2
Really putting the shame into shamen
En-Tact is the fourth studio album by Scottish band the Shamen, released in 1990. It was the first Shamen album to feature Mr C, and the last to feature Will Sinnott (who died on 23 May 1991). It fused the band's past psychedelic rock sounds with the rave act it became, developing a style that represented multicultural dance music.
Really putting the shame into shamen
Like being at a rave with all the lights on.
Listening to this record was like washing your dick in a sink after spending two weeks shagging the granny out of your own cat.
5
I pride myself on being somewhat of a chameleon. And being able to adapt. But someone, anyone, get me out of this gay bar.
Absolute garbage. Repetitive, uninteresting, dated, meaningless new-agey-druggy lyrics, awful sound, terrible singing - tedious beyond belief. Not even close to being an essential album and nothing like the best example of its genre. Avoid, avoid, avoid.
This is a solid sequence of tracks. With a tab of acid, it'd probably be 6 stars.
This album started with high hopes from me. A promise of mixing psychedelic rock and hardcore hip hop rhythms from Spotify's band description, however this was not what I expected. This is because this album actually comes from their acid house era which they became known for. This album started out with a bang, and soon became very samey to me. I know that's the case with this kind of music so maybe it needs a few more listens from me to get to grips with the subtleties of it, especially as i'm not really listening well when coding these days. To be honest this is a no from me dawg. 2 because I liked some tunes but mostly it's not my cup of tea.
Don’t think this aged very well...
Track 1: 9 seconds in and rapidly approaching "No." Track 2: "I'm SMOOOOTH - Like water from a fountain!" *ugh* Track 3: END
Vibe
1990 - Techno, Electronica, Acid house, House music
Really good early 90s electronic music. Solid all the way through
Somewhere in 1993 I discovered Boss Drum, The Shamen’s follow up album to En-Tact. I fell in love with the sound and enjoyed listening to that album. For whatever reason I never ventured any further into their catalog. I enjoyed this album as well. The opening track Move Any Mountain and the Pro Gen remix at the end are fantastic. The rest of the album was great. My raving days may be largely behind me, but this is a great high-energy choice for doing work around the house!
Another solid groove for a Saturday dance party. Really enjoyed it!
The Shaman were actually pretty good at one point, when Will Sinnott was still around and Mr C wasn't talking over the top of every track. This is probably their peak, when they were still mixing some of their psychedelic roots into a house sound, and before they lapsed into one dimensional rave party anthems.
You thought I was gonna give this a 1, didn't you?
I don't think I've ever listened to an album more reminiscent of the 90s than this one. Some decent melodies and occasional guitar work on here, but it's not enough to escape the LP's datedness or lack of forward momentum.
I don't know man, I am sure this is someones vibe. But as a person not alive in 1990 it feels super old. Like not aged super well, I could see it being like a new synth electronic thing. But man, It's so old, it feels kinda comedic to a certain point. And it's like crazy long. Felt like a slog to get through. to each their own, however this isn't mine.
Schwierig. Hat seine Momente. Über weite Strecken allerdings alles andere als abwechslungsreich. Mich nervt solche Art elektronischer Musik sehr leicht, da macht dieses Album keine Ausnahme.
I did not enjoy this even a little bit. I don't think I would enjoy this even if I was at a rave all hopped up on ecstasy. Nothing personal against The Shamen, I'm sure they are fine fellows, but it's just not my thing. 2 stars.
I am tired of music
Horrible pseudo multi-cultural rave music. Truly execrable.
It's like someone drilling into my forehead. Make it stop.
What the fuck is this shit now? I feel a hatred and rage of Joan Crawford proportions coming on. “NO ELECTRONICA!! NO ELECTRONICA EVEEEEERRRR!!!!!”
From the first song, I thought I would need to be wearing parachute pants to truly enjoy this album. But then Human NRG took a left turn and made me think I should have taken drugs to enjoy it. Maybe both were required and would have been epic. In the end, I made it to Hear Me and turned it off.
I'd rather listen to my ass.
One of the worst things I've ever heard. Everything that was wrong with the 90s. Example lyric: "Yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah Y-y-y-yeah yeah Yeah yeah Ooh oh, ooh oh, ooh oh Yeah yeah hyperreal Ooh oh, yeah yeah hyperreal" Hypersh*t. Rating: 1/5 Playlist track: Pro-Gen Date listened: 17/06/23
I am familiar with THE SHAMEN and the album EN-TACT, since I have it, but I haven’t listened to it to since the early 90’s, since the rave culture went out of fashion. After listening to EN-TACT, I knew I would like it at the beginning from what I remember from it, but I was rather surprised how well the album held up after repeated listening. I thought it would sound dated after a while but, no, it still sounds fresh and vibrant although the rave culture has subsided. I like EN-TACT more now than I did in the 90’s. I’m glad for this re-listen. In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, THE SHAMEN’s EN-TACT Is the only album listed. Rate Artist: THE SHAMEN (5.0) Rate Album (Year): EN-TACT (US 1991 Original) (5.0) Ranking of THE SHAMEN - EN-TACT songs No. Title Length Ranking 01. "Move Any Mountain" (Progen - Beatmasters 7") 3:28 10.0/10 02. "Human Nrg (Massey)" 4:39 10.0/10 03. "Possible Worlds: Deep PSI" 3:44 10.0/10 04. "Omega Amigo" 4:44 09.5/10 05. "Evil Is Even [Edit]" 4:23 10.0/10 - Instrumental 06. "Hyperreal Orbit" (Early Fade) 5:22 10.0/10 07. "Lightspan" 4:39 10.0/10 08. "Make It Mine" (v1.3 Lenny D Vox) 3:32 10.0/10 09. "Oxygen Restriction" 3:49 10.0/10 10. "Hear Me" (O My People) (Edit) Orbital 5:11 10.0/10 11. "666 Edit" (Move Any Mountain) 4:48 09.5/10 12. "Make It Minimal" 3:18 10.0/10 13. "Hyperreal Selector" (Edit) 4:01 10.0/10 14. "Lightspan Soundwave" (Edit) 4:19 10.0/10 15. "Progen 91 [I.R.P. in the Land of Oz]" 5:21 10.0/10 Original US 1991 Release 149.0/150 = 9.93 / 2 = 4.97
Good
Kick back and have a party , this album is banging
Very fun, will put on at a party
90s hacker movie soundtrack. Good workout music.
This album has a really nice dance/trance feel. I'm a little surprised that I haven't heard it before, as it came out around the time when I would have been getting into it. This style isn't my go-to anymore, but the album is a solid 4 stars.
Wow! Not my Sudhakar style but liked it
I liked that pretty well! I didn’t really know what to expect, but it was pretty good listening for doing the dishes and such. :)
Really good!
great music
Pretty decent, liked all the songs. Super ravey and varied and interesting, and not like anything I've heard before. If I gave it a little more time to appreciate it I could probably upgrade it to a 5.
Very inspiring lyrics. I got a warmer sound from this than what I hear of today's electronic dance music. Some cool guitar on make it mine. There's plenty of interesting artistic moments/choices made that deviate from the same old regular dance track.
36. En-Tact - The Shamen 15 tracks. What a brilliant blast from the past this was. A little more raw than some of their other stuff but it was a great listen. Not far off a 5/5. 4/5.
-Probably one of the best electronic-type albums I've heard. Always upbeat and fast-paced with interesting and developing beats. -Nothing really stood out, but I still enjoyed listening
This is like a proto-NiN...
“A humping great tower block of a hugely infectious dance chorus.”
Pioneering stuff!
Huh. Wasn't hopeful from the cover but this is actually pretty interesting. Good backing track for my life today. I'm glad to have listened.
Not sure at the start, ended up kinda digging it.
Good techno sound
How is it that the hardest dance beats in the club have cured into the perfect chill out grooves? I still love this but for none of the reasons I loved it the first time.
Pretty good first listen with a lot to digest first time around. A bit of a shock to the system with the stylistics and general theme of the album but altogether a nice piece. Particularly enjoy the themes of centerpiece song "Move Every Mountain" being smattered throughout the tracklist, though it can get a little repetitive.
pretty fun didn’t really sound too special imo, all EDM kinda sounds the same to me but still, it was a good listen - 8/10
Better than expected
This is like listening to a REALLY good video game sound track
I'm digging these 90s dance vibes.
Electronic, 1989. Animado y no cansino. 4
For my first listen, I was driving in the car with the volume kind of low as my passenger tried to sleep. So, it was a bit underwhelming, but I sensed that it was some proper dance/trance music. Later, I listened with earbuds as I rode in the passenger's seat. You know, it somehow wasn't as good as I imagined it would be when I was kind of making up the details I couldn't hear all that well on my first listen. Good, though.
great for an old one
The Shaman was a band that a friend of mine used to play a lot so I kind of knew what to expect going in. The first 4 or 5 tracks were a good a listen with “Omega Amigo” being a favorite but there is a lot of filler on here too. All in all when you look at what else was coming out in electronic music in 1990 they were somewhat ahead of their time. Cut about 30 minutes off of the album and it would have been awesome.
Not bad! Worth coming back to at some point. Overall, it’s probably close to a 3.5, but I’ll go with 4.
Liked the first song the most (great wake up dance song). But the rest of the album had a lot of great vibes.
I liked this for some reason
Quite liked this
Whilst this is far from my favourite music. The more I progressed in the trance, the more I got pulled into it. I started to appreciate if more and more along the way. It’s a nice album especially when it gets melodic! 8 out of 10
An interesting curio from the time before techno became mass-marketed and saturated. The music is interesting and experimental, the lyrics are absolutely awful and sound like they were written on a cigarette packet at 3 AM. "Move Any Mountain" shows up three times on the album, which is a shame (n) because it overshadows some of the better instrumental tracks here.
Groovy and pop-y. Good bopping your head music.
Never heard of this. But this was great. An album pointing forward to nineties rave culture. There are way too many dismissive voices towards electronic music on this site. This is definitely accomplished dance music, with varied and surprising layers mixed into its pulsating repetitiveness. It fit perfectly for this Saturday night. Contrary to what a lot of the commentators write, I believe this is on equal footing with the more famous acts of the era. Just look past the 90’s dance rap stuff and you’ll find a good electronic record. Stand outs: “Possible Worlds: Deep PSI”, “Hyperreal Orbit”, “Lightspan Soundwave” and “Progen 91”.
Better than I remember it
I’m glad I didn’t know about this in the 90s. I would have thought it awful and everything I hated about music. Now in the 20s I can hear it and respect it. Was happy to have this one on the list.
Some cool electronica on this but it does get a bit samey and is overly long. I'll admit I am partly giving this a 4 to balance out a harsh average for this one.
Enjoyable, surprisingly catchy and positive hooks, makes you want to get up and dance. Feels like I should be on speed in a 90s office. Or tripping balls at a house party. Very little in between. Much of it melts into each other although you shouldn't be sober enough to realize it any way. Standout Tracks: Move Any Mountain, Possible Worlds, Omega Amigo, Evil Is Even
Kinda mindless techno-ish, not my bag
Not the worst thing I’ve ever listened to. Most songs were pretty catchy, but it definitely reminded me of the band they form in Revenge of the Nerds.
electronica, Psychedelic rock + Rave, könnte Soundtrack für einen Film sein, starke 3
Not really my cup of tea, but sounds good!
Hyvää settiä, sopii hyvin työskentelyyn taustamusaksi :) semmosia 80 luvun synakikkailun jälkimaininkeja, itselleni tuntematon bändi ja levy etupeltoon.
I am surprised I liked it, but I did.
Raveros no enteros, acid house y techno rock y algo de ambient, a la altura de los primeros Primal Scream.
Fun album, nice to dance to. Still feels a bit dated now!
This is fine… some interesting sounds going on here and there I guess. I just…do not understand the appeal of listening to music like this outside the context of a club or a car chase scene in an action movie or something lol
A high energy ball of fun. A little one note and very early 90s dance but I still enjoyed it. Vocals were meh.
Good album for working out. I’m not sure how often I’d listen to it on my own, but it’s decent. I especially like Omega Amigo!
Nice
The sound of 90s electronic 🎶
Bit of nostalgia, couple of really good tracks but the rest haven’t aged so well.
I had a sister who was a couple of years older than me (still is in fact) and so I used to hear some of these tunes blasting from her bedroom. Pure 90's dance. Best Tracks: Move Any Mountain, Omega Amigo, 666 Edit
I noticed that the opening track & lead single “Move Any Mountain” was not on the original UK release, which is great IMO because it sounds like Stereo MCs and I’m not a fan of thin, indie type vocals trying to sound high-energy over-top of dance music. I prefer the tracks with vocal effects vs singing. It adds cred that up and coming DJ producers of the era (Oakenfold, Orbital, 808 State) remixed a number of them. The series that starts with “Hyperreal Orbit” is good. The synths set the mood and I like the effects (though they’re dated now). I was going to give it a 4 but the last track was a re-rub of the first….
I'm travelling so I didn't have a lot of time to spend listening to this. Move Any Mountain is full of energy and fun beats so grabs your attention at the start. Hyperreal Orbit is a better song imo better but surprisingly has over 90% fewer listens on Spotify. Ditto Lightspan. Generally speaking, I prefer music with lyrics but the lyrics on Human NRG and Omega Amigo don't add much so I would rather they left them aside. I like the vocals on Possible Worlds but, having said that, I'm not 100% sure they are vocals as opposed to synths. Regardless, I like that track too. This was an interesting listen. I like more trucks than I dislike for sure but still not sure.
80's new wave, but i don't remember it, and the first 2 songs weren't interesting
i've tried so hard to like these guys. they have one track that's an absolute standout for me (destination eschaton - all-time favorite, no question), but no matter where i look, i only find that track is just unlike most of their work. this album was fine, don't get me wrong - and a huge statement for 1990, for sure - but it really wasn't what i love about them.
Простенько
pretty good
Full of recognisable hits, this was a major transition for the Shamen from a previous incarnation as yet another goth psych band into a fully fledged rave dance act. The album sounds a little dated now, and production, while good, lacks the punch of later dance releases. Possibly also down to the relentless chase to overcompress and maximise the volume that has been a common feature of electronic dance music for the last 20 years. Top tracks: Move Any Mountain, Omega Amigo, Hyperreal Orbit
Bit dafter than the orb, better than I thought it might be
Move any mountain is a tune, the rest were ok but not great
This has a very 1990 sound... some 80s, some 90s, some elements of music not yet to come. I thought it was fine, but not too enjoyable.
It was alright but really just made we want to listen to Daft Punk.
Música electrónica. Ni fu ni fa.
Not terrible but pretty generic.
Upbeat house/dance music. Not my normal type of thing, but not bad. Vocals perhaps a little lacking.
Englandsnostalgía.