring "Move Any Mountain" is the more accessible entry point, though purists often prefer the original 1990 tracklist for its rawer, more experimental character.

Before my time and feels very dated now, sure there were better examples of dance music from this era which could have been picked over this

fun!

Well I enjoyed this in the end…. Move any mountain is clearly brilliant and then I got a bit worried as it fell away quite quickly but by the end I was fully back in. 666 Edit was new to me but was magnificent

I had almost forgotten about "Move Any Mountain." Loved that song back in the day. Listening again, it sounds. . . very dated. The album as a whole, even more so. Not a terrible album, just a mediocre late 80s/early 90s album.

This wasn't very exciting and it was very long.

No em intereso tanto pero la onda me gusta

not the ebst indie album i've ever heard by a mile

Had some solid grooves, but the repetitive lyrics weren't always my favorite. Still one of the better Techno/DnB/Electronic/House (or whatever genre this falls under) albums on the list.

There are so many Scottish/Irish/English electronic artists on this list! I think the guy who made the list has a particular genre he likes.

Not bad, but rave music is very much background music for me.

its really really really okay whatever

Intact.

I enjoyed this more than I expected for trance electro pop or whatever this is considered. It had enough going on to keep my interest.

Could not have injested anything that I disliked more yesterday

Dit album begint met de bekende hit "Move Any Mountain". De rest is ook wel relaxed (ambient), maar dus veel minder poppy dan de hit. ***

Dance music for Dags.

Ugh.

Dance isn't usually my genre of choice, but I can get behind Scottish psychedelic. I don't love the vocals, but I like the groove.

Pure dance music with strong and pleasant beats, good for dancing your soul out when drunk.

Never heard of this band or album so not sure what to expect. Just listened to the first song think i’m prolly going to hate this not glad that is a hour long album. Very repetitive and uninteresting really bad album

really really really good house style album im loving it.

To my surprise, when this started I actually thought I was going to like this quite a bit. However, this is just too long and too same-y, and from “666 Edit” onwards I didn’t really like anything from this album.

This was an ok album! It was pretty standard sounding electro -music lol but it wasn't bad

Memories

Reviews made me expect this album was going to be horrible but it was mid, just music you can turn off your brain and play in the background and for what it is it’s alright

This was a bit of a slog. I only knew The Shamen for their hits (all two of them) but they were fun enough so went in with high hopes. This is like New Order meets The Orb meets East 17. In not a good way. The rap verses were dreadful, and the middle of the album was just not up to the standard of other dance music of that era. I didn’t outright hate it but it was rather boring in a genre that I usually really like.

Off the bat, this feels so dated. And not in like a cool way, in a very oh I know what this is gonna be kind of way. I don't hate it, but I just think it needs more variety in it. I also wish this album were just instrumental. Cause the vocals really put me off at several points. I find it to be quite forgettable, and I think it can go to the extreme of being annoying as well. Fav Track: Make It Mine

Make It Mine is an absolute belter of a track but apart from that this wasn’t for me whatsoever

achei uma vibe!

Nah, feel like we've gotten a lot of shit like this lately. It's not my vibe, even if it was a precursor to modern edm.

I really didn’t like that… felt like I was in a douche fragrance commercial the entire time. 1.6

The review that Roon surfaced for this album seems to think it’s important and rated it highly. I didn’t dislike what I heard, but 65 minutes overstayed its welcome. It was a bit bland and unforgettable overall. 6/10 Pretty Good

Давно не ставил единиц

This was ok, I mean I didn't hate it...actually I hated Evil is Even. It was ok in the background

Yeah this was alright maybe

I’ve always had a soft spot for these early electronic albums, and this one really hits the mark. I’ve known about The Shamen for about 30 years, especially their track “Move Any Mountain,” but this was my first time listening to the whole album. I can see why it was so groundbreaking at the time. It’s a reminder that to really appreciate this kind of music, you have to consider where it fits in history. This album is a blend of early techno, breakbeats, and acid house with a bit of an ambient feel in the background, making it great for either a party vibe or just chilling out. The production is packed with samples and loops, a hallmark of dance music from this era. I didn’t realize until now that The Shamen used to be a psychedelic rock band and switched up their sound with this album. Now I’m curious to check out their earlier albums.

I can get into this fun weirdness for a little while. An hour is too much. And the vocals are truly awful. If it was just the instrumental parts, I’d give it a 3.

Just because there are some interesting production effects and sounds, and because it is at least listenable, I will not say this album is horrendous. But it is pretty uninteresting and bland. The songs are simply based on repeating the same elements over and over, and, even though I can find what was innovative at the time, it is music that can only be enjoyed while dancing (if so). There is not an actual listening value rather than the repetition of certain elements that can be more or less catchy. But, still, it lacks of some substance. Many songs are just an endless flow of the same chorus with nothing else to break it or disturb it. There is no tension, there is no narrative through the music, nor something to transmit rather than "let's go partying". But, then, what I may value production-wise is what this album also lacks of an actual musical interest. So, I cannot say I have enjoyed it. It is not an album for listening. And. I like listening to music, not ignoring it and just having as a background of my mood. And, in this sense, this album is very plain.

Was hoping for something interesting but was let down really badly. This was dull and boring and it slipped in to background noice territory quickly. Still I wouldn't actively "change channel" so to say if this would come up from radio or from some playlist.