Foxbase Alpha

It’s taken about 4 tracks before I’ve realised I’ve actually been listening to this. It’s not the most exciting. It’s another nice, sitting in the background kind of vibe, with not much to properly connect with. It’s nice enough I guess but it’s not for me. Too much of it I find boring. 2.5 rounded down.

I love this album, the mixes and samples blend very well, catchy songs all throughout and fun to listen to. 100% recommended.

meh

Here's an album that I don't have much to say about. It's an early 90s UK dance album of some kind. You know what that means? I'm not huge on it. Foxbase Alpha definitely isn't a bad album, but it just kind of exists. It's harmless though. Saint Etienne are another one of those music acts whose most famous song is a cover, which somehow is enough to get the album on a list like this. As far as that cover goes, I guess their take on Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" is different enough and good enough to warrant listening to it on its own, though I do prefer Neil's original version myself. None of the album's other songs are bad, but they don't excite me. Some of them are a bit too long though. "Stoned to Say the Least" in particular is a few too minutes longer than I'd like. The album's got some interludes, I guess? The singing is alright. The energy is there for much of the album. I'm really trying, guys. I'm over 900 albums into this, okay? It gets hard to say unique things about every album this far into the thing. Foxbase Alpha is alright, but not an album that really feels like a must-listen. It's not bad though. 3/5.

Too cute but not unfun.

This is a good album. It sounds like many things. Sounds like early trip hop before it was a thing. Sounds like downtempo. It might be a little house. The thing is that it all works on this album. I’m glad I heard this album.

Realized I didn't review this the day of. It was given to me on 3/22/26 and it is now 4/8. I couldn't have this blank on my page. I have no memory of it at all.

gave this a 3.4/5

super cool, not quite 5 stars though

I had apparently listened to this album before but hadn't left any distinct impact on me. Again I listened to it in the background of my day. Enjoyed it but no don't was overly memorable

Saint Etienne's debut record 'Foxbase Alpha' is an interesting mix of trip-hop, dream pop and dance music, with plenty of appreciation for the atmospheric soundscapes of the late 1960s. Written primarily by producers Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs, 'Foxbase Alpha' is in tune with the direction electronic music was taking in the 1990s, especially in Britain where rave culture was really starting to take off, but the big point of difference here is the ethereal vocals of Sarah Cracknell, which provided a very dreamy flavour to the songs, not unlike Cocteau Twins or Bilinda Butcher-sung My Bloody Valentine songs. Listening to this record is ideal for those who want to drift away into a trance-like state, as Cracknell's soothing vocals paired with the harmonious synths makes this perfect music to relax to, especially if life seems heavy. Having just had a busy day of chores, 'Foxbase Alpha' is a soothing and re-energizing experience. I don't mind it at all! Best songs: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Carnt Sleep, Spring, People Get Real, Nothing Can Stop Us

Not the worst electronic music from the 90s. It’s like British vogue music at times.

Praise be! Love everything about Saint Etienne.

Liked this one a lot, great for working. Also, Would you like some sweets, Willy?

This album is so strange but I dig it, mostly. Some tracks are a little on the boring side and are skippable, but it's got such a neat energy. I've definitely heard Only Love Can Break Your Heart somewhere before but without really focusing on it until now. Some of the hip-hop sounds thrown in here feel very out of place, but I also don't hate it? I think Stoned to Say the Least is my favorite track here though.

Some really catchy songs and a bunch of strange instrumental breaks. Didn't really know what to make of it. Liked listening to parts, zoned out during most.

I had high hopes when the second track kicked in, but unfortunately soon discovered the album is just an ambient wash of whimsical samey-sounds. It's ambient ways and prolific use of samples is vaguely reminiscent of Moby and Aphex Twin but Saint Etienne are doing that style in a way that's a LOT less interesting. London Belongs to Me is quite nice; has a sort of Corrs vibe which is ironic considering the name.

Goatee espresso wankers.

So, this seems to be people making pop music about pop music they love. Not for me.

Could have lived just fine without having heard this.

Very interesting

Not too bad. Nothing I would listen to on the reg. I liked that Neil Young cover.

Now I know what to play when I can’t sleep. I saw this genre and was excited but way too poppy and sweet and boring.

Music that sounds like it was made by someone who doesn’t know what music sounds like

cool

1.5. I have already forgotten everything I heard.

Kind of a sleepy album that I'll probably forget I listened to in 2 days.

One of my faborite album, all my sympathy for this musical recreation.

3.5

Brits cosplaying as French produce an entirely unremarkable album. -1 for the horrendous cover.

Dreamy indie dance and sophisti-pop built from gentle house beats, soft synths, light guitar touches, and airy, intimate vocals drifts with understated charm. Listening feels like wandering through a quiet city at dusk while distant club rhythms echo from open windows. The result is stylish and atmospheric, though its softness sometimes keeps it from leaving a stronger impact.

If I ever start a 3-star European hotel, i now know exactly what music to play in the lobby.

Mediocre

Listening session: march 11th, while commuting to internship Listened to before: no Thoughts: weirdly enough this album combines 90s dance and dreamy 60s pop quite well so I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy this as much as I did Favourite tracks: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Spring & Nothing Can Stop Us

Album No. 0179 on my list. I had never heard of this before and I had no idea about what I was getting into here. I immediately found the cover to be one of the coolest I’ve ever seen though. “Foxbase Alpha” by Saint Etienne is a cool album blending electronic music with other genres. The sound is pretty cool and I love the use of samples throughout the record. The songs themselves are not all that catchy though, and at least some were a bit long for my taste. Very danceable though, which is not for me necessarily but may be appreciated by others. I’ll add the following songs to my playlist: “This Is Radio Etienne” (even though it’s just the intro, but I kinda liked it), “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”, “Spring”, and “Kiss And Make Up”. I’ll give the whole thing three stars for now, even though I might actually change my rating later, because I still feel there’s some potential for greatness in this. 3/5 stars.

Pleasant enough and clearly constructed with care. The recording was pretty good, too. I enjoyed it in the background, a few times even! But I didn't find the music particularly captivating, and I can't remember the name or even the melody of a single song. Three stars.

Most of this is meaningless music to me. I mean, Neil Young is probably turning in his grave with this version of "Only Love Can Break Your Heart"... and he's not even dead yet.

This is why I’m really enjoying this project. I get an album assigned, I have some pre-conceived idea that I don’t know whether I’m going to like what I’m about to listen to, and I’m pleasantly surprised. Or in this case, I enjoy it immensely. This record makes me feel like I should be driving on a cool summer evening with the windows down and a coastal wind blowing through the car, with this playing loudly through the stereo. It is very well produced, great vocals. And I even enjoy the filler tracks with samples from various 60’s films/shows. All in all, this will definitely be listened to again. Quite possibly in July/August on a drive along the coast. Standout track - Spring

1.5 - It had a few moments, but not near enough.

This is a band that never made it to my radar despite being in the 90s british/indie zone I have an affinity for. I also learned they're currently opening some shows for my all time favorite band Belle and Sebastian. So it is not surprising that I enjoyed it! I love the how eclectic it was from the Neil Young cover "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" to the instrumental epic "Stoned to Say the Least."

Fine, just a little boring

Way too much sampling for me, and not compelling enough material generally.

Never heard of this band, pretty chill stuff, probably best suited for background music

For 1991, this is actually such a weird standout record. This is the kind of electronically driven record that you'd hear more of coming around the mid 90s with how liberal they are with sample usage, the downtempo beats and the production choices present here. It has some lesser moments, but overall it's pretty damn solid and unique.

Fine but a bit flimsy

Insipid.

This challenge often feels like a time capsule, where you open it and think, how did they possibly think this is worth preserving?

This sounds quite ahead of its time for 1991, maybe an influence on the later trip hop and downtempo scenes? But the production sounds bland and dated now, and the vocals and lyrics don't stand out. Doesn't compare well with other releases from the same era by the likes of Massive Attack or Cocteau Twins. 5.2 Fav track: Spring Least fav: She's the One

8.7/10

I didn’t hate it but I was glad when it ended

Surprised at this, have heard so much from them but not the whole album and it’s an absolute banger.

'stoned to say the least' is a great time. i did save a few songs off of this but i also can't remember anything about this and i listened to it 12 hours ago

This is awful. And you start the album off with a really bad Neil Young cover. I could not get through this. I’m not gonna torture myself.

5/10, it was very good but it was dance music

Never heard of them but so 90s house. Very easy listening

Interesting!! I expected more though

It was nice! Based on the cover I didn't expect it to be even slightly as good as it was Not perfect, but very enjoyable

Cute. I relistened to it after writing that first part. Really cute, actually

Very satisfied. Listened to it plenty of times and will again !

Totally unaware of this album or artist. It was fine. Toward the middle everything just started sort of sounding so similar it was hard to differentiate for me. Would likely give it another go.

Light synthpop/techno - a genre that doesn't generally appeal to me - from a band I've never heard of. It's well-written, well-played, and well-produced; if I wanted to listen to this kind of music I'd definitely listen to this again.

Love this band

Banger

It was super psychedelic, beautiful and entrancing. With such a cool sound and incredible instrumentation. I thought this album was really solid from front to back and there were a lot of songs I loved on here. I did think that there were a couple of songs that were pretty forgettable but for the most part this album was great!!!

Issa vibe for sure

Mostly just white noise dance music for me, like a Blue Jam audio transition. A few atmospheric tracks.

Perfectly pleasant and engaging soft electronically. Plenty of people doing this sort of thing, some (Everything but the Girl for example) probably doing it better. Is this an album I liked? Yes. Is it an album I'll play again? No. Is it an album I had to hear before I die? I doubt it.

Cool album of French ultra lounge, and especially good the night after a Wax Tailor show. Forward thinking for 1992 and laid out or enhanced the pattern for this type of music. I had a song on my Double Takes playlist which is always a good sign, "Only Love Can Break Your Heart."

Very cool, laid back 90s chill-out dance. I can imagine this playing after a night out, where it would be a completely inoffensive soundtrack. Maybe when it came out it was more revolutionary. It sounds great, but I don't feel that I'm getting a window into anyone's soul.

adhd

Interesting

This was basically a snooze-fest for me. I don't really recall any of the tracks I listened to yesterday and don't feel a need to return to this. 2/5

Wasn't really feeling this one. The description made me think it'd be more 60s sounds, but mostly I just heard the electronic stuff, which wasn't very interesting. Also, too long. 2.49/5

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Nothing Can Stop Us, Etienne Gonna Die This felt very proto-trip-hop. Sort of disco-y, sort of break-beat-y, sort of hip-hop. It was a fine album; perhaps a bit long, but the singing was pleasant and the beats were largely enjoyable. I don't know that this is something I would personally dance to, but it's certainly dance-able. Not sure where the sample in Etienne Gonna Die is from, but it's my favorite skit on the album by far.

Pretty good chill electronic album. I’ll definitely listen to this one again and probably discover more I like. 7/10 FAVORITE TRACKS- “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” “Girl VII” “People Get Real”

Ah, this is one of those albums that have a bunch of stuff just repeating constantly. Most of it was just a bit meh and even at times pretty annoying, but there was one song that was pretty decent, I guess it wasn't that bad.

Incredible stuff. One of the best albums ever made. I feel like listening on your car stereo while driving is the best experience ut honestly any condensed version is the way to go. I love every second but a few stand out.

4.5/10

Interesante, primera escucha 4.1

Beyond the Neil Young cover this is not very good. Every time I think - that song wasn’t bad, maybe this is getting better - the next song blows chunks.

Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Reminds me of an earlier version of the avalanches

Cannot believe you people liked this over Yeezus

It was enjoyable in a not-terribly-memorable way

This comes across to me as a mix of dance/jazz/cafe style music with solid beats throughout. Some songs contained samples of various media materials and repetitive elements, and others gave me a chill and relaxing vibe. There's a lot of non-vocal music and sounds throughout. While interesting, this style of music isn't really my cup of tea.

Early Madonna-esque with odd movie dialogue sequences tossed in for added pretension. Really not my thing. 2/5

This is technically fine but it is exhausting to listen to.

Of its time. I certainly didn't need to hear this before I died.

Wasn't bad but wasn't great. For sure sounds like its from the 90s with its mix of low key house music with pop sensibilities of the 50s and 60s. Not sure I think I had to hear this before I died though.

I didn’t hate it.

A couple good songs but not for me. 2.5 stars

This has the potential to grow on me. Good to listen for a chill out session. Didn't care for their version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart. Still, decent and might revisit it down the road.

There's potential here for a really good electronic pop album, but it's mired down by too many songs, too long a runtime, with filler tracks and filler in individual songs.

Starts off really well then tails off

Not bad

As a fan of downtempo electronic, I’ve been meaning to dive into them forever. This was a good start. Good album, perfect for background tunes.

5/10

3/5

This album was fine. It's early 90s club music. That's about it. I enjoy club music well enough but this didn't exactly blow me away.

Not the absolute worst electronic music. In fact, some of it's quite good. I'd give it a 2.5 here if I could.

Easy listening in a good way. Feels dreamy, and each track fits well into the whole project without feeling too much replicas of the other.

Some ok songs, Carnt Sleep is a funny title. Stoned To Say The Least is a bit nauseating, but that could also be because I'm stoned. Nothing Can Stop Us has got to be the most colorful song on this album though, and wow it glows. I love it, extremely refreshing honestly after the past few songs. But that's sadly all that really popped for me.

Very pretty dream pop.

Occasionally really vibed with the production on this, but the indie pop + DJ concept never actually quite connected for me beyond a passing interest.

Maybe I'll listen to this without the added tracks on the U.S. edition. But there's some lovely stuff here.

Pretty solid for the most part but some tiresome tracks start cropping up towards the end and they're some of the longest to boot

Pretty fun, if it was tighter I think it could be a genuinely great album. I like "Wilson" and "Girl VII", and "London Belongs To Me" is the standout for me. Good sugar.

I know nothing about this era of dance music but this feels like a shibuya-kei album and I like that.

listenable but overlong and only really had one song that excited me

Overall Rating - 2.54/5 (5.08/10). Not really my taste.

I was out, but then I was pulled way in for the back half. Honestly very good, Like the Swallow was my highlight

Honestly, pretty cool? Very funky and vibey but I really grew into this album. One of the few I've put on cold to walk through NYC so that certainly helped.

Hadn’t heard of her before and really kind of liked some of the stuff

The 60’s sound meets dream pop meets house music. Winner!

There are some definite standouts on this album — "Nothing Can Stop Us" is a banger — but overall it feels a little uneven. I like the dance club vibe, the distinctively 90s-era beats and the '60s pop furnishings. But the production feels a little wafer-thin at times, and while Sarah Cracknell (who was apparently not yet an official member of the band) has her moments, some of the tracks bury her vocals in the mix, making them feel less than confident. But there is enough here to make me want to dive deeper into their catalog.

Uttered "what the fuck is this" near the end of the album. Clear sign things aren't going well.

"Mom, can we stop at St. Etienne?" "No, Billy, we have plenty of Portishead at home"

Cute but tiring

not what i expected. Really cool some tracks at the end Chill and fruitful

This album was wild emotional swings for me. I would really like it, then be really skeptical, then be really disappointed, then be really confused about whether I liked it. I've listened to it three times and I still can't tell if I like it.

It started with a terrible cover of one of my favorite songs and it didn't get better.

Dub-y and chill. Such an early 90s feel. Carnt Sleep, Girl VII, Spring are the songs I like best.

Enjoyed the ambience of this one!

Singer is okay but the music is weak. 2 stars or D+.

mera chimba de álbum, tiene ahí como sus cosas raritas pero la real si me lo disfruté, y pues me pareció bacano

It was nice to check out Saint Etienne’s debut album, especially since I didn’t realize they went all the way back to the early 90s. This album was a bit more house driven than I was expecting, but I really loved it. It feels like a blend of indie, dream pop, house, and dub. House influenced rhythms and downtempo grooves form the backbone of many of the tracks, while light, jangly guitars reinforce the indie connection. This album also makes great use of samples and loops that draws inspiration from 60s pop and 70s television, creating a hazy, nostalgic atmosphere that almost feels like snapshots of suburban life.

This was fine. Not a fan of the style per se, but it was varied enough. 15 songs is too many.

No sounds, nothing interesting, would rather skin a badger with a toothpick and eat its flesh after dipping it in a river than listen to this.

Not promising to begin with... I dunno it doesn't really feel like Im listening to anything its either unpleasant or just mundane so on average its not average

Its really easy to come out when listening to an album like this, one that'd alright but not too interesting. As such I can't give as in depth a review as I'd like. The first(?) song was kind of annoying but it picked up and the rest was mediocre. High two, low three territory. Trying to avoid giving everything threes. 58/100

I actually quite enjoyed this one surprisingly. A mix with some more boring stuff but there was quite a nice drive throughout the album. Maybe a 4, certainly a high 3.

Didn't really get into it - sounded fine

Is fading into obscurity reason enough to wind up on this list?

I do enjoy trip-hop, and the twee elements are also something I enjoy aesthetically, but Foxbase Alpha feels lacking. I generally enjoy what Saint Etienne is going for, but questionable songwriting/production choices, weak vocal performances (or going too soft) drag some songs down; there is stuff to like, but there's also stuff you have to suffer through.

Hm. Almost Trip-Hop?`Not bad.

I liked a lot of the songs on it

Meh

"Foxbase Alpha" by Saint Etienne just did not work for me. I did not like the album, plain and simple, and none of the songs really made an impression. It is not my kind of music, and I do not see myself coming back to it.

I don't think you can get any more three stars than this.

There’s a few really good songs on here but also a few that didn’t do much for me at all. Overall a nice enough listen but not one I’m ever likely to go back to after today. Top Track - Nothing Can Stop Us

I'd only ever heard the name Saint Etienne before listening to this album, which made me quite excited for it. Although not tonally the same, the "vibe" of the music reminds me instantly of Bjork in it's first song "Only Love can Break Your Heart"; Lambert has a great voice that beautifully fits with backing keyboard. After the Neil Young cover, I was both surprised and not by the historic vocals sampled into electronic weirdness with "Wilson". These tracks must be fun to make, but not always fun to listen to. "Carnt Sleep", although it has nice vocals and bassline it lacks something for me, the track is rather flat whenever the instrumental takes the fore. "Girl VII" had the upbeat dance tempo I was looking for, a fun track for sure. The xylophones and bass at the beginning of "Spring" made me instantly fall in love, both working together beautifully. Combined with dreamy vocals and strings, this is one of my favourites. "Shes the One" was ok, but largely forgettable. I skipped through "Stoned to Say the Least". Whilst I do love a long electronic piece without lyrics, it has to be something that has more going on than this track did. The repetitive sections didn't scratch my brain, and the breaks were largely uninteresting. "Nothing Can Stop Us" brings the interest once again; this band seems to do better when it's doing something more traditional with real instruments. Even the vocal samples work better here, combined with Cracknell's vocals. "London Belongs to Me" was... Nice. Lovely vocals, gentle instruments. It's nothing more or less than that: Nice. I wasn't sure about "Like the Swallow" at first, but I've decided I do have a lot of time for this track, and other tracks like it such as "Black Screen" by LCD Soundsystem and "Travelling at the Speed of Light" by Joywave; these musically expositional tracks that amount to emotionally deep lyrics before leaving the listener to ponder them with an equally long outro. Overall, this album does have a few what I would consider dead tracks that prevent it from hitting a 4. For a debut album though, its no joke.

Not my cup of tea, but it wasn't bad by any means. Solid 5/10.

Досить вайбово, є кілька треків, що запам'ятовуються, тому 2,5

Etienne Gonna Die is interesting enough alone on an album, this was sweet and flowing with enough florality of a nice wine and synthy enough to be a cotton candy cloud in the park during a nap in the grass.

Album 1027 of 1089 Foxbase Alpha - Saint Etienne (1991) Rating : 2 / 5 This one had its moments, but it never quite pulled me all the way in. There are parts of the album where the softer, melodic pop elements work nicely. When it leans into that direction, it’s pleasant and easy to listen to. Unfortunately, it also drifts into electronica territory, and that’s where it tends to lose me. It’s not bad — it just isn’t what I look for when I sit down to enjoy an album. Overall, this was a decent listen. Nothing here offended my ears, and a few tracks were enjoyable enough, but nothing really stuck with me afterward. It feels like an album that probably connects strongly with fans of the genre, even if it didn’t fully click for me.

I could find something enjoyable in this. I can’t quite give it a three but I could probably give it a 2.5. I will round up because I’m feeling generous.

This Is Radio Etienne n/a Only Love Can Break Your Heart 3 Wilson 2 Carnt Sleep 2.6 Girl VII 2.1 Spring 2 She's the One 2 Stoned to Say the Least 2 Nothing Can Stop Us 2.3 Etienne Gonna Die 1.8 London Belongs to Me 2.4 Like the Swallow 1.7 Dilworth's Theme n/a Score: 2.172727273

Great album, vocals were beautiful, but it did get a bit boring for me after a while Favorite song: Only love can break your heart

HOLY FUCKING SHIT BEST ALBUM SO FAR. that autistic lil mouse (complimentary) is so talented and poured so much emotion into this album exit music for a film is just phenomenal and let down made me cry

оч вайбово, но без бенгеров..

Erster Eindruck: voll cool Lieblingssong: „only love can break your heart“ „girl VII“ Overall Rating: 9/10 Andere Anmerkungen: wieder überraschend überzeugt für erstes Mal hören

So happy that I discovered this one, I love the vibes of this album ! Favorite tracks : Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Girl VII, and She’s the One.

I really need to check out more Saint Etienne albums after this one.

some good songs but overall unimpressive

Actually a fun vibe. Don’t know if I’ll be back but won’t rule it out. 3.5

British dance pop. Not as bad as I anticipated. 2.5 stars

For an electronic album, I didn't mind it. It had some fun parts and I thought the Neil Young cover was at least interesting. 3/5 Might listen again

Yer da gave it 5 because he fancies Cracknell. I give it a generous 3 because it's decent but not mind blowing

A surprisingly fun little pop album. Lots of interesting instrumental and sampled elements. The use of breakbeats works exceptionally well. The vocals are a little.. boring? Not to any extreme degree, and maybe not even enough to detract points, but I would have liked something more, whatever that may sound like. The cover of Neil Young’s “only love can break your heart” is a standout for sure, certainly more enjoyable than the original. I am not in love with this record, but we can certainly be friends.

The smug girl on this album cover has been looking down her nose at me for months during our extended hiatus and she had cultivated in me an expectation that I would hate this album as much as I hate her stupid hat and her inexplicably obvious British aura. But I actually had a lot of fun listening to this album. Very vibes. Some of the samples border on so repetitive as to be a little annoying but overall the composition of this album feels thoughtful without losing some degree of playfulness. I don't think I'll listen to it on a weekly basis, but if it were put on I wouldn't object.

Their debut, from 1992. Electronic pop of the time that channels British electro-pop sounds of Pet Shop Boys, Bronski Beat, New Order and others, with rave vibes, house vibes and other dance music shades. Girl VII especially has melodic shades of the Pet Shop Boys song “West End Girls”. “People Get Real” has dreamy pop over electronica drums and grooving bass line At 15 songs, 58 minutes a prime example of the CD bloat endemic to the 1990s. This could have been a super tight single album of about 45 minutes. Some songs could have been fun b-sides, like “Stoned to Say The Least” or “Like the Swallow”. Overall a fun listen from a band I’ve known of but never spent much time with.

I heard of this band, but I had no idea they were an electronic dance music thing. I feel like this sort of thing is waaaaaay overrepresented on here. I'm close to 120 albums in and I've maybe heard 2 or 3 rap albums. I've heard twice as many british electronic dance albums from the 90s. It could be random chance I guess, but 120 albums is a pretty decent sampling... I hate that I always seem to be bringing this point up, but it hurts my enjoyment to feel like I'm having something crammed down my throat. I don't think it's bad music, but I can't give it any better than a 3.

Started off promising, but lost my interest soon after. Stand-outs - Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Honestly surprise hit for me! Loved the pirate radio jumbled vibe, loved the London references, felt the whole atmosphere was wonderful. Don't think I ever encountered this group before now so this is absolutely a 1001 albums win!

це дивно, як цей альбом одночасно звучить як японський сіті-поп, дрім-поп та мадонна початку 90-х. додано в плейлист✅️

I loved the repeated tune in the “radio” track (first track) but the rest of this record is nothing like that. It’s ok, the voices are very 90s (nonchalant, almost out of tune) which bothers me a bit. Some songs are very mediocre, others have a very well executed sonic vibe. Nice to discover, curious what more they got.

2/11, 18%

I can’t give this a 1, just because it’s more compelling than it’s comparables, and I have to preserve the internal scale (between 1 and 2) of bad English music from the 90s. But imagine my disappointment when I saw this pop up and thought “Oh maybe some cool French pop music?” and then discovered it’s ANOTHER ENGLISH ELECTRONIC ACT. My GOD. Neil Young cover absolutely terrible. That’s a 1 star song.

It was fine. 3/4 through most songs I was like yeah ok I get it. Sounds like the type of music Jamie Oliver would choose as a theme song for his shows. It’s pretty creative and it’s cool that’s it’s female led. Nothing really grabbed me.

I kinda liked a few songs, but it wasn’t an outstanding album.

Pretty good album with some good techno beats

Pretty good. Neat little electronic joint

Imagine Massive Attack without any brooding or innovative soundworks. Imagine any of the French triphop or lounge acts without any good melodies. Imagine a machine making radio pop for a club where no drinks are served. It's this.

This may have been good in 1991 but most of these tracks are forgettable.

Pleasant surprise! Very cozy tunes.

This was really fucking weird but in a good way. I think it flowed pretty flawlessly between tracks and overall was a good listen

great, trancey album with dashes of spoken word, loved!

Some great songs, a few I don’t care about but will relisten 4/5

Always a bad sign when your best song is a cover. It was unoffensive, but I didn't get much joy out of it. 2 Stars.

it was okay ! not my super favorite, nothing stood out to me much

Awesome. Really liked this. Listened to a few of their other albums after this. Still super British though. Kind of silly how biased this list is

LOVEEE IT!

I wasn’t super into this one. Some good vocals, but a lot of it was just repetitive beats over weird recordings.

so fun

Whispery dialogue, repetitive beats and lyrics, groove you can't groove to. It's a no for me dawg.

It's alright. Inoffensive. Listenable. I wasn't too impressed with the Neil Young cover. My kid liked it, haha. I came around the latter half of the album. The movie sample quotes were decently used. It's fine.

Not so bad

Favorite Track: Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Always have had a soft spot for this album.

vibey

Fin d'année faiblarde...

Je sais pas si c'est le contraste avec Dead Kennedys, mais valider des ordonnances à 7h le matin ça faisait mieux avec le gros punk. Musique d'ambiance un peu sans saveur.

Plate plate plate. Les influences de club music vont que je ne sais pas quand j’écouterais ça

Is dit een triphop album? Het is heel spacey en de vocals werken heel erg goed, doet me gewoon heel erg denken aan Portishead. En dat is positief, ik vond Portishead best wel vet, enige punt daar is dat het na een tijdje wel gaat vervelen. Dit is volgens Wikipedia ook gewoon een band, maar eerlijk gezegd kan ik het gewoon niet helemaal geloven. Dit klinkt als een elektronisch album, en dan specifiek een triphop/ambient album op bepaalde momenten. Ook de toevoeging van het 'nieuwsitem' door het album heen voegt veel aan sfeer toe. Wel toegegeven; het album houdt niet de hele tijd mn aandacht vast. Sommige stukken zijn heel vet gedaan en dan zit ik op het puntje van mn stoel, maar er is ook een heel stuk mwah en dat weerhoud me er een beetje van om dit 4 sterren te geven. Het is een hoge 3 sterren, dat dan weer wel omdat het wel echt iets anders/unieks doet, maar voor 4 mist het voor mij net dat kleine beetje dat het echt bijzonder maakt. FAVO: Carnt sleep, She's the one, Stoned to say the least, Nothing can stop us

very enjoyable would def add rotation of liked songs. 5/5

Indie classic

It was okay. Not really my vibe.

Not a real fan. It had a few moments but not something I will listen to again and frankly the occasional dialogue made no sense and the entire concept genre was rather boring.

I generally am biased against French music. It tends to be more lyrical, and I don't understand French. This album didn't change that opinion, but it wasn't bad. I just couldn't get into it. I liked the later more experimental style songs more than the earlier ones. I wouldn't probably put this in my top 1001 albums, personally, but it was a good journey.

One of the most boring albums in my life. Not terrible, just whatever

I enjoyed this one - definitely nice to listen to. Kind of mellow and dancy.

It’s not a bad groove

Unique and definitely not my style, but there’s something about this album that stuck with me

Really really like this and could see it growing on me even more. Kind of reminds me of Bjork, a little poppier. Big fan!

2.5

Ok but forgettable.

It started off OK, but then I lost interest.

Much better than Darkdancer, but not really that engaging.

Not bad...solid 3.

No ei iskenyt. 2/5.

Does her version of Neil open a new angle or insight? Nope. So not a good way for me to start things off. Pretty steep foxhole to climb out of. Dance music not my style, sorry, so why include dance music in the 1001 list? Now I'm just irritated.

This is just perfect chill music. I did love the sampling but it made me want to listen to other things more. The cover of Only Love will break your heart was great. The parts didn’t quite amount to the whole, though.

Delightful

Yeah... this was OK. It's not music I go for, I really don't dig samples and beats as the predominant base for anything. This is a generous 3.

wow this was boring

An aural time capsule of the 1990s and a pleasure.

At first, I thought it was a nice album with a good vibe, but it quickly became repetitive. At some point, I just wanted it to end. I guess that was the album's biggest mistake. For that, I’ll give it 2 stars.

I wanted to like it.

Sweet

Trip hop is always a strange genre for me; in the moment I generally love it, and totally groove. But, revisiting it later, it always seems less intelligent. I don't know. Basically I enjoyed this until I didn't. Not a bad album. Very artsy. Fave tracks: - Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Carnt Sleep - Girl VII - Spring - Nothing Can Stop - Kiss and Make Up - Like the Swallow

nice

This was very French and electronic. I guess it is on the list to have more exposure to that intersection.

Wrong list dipshit, this belongs on 1001 albums nobody gives a rats ass about. 1.0

It's aight. Was okay in the background, but not something I'd listen to otherwise.

Great focus edm vibe. Very similar to what you hear today for focus beats.

I really liked the album. I'll definitely listen to it again when I have more time. 4/5

Some great dance songs with hypnotic beats and sampling, and enticing and fun vocals from front woman

Well, I didn't really care for it. I didn't really pay much attention. Not extremely bad, but not good at all.

Liked this, great commuting music.

Nice and mellow.

I listened and immediately forgot.

3 sterne

I almost never listen an album twice on this challenge, but I did so today with Foxbase Alpha. It was a good idea because the more I listen to this album the more I like it, it's early 90s dance music with 60s pop vibes and a lo-fi production. It is different than most dance albums from that era. I was convinced that this band is French given Saint Etienne is a French city and the album opens with a French intro. But after 2-3 songs I remembered they were an English band. They are really pretty unique and I will come back to this album more. Initially a strong 3 star, rounded up to 4 stars.

I enjoy the twee/ indie pop leanings more than I do the dub touches, but overall, it's a smooth hybrid and the vocals are always fetching.

Don't think I'd heard this artist before and liked it well enough on my morning drive in to work

Really enjoyed this album! Not my usual genre but still liked it. I found the lofi production really enjoyable and I loved the samples from movies, gave it a super nostalgic feel. Some parts were super repetitive however and I did feel myself wanting to skip… but other songs really stood out such as Carnt sleep!

I actually lowkey fucked with it

Ugh. Like slogging through dreck.

Maso

I didn't spend a lot of time with this one, but it feels safe to assume it wasn't gonna surprise me in the third act. And I gotta catch up anyway.

I have no idea why I had to listen to this.

This was pleasant throughout, but my interest is limited by the fact I didn’t really like the vocals - her voice and the vocal melodies. I like the fact these songs seem to be created by a bass line-driven song writing process, regardless of electric, acoustic or keyboard bass. That is a strength. If I was a club guy, maybe I would have memories of doing ecstasy and dancing all night to this record, but I don’t have that rating multiplier.

Had not heard of them before. Reasonably pleasant, mostly, but forgettable Euro-weenie blandness.

4.5 - This is a good example of something I wouldn't have given 2 minutes to in the early 90s, but 30 years later, I'm here for the relaxed, downtempo sound. The bass lines, the dreamy vocals, the samples -- all of it. I favorited at least 3 or 4 tracks on my way through. Only Love Can Break Your Heart (thanks, Neil Young), Girl VII, People Get Real were standouts for me. Rounding down to 4, because I might change my mind on it.

Not for me. Good but meh

I actuelly liked the first track, so the second track was a massive letdown. From there on there were moments I enjoyed, om particular the 60’s influenced parts and some of the dub parts. However, in the end I tired of the album and wouldn’t revisit again anytime sooner or later

1.21

Interesting EuroPop rendition of Neil Young's Only Love Can Break your heart but the rest of the album is pretty forgettable mix of pop/dance/electronica. The 60's feel on Spring was ok.

Welcome to the 90s! Loved this at the time, but it’s very of its era now. Can’t say it’s aged too well tbh. 3 for old times sake.

Going with a generous 3. Really enjoyed some of it. Others got a little stale on me. Reminded me of St Bart’s club music in the late 90s early 00s.

This album could be the entire playlist of an H&M store. I like the ethereal sounds and it's definitely unique, but much like an H&M, it's really hit or miss and you get the sneaking feeling that person making the product is not well.

this is fun early 90s proto-euro pop, much more soft and painted in indie sensibilities before the ace of base-ification of pop a few years later. amazing how 35 years later this album shows NO signs of being dated at all

this was actually surprisingly cute! i like them! it felt very teen movie, pop indie esque.

Beginning the album with two interludes and a Neil Young cover reduces the impact of what's otherwise a dreamy, pretty album

There’s some great tracks on here, and overall it’s enjoyable enough background music, but it goes on way too long and I’m having a hard time believing I needed to hear it before I die. 4/5 Highlights: Only Love Can Break Your Heart People Get Real Nothing Can Stop Us Kiss and Make Up

I've only heard a couple things from this group before hearing this album. But I'm kinda familiar with the genre so I'm sure I would know my reaction when it was released: 1992: meh... I'm not into this. 1996: yeah I kinda like this! 1999: dude I'm SO into this! (Ten years + of no listening) 2000something: yeah I remember loving this! So on and so forth until today. But I actually don't know the record. So now my thoughts are: ......it was okay.

Well well well..Finally a girl album. Yay. My French isn't great so I missed some intent. Liked the percussion intros. Girl VII spoken monotone words sounded like she ripped off Madonna a bit. Listened before? N Saved some tracks? Y Favorite tracks: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Can't Sleep, ⭐⭐⭐ Wish it could be more

Repetitive and annoying. Way too long before I was even halfway through. I actually did not need to hear this before I die. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): N/A ⭐: Hated it.

Meh

At their best, they make fair music. At their worse they are dull & repetitive. I just don't care for this type of music. It does absolutely nothing for me. The Neil Young cover is serviceable, I guess. Nothing Can Stop Us is the best song. My favorite parts were in between songs & the end because it had no music. 1

I get bored so easily, I just don't think this is my type of stuff.

Good? Yes. Worth listening? No.

not my style

I had never heard of these folks before, but enjoyed this album quite a bit. Lots of interesting melodies and beats, interesting vocalizations and effects.

Один з небагатьох прикладів бритнаської поп-музики на межі 80-90, яка мені по справжньому подобається. Клубний поп, створений щоб під нього рухатися. Топове інтро, є супер хіти, дабовий бас, стилістично різні треки. Далі гурт трохи змінить звучання своє, але й далі теж хороші альбоми будуть.

Знав звідси only love can break your heart (звісно), решта альбому теж доволі цікава місцями.

Really enjoyed it, a fun listen 4.25/5

You know what, slay

great vibe for kicking out the rainy day blues

Not my cup of tea. Not a fan of dance music, was good though, but as said not for me. 4/10

Only love can break your heart is a top five all time TRACK

Starts good, but then, no.

Surprised me. Very of its time.

Café music innit. Probably really wish they were Stereolab.

No. 330/1001 This Is Radio Etienne NR Only Love Can Break Your Heart 3/5 Wilson 2/5 Carnt Sleep 3/5 Girl VII 3/5 Spring 3/5 She's the One 2/5 People Get Real 3/5 Stoned to Say the Least 2/5 Nothing Can Stop Us 3/5 Etienne Gonna Die 2/5 London Belongs to Me 3/5 Kiss and Make Up 3/5 Like the Swallow 2/5 Dilworth's Theme NR Average: 2,61 Something about this album just annoyed me for the most part.

Cool, I liked this. A bit samey after a while.

DO YOU WANT SOME. SWEETS WILLY? what a funny little album.

I always had a bit of a schoolboy crush on Sarah Cracknell. She looked like your mate's mum who was attractive and would come and chat to you about music and say things like "It's got a good beat." Anyway, she wasn't a proper member yet, BUT that is what this music is. Music a hot mum would make and tell you it's got a good beat. And sometimes it does. Best Tracks: Only Love Can Break Your Heart; Spring; Nothing Can Stop Us

Wonderful album that was off of my radar. A touch BritPop, a touch Twee, a touch Serge Gainsbourg. Really surprised this wasn’t on my radar before now.

Standouts are Only Love Can Break Your Heart and People Get Real. It’s like a whole album of Vogue.

Fun, quite unique, and well executed. Not something I'd get particularly excited about, but it was a joy in my ear.

I've never listened to this album (53). A bit forgetable, background music.

I love the positivity that radiates from this album. I can imagine the leaves rustling and the birds chirping, with the sun brighter than ever and hoping every minute lasts. I also like the way they incorporate sampling into the album. Highlight Song/s: Only Love Can Break You and Wilson

Awful. The song Wilson is a bit sus. Check their browsing history and lock them up.

Not for me at all, found it kinda dull

Some nice highlights but unfortunately as a whole the album is a bit boring. Just not my thing, but I can appreciate why it's influential

Honestly, not much that is very noteworthy here. Their cover of Only Love Can Break Your Heart was ... fine? I found Wilson to be more interesting, with the layered vocal conversations, but this is basically Pink Floyd set to a beat. This music feels like a good substitute for ambient music - it's decent "mood" music for vibing to without giving it too much attention. When I was able to give it some attention, I was pleasantly surprised by some interesting lyrics. But getting to that point was a bit of a chore.

I can't remember the last time I had fairy floss. I don't want to either.

Kiss and make ..out? In general I liked it, it was not "obtrusive", just some soft music. In the beginning it gave me the feeling that it is typical 90`s . And also kind of "ace of base" atmosphere a little bit. But I didn't get the radio interruptions

1.6

This is a fascinating listen, especially for evaluating speakers or headphones. It’s not a “hi-fi reference” album in the traditional sense, but it’s richly layered, sonically playful, and reveals a lot about how your system handles texture, space, and rhythm. This would be an album I would include into a speaker demo.

I liked a couple, didn't like a couple and didn't understand the rest!

After about listening to about 500 of these albums I come to the conclusion that if they are British and unknown to me it is of a genre I like to call aggressively mid. They have no defining qualities other than it's a genre the author doesn't really understand and picked a British band that has those qualities and just signed off on it. Is this bad? No. Should this be on the list? Also no. Does anyone ever need to listen to this album the whole way through in one sitting? If you want to get angry about being bored then sure.

I don't think I've ever heard of this band or album, so I have no expectations going in. Wilson was a nicely trippy track, slightly Avalanches-esque, Girl VII reminded me of Ramblin' Man by Lemon Jelly. Every other track was pretty bad, tedious and overly electronica. Also very London-centric. No thanks.

I had heard of St. Etienne, but had never listened to her before. It's not something I would ordinarily choose, but I didn't mind having it on.

It has an intersting vibe, but it also drags for far too long.

This had some really good moments but also some weaker songs. But it’s nice to let it play in the background.

8/10… indie pop / 90s dance / trip hop / *1991

this was an absolute banger. this is an album that I will let ride on car trips. Great house music, background jam.

New-to-me group. Solid 3 stars, not bad but nothing remarkable.

Pretty decent. Nothing I didn’t like. Good, but not amazing.