Foxbase Alpha

I don't hate it, but I don't get it.

The fillers were fluffy and light but doubt they work on repeated listening. An album of mixed styles that is jolly in places, feisty in others and mundane elsewhere.

Fine

This album was alright, fairly easy to listen to, some good bits, but not really memorable, in some parts I found the singing a little bit difficult

Some of it is interesting but mostly just repetitive and simple sounding stuff. Really edges you on Hey Jude with the loop on Wilson, just have to put that on after to finish.

Intro sai karvat nousemaan pystyyn huonolla tavalla, mutta loppulevy olikin ihan viihdyttävää settiä. Sopii hyvin töiden, autoilun tai videopelien taustamusaksi.

2.5 - This could maybe be a three? But I'm gonna leave it at a 2.5 because, while I didn't mind the songs that weren't the hit, they aren't super memorable to me. I wish everything was as special as that hit, but alas, it's not.

2.5

Eh

Great!!!

It was decent enough that I want to look at their other stuff. I like house/electronic vibe usually but got pretty bored on some of the songs. Rating: 3.0

Fun. especially the Neil Young cover. I trailed off a bit in the back half but it was mostly nice.

So 90s

Interesting album, I really liked the vocals and I ended up listening to the whole album 2.5 times. I probably wouldn’t recognize their songs if I heard them again though. 3.0

Enjoyable, but not super memorable.

I liked this album more as I continued to listen to it. It definitely had some good vibes and would accompany a drive or a workout very well.

This was alright. Kind of fun at parts. Not something I would come back to though. It drags a lot.

3.5

What an up and down album! The start had me worrying a bit, but I found 'Girl VII' to be a pretty cool song that pulled me attention to it somehow. Then followed a couple of pretty nice songs, along with 'Stone To Say The Least' and 'Nothing Can Stop Us' which were really nice. I don't know why, but they just brought me to a nice place, being nostalgic about something I can't put my finger on. They also just fitted very nice together and created a certain mood. I'm drawn to putting a 4 star rating since it was long time ago that I was surprised like that, and there were a handful songs that really grabbed me for some reason. But there are also quite a lot of really boring songs that draw down the whole album, like 'Etienne Gonna Die', and 'Wilson' for example.

This was a cool album. It's like a mix of pop and trip-hop. "Only Love Can Brake Your Heart" has a really good beat from the get go. Then the following songs are a bit boring but "Girl VII" was kind of fun and reminded me of Vogue with its spoken word. The magic is from the first track is found again with "Spring" before it becomes a bit boring again. I feel a bit disappointing since they clearly have something going but fail to stick the landing a lot of the time. Some really nice tunes in here but i can't shake of the feeling of boredom of the majority of songs.

OK, feel like I’m gonna take shit for this one, but ….. not bad ….. Between the title and the intro song I thought, “ Oh crap do I really have to listen to this whole thing?” The song song was just Meh But then #3, Wilson really made me depressed that I was gonna have to listen to the whole thing. From that point on though, most of the songs had low-key club by that reminded me of Sade. The kind of stuff I wouldn’t mind having out in the background I was getting some work done. Maybe I like it as much as I did after the first three songs is because it lowered my expectations so far OK tunes made me feel somewhat elated !

Some songs were good. Some were not

90s dance music with 80s vocals. At times it bangs at other times it drags. 6/10

Not bad just not for me

Fine. This album probably sounded much fresher and cutting edge when it was first released. Now it sounds kind of stale/boring/cliche, but still has some catchy moments.

This was pretty good. I’ve heard of Saint Etienne but never heard them. Kind like Belle and Sebastian meets Portishead. I might check out more.

Nice and easy to listen to. Cool in the background while I worked, but didn’t blow me away. If another album by this band came up on the list, I wouldn’t be mad.

Initial thought before starting my listen: Oh good, another 90s album that's almost an hour long. I'll get myself ready for a nap. It didn't put me to sleep, to be fair. I was pleasantly surprised to find a dance-pop record. The beats are good and the low mixing of the vocals actually works most of the time. Much of it still fell into the background for me, unfortunately. This is a great Vibes album, but Vibes aren't personally engaging for me, especially with house music. And not to sound like a broken record with my reviews, but this really didn't need to be 58 minutes long. Highlights: Only Love Can Break Your Heart (another album that opens with a good cover), Girl VII, People Get Real, Nothing Can Stop Us, London Belongs to Me, Kiss and Make Up

purrr

3,5

This is just ambient music, so if you’re into that this is great

Enjoyed this album in general, nice chill out vibes. But aside from the two songs I already knew I didn't find it that memorable. I can see why it's considered influential though, it fits in well with the likes of Stereolab, Happy Mondays, Primal Scream, etc.

Sexy. 3.75

Strong 6

Þetta var ljúft en fljótt að gleymast. Allt í lagi bakgrunnsmúsík myndi ég segja og ég myndi setja hana á sem matarmúsík ef ég man þá eftir því en ég mun líklegast ekki gera það.

I did not like this album. It was the same song for 58 minutes. It didn’t clurb hard enough nor did it 1960s hard enough.

lovely funky little album 3.5/5

Unexpected Richard Whiteley sample

A cool sound for its time. Kind of an industrial feel, hip-hoppy without rap (for the most part). It’s pretty good, although at times it felt slightly aimless, as if the musicians had no idea what they were banging on about. The singing is typical of the genre, being light and airy in contrast to the heavy instrumental. One element of 90s hip-hop that’s included here is skits, which (thankfully) are short but still unnecessary. Some of the tracks are great, including Carnt Sleep, Stoned to Say the Least (what a fantastic atmosphere! seriously.), She’s the One, Only Love Can Break Your Heart. Most of the others are pretty forgettable, but musically still quite interesting in their own right. The album, in my eyes, hasn’t aged particularly well, but for its time it’s seriously impressive.

Decent, relaxing Trip-Hop that didn’t require much effort to listen to. The ‘Would you like some sweets, Willie?’ sample was a bit odd, but overall, not bad

Not really my cup of tea

Cool music, light, interesting arrangements, but a little dusty sounding and lacks the assemblage of the bowl. A matter of taste, of course.

Definitely euro. The inbetween time of 1980’s and 1990’s electronic.

A nice pop take on club/dance music

Not bad to have on in the background, but the best part was the random songs Spotify played after this album in the same genre.

Actually enjoyed this. Very diverse sounding tracks. Not sure what rating to give.......

It's a good album to listen to in the background while doing something. At least some songs are.

So, so. It did not resonate with me.

It's a vibe.

I didnt mind this one

This was generally enjoyable, nudging towards four star territory, pulled back by a few dull two star moments, coming out as a solid three star entry that I'll happily return to one day.

Early 90s indie dance crossover that brought us the angelic, divine Sarah Cracknell, who's shimmery silver dress at Glastonbury 1994 *awakened* something deep inside that lives on to this day. "Nothing Can Stop Us Now" is an effortlessly cool summer jam that evokes visions of driving in a top down convertible through villages in Cote D'Azure, scarf billowing out the back. They would go on and make better music, but sometimes it's nice to remember those early days...

Decent

Hadn't heard of these until their recent renaissance, and hadn't explored enough to know that they were actually around in the early nineties. Spotify told me this album was from 2009 (which on further investigation it definitely isn't), and that didn't feel wrong. First track is great, unfortunately the rest of the album doesn't live up to it. Feels in places like a lighter weight Avalanches record, with the slightly odd sampling (come on auntie, we'll miss the bus) and ambience. Not a bad listen, but not really a good one either. I think it just squeaks a 3.

This album has the energy of a low-key party. There are dance beats and upbeat tunes but nothing too clubby. There’s also a Sade energy in the music I’m enjoying. Some songs are druggy and spacey. It’s a nice mix and it was fun background music while getting ready to go out this morning.

"Only Love Can Break Your Heart" is a really cool track. The drum sample is reminiscent of "new jack swing" in the 1990's, and the vocals are like an indie pop flavor that sits really well on top of the upright piano and synths underneath. There's a nice mix of songs on this album. Sometimes it hurts the straight-listen-through vibe though. Like "Carnt Sleep" into "Girl VII" is two really different energies between eight minutes of music. Makes it hard to put the album on and then just jam away.

An interesting mix. I wouldn't put it on this list myself, but it was good.

Favorite tracks: Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Carnt Sleep Rating: 3/5

3.5 Standouts: Only Love Can Break Your Heart

House music - repetitive. weird.

Not bad. Also not great either

Some interesting tracks but not for me

Well, this was kind of disappointing. I've known the cover of Only Love Can Break Your Heart for a while now, and that song is a solid bop and a half in the right move, but it seems the rest of the album is struggling to reach that same level of excellency within the trip hop genre. That isn't the say the album is bad, because it isn't, but it leaves you not really thinking much other than "okay," and that feels sometimes like a greater tragedy than an album being bad with one good song. Instead, this just lands somewhere in the middle of pretty much everyone's scale of alright-ness, and not much else needs to be said.

It was kind of all over the place. Some of it I really enjoyed, some of it I wasn't sure what I was listening to.

Sounds like the 90's idea of the future.

If they could tighten this thing up to about 45 minutes it'd be a four for me, but there's around 15 minutes of filler scattered throughout the record that weigh it down as a listening experience. Generally appreciate the mood they capture though.

Wasn't super into this, but didn't really dislike it, either. Fine for background music.

3 stars

Fine?

This is one of those albums I don’t know how to rate. I can understand that’s it’s technically good and the artist is proficient at what they do, but that genre isn’t really for me. I guess I’ll go with a 3 since I didn’t hate it but I doubt I’ll ever listen to that again.

This was a Cook Collection of Beats and singing but it wasn’t really anything amazing.

Pas désagréable, mais vraiment bof, dans le genre musique d'ascenseur. La reprise de Neil Young me fait dire que quand même, c'est pas mal, Neil Young. Pas déçu du tout, mais pas transcendé non plus.

A strange one for me. I absolutely loved this album when it came out; had the CD and played it to death. But perhaps I played it too much or my tastes changed, because I went off it quite substantially, and I haven't listened to it in ages. A relisten puts me somewhere in the middle. I like it, but don't love it - a fairly strong three.

Decent

Lovely background grooves. Put it in and only noticed it was over when it was done. Fitted my work day perfectly

Funky and catchy instrumental but the vocals became overly repetitive and annoying at times

Not really my genre, but I still appreciated its weirdness. To electronic for my liking nowadays, but would have loved this when it came out in the 90s

Habile mix 90s acid house avec des tonalités pop 60s. La voix est un peu limitée.

Background music, easy listening, slid into boring pretty quickly. The ones with a high play count on Spotify are probably the standouts for me as well.

pleasant alt dance, sometimes dream pop-ish. But unfortunately some songs (almost half of them) are a miss. It doesn't get better than the first song. Still 3 stars is deserved

Interesting

I thought I'd like this more. I knew Spring before, because my sister showed me the song. But that was about the best from the album. I liked some of the shorter experimental ones. + Wilson + Carnt Sleep + Spring

I had previously only heard Only Love Can Break Your Heart! Not sure how I feel about it tbh, some friends of mine love this album but I wasn't so taken with it. Good background music, I wonder if I were in an altered state and not at work if it would be more impactful. Stoned to Say the Least for example, right now just sounds like pretty good on-hold music. But if I were stoned, to say the least, maybe its transcendent?

This was not at all what I expected based on the cover art. There was a kind of trip hop vibe to it. Pretty unremarkable overall. The lightest of 3s.

Not too bad as background music, and I can see how this had some influence down the line, but some of it sounded like stuff that I could have made in garage band. Some decent songs but a few were rather weak.

Another album that makes me question why it's on the list. It's not bad but other than the very weird Neil Young cover, I don't find it to be particularly interesting or emotional. It does have a "dreamy" feel but it didn't win me over.

This album has the most unique Neil Young cover I’ve ever heard. The rest is just fine though it does sound like a decent amount of work went into making this album. No was this makes the list if the writers are not mostly Europeans. Was Stoned to Say the Least sampled by Kanye on Fade?

This was okay. In general, songs with vocals were better than the instrumentals. Some songs were just too long and monotonous.

Best Song: Nothin Can Stop Us. Has a nice retropop feel. The woodwinds are a nice touch. Worst Song: Stoned To Say The Least. Sounds like the soundtrack to a boring video game level. Overall: Pleasant but very mild electro-pop. It does nothing to excite, but also nothing to offend. Perfectly fine music to put on in the background.

I think this probably had a big influence a lot of music I like, and yet the sound of this album just doesn’t really do it for me.

"Foxbase Alpha" by Saint Etienne is an album that marked the intersection of indie pop and dance music when it was released in 1991. It showcases a unique blend of electronic beats, samples, and Sarah Cracknell's dreamy vocals. Tracks like "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" and "Nothing Can Stop Us" stand out as catchy and accessible moments on the album. The production incorporates elements of house music, creating a danceable and upbeat atmosphere. However, "Foxbase Alpha" can be inconsistent at times. Some tracks don't quite reach the same level of engagement as the standout ones, resulting in a somewhat uneven listening experience. While it was influential in its time, it may not have the same lasting impact as other albums from the era. In sum, "Foxbase Alpha" is a notable album in the early '90s indie dance scene, deserving a 3/5 rating for its innovative sound and memorable tracks, despite its occasional lack of cohesion.

Saint Etienne straddle a line between chilling out and dancing (usually on the same song). Unfortunately, there's not much substance here They can't find a vocal sample that they don't repeat over and over...and over...and over. "Carnt Sleep" is a cool song, but I didn't hear many alluring melodies until "Like The Swallow" and the too brief "Dilworth's Theme." There are enough tiny hooks to keep it interesting, but a completely unnecessary cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" *almost* ruined the record for me - Leading off, it set the wrong tone for me and set me against the album. But, they pulling me back in. I think the album could grow on me if I wanted to put in the time.

Feels very 90’s British electronic dance pop… Really not bad at all, kind of a nice listen.

interesting...

Started out sooostrong and my attention slowly dropped away. Really enjoyed the subtle shifts in tone and tempo but I did find the melodies and vocal performances lacking on a few tracks. A few I'm definitely coming back to though! Three and a half. Fave track: Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Decent club music from the early 90s. Not great by any measurement, and not an album I would say needs to be heard by anyone before they die. That said, I have a soft spot for this music that I grew up with, and its not a "bad" album. 3/5

I was vaguely aware of Saint Etienne, but I thought they were more shoegaze and less indie-retro-pop. I actually think I may have been confusing them with Pale Saints, or other bands of that time. Very chill, nice beats with a retro 60s vibe. Ultimately got a bit boring and there wasn't anything that really stood out. Definitely a 3-star album for me; I liked it, but I won't go out of my way to revisit it.

It's mellowish and lacks some energy, even the upbeat Girl VII doesn't seem to carry any pizzazz.

Unfortunately pretty boring. It starts off with Only Love Can Break Your Heart which is a banger. The vibe/sound is great... good soft electronic dance with a cool echoy ethereal voice... they just need better music. Stoned To Say the Least also kind of gets there, but there's not enough else to push it higher.

I don’t think Saint Etienne hit their stride in this first album but it’s an enjoyably enough slice of dance music with retro inflection.

I'm not a fan of club culture and house music, but the 60's pop influences they inflect in their music was refreshing. A pleasant soundtrack to my afternoon, though I doubt I'll listen to this often. Interesting , but not essential for me. Bonus points, the cover art is cute and fun!

I enjoy an album like this one that - while not necessarily having a theme - ties a lot of the songs together, almost a cohesive listening "experience" if you will. Bonus interest in having seemingly-random samples and movie/tv clips to put me in a different listening place. Small downside in this case is that a lot of the songs tend to blend together (which I realize is almost a contradictory complaint), so I'm not sure I can pinpoint a favourite track or 2, more that this is a vibe album. Some with vocals, some less a song and more a trance chillout (e.g. "Stoned to Say the Least"). It's a bit of "let's try a bunch of stuff" which does go hand in hand with this being their debut album. In the end, I'm not sure *why* I like it but it does seem to fit really nice with a summer early morning downpour**. Highly melodic and breezy - I'm not sure there's enough *there* there to give it a keeper's 4 (e.g. there are a few lousy low-effort ones - "Kiss and Make Up" is just weak fluff - other lesser cuts near the end too...) but a strong 3 seems right as it's prompted me to listen to more of the group's later material. 6/10 3 stars **since I wrote that I've been thinking about how many ratings I may have given to albums i'd previously been unfamiliar with that are/were based on that day's mood or circumstance or weather or whoknows. If this album had come while I could only listen while driving 500km by myself I might have fallen asleep or been annoyed as hell etc.

Wouldn't listen again but for a first time not a terrible experience

3.5/5

Not bad electro flow pop

Cool alternative dance album. 3.5 stars

Pretty unimpressed through most of this. The Neil Young cover (of a song I like a lot) didn't do much for me. Mostly it was my usual issue with this kind of music, just the repetition of simplistic lines. If there's some deep nuance or subtle complexity to it I'm not getting it. The interstitial found sound bits and clips seemed random and not particularly inspired. But then it surprised me with the last couple songs which I though surpassed anything else in the album.

The bass guitar is the star here.

It seems to get on this list for a 90s album is to poorly cover one song from the 60s then ramble or meander through the rest of the songs for about 35 minutes. Lemonheads was another example of this.

Nice chill background music but nothing too exciting

abit too much trip pop for me in the last 5 tracks, before those a couple of pretty good tracks (Girl VII, Spring, Carnt sleep)

6/10. Honestly maybe deserves a better score, I liked this way more they I expected to like a house album that was shortlisted for a mercury prize

It was pretty fine, a little ambient. 6/10

60s pop and 90s club culture combine to form a largely pleasing mixture. Very summery.

One shouldn't put a ton of stock in my review of this album. I listened to it on a day I switched from Adderall XR to Vyvanse, which is like going from espresso to Sanka. That being said, I sort of loved this (the album, not Vyvanse, Daddy's back to his true love tomorrow).

Cette horrible ville qu'est Saint-Etienne.

Pas tout à fait compris ce que venaient foutre les Verts dans cet album, Robert des explications ??

Dance alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.

Meh

I like the vibe of the album but the final couple of songs didnt really do much for me. "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" was good. 2.8/5

When there was music it was good.

Charming in its way, if a bit bland, with a chill vibe that's easy on the ears. The band takes a very subtle approach to incorporating several musical styles with a clever use of sampling. A little goes a long way. Fave songs: Nothing Can Stop Us, People Get Real, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, London Belongs to Me, Stoned to Say the Least

3/5. Some good electronic dance songs with some ones that are definite repeated listens. Can get a little old near the end but definitely a fun album. Best song: Only love can break your heart.

«Stoned to Say the Least» is very nice. The whole album is nothing really special. Only few songs give me chance to score with 3.

This was pleasant. Nothing really had a big impact on me, but it was a pleasant listen.

For a lot of this album, if there were no vocals and I was told this was a soundtrack for an upcoming Streets of Rage game, I would believe it without question. There are a handful of tracks that feel too slow for it, though, and some that are too major-y like London Belongs to Me. Weirdly sad album for how the instrumentals feel. The release I listened to has 2 songs I don't see listed here, People Get Real and Kiss and Make Up. The Neil Young cover is interesting as an opener for the album, the arrangement is pretty cool.

This was perfectly fine but I can’t imagine any reason why anyone must hear this before they die.

There wasn't anyone named Etienne and I couldn't identify any saints. There was a really good Neil Young cover though.

Spotify has been pushing "Nothing Can stop Us" my way for quite a while and I enjoy it, with it's combination of baroque pop and punchy electronic production. The rest of the album doesn't sound too different from many of the electronic/acid jazz/trip hop coming out of the UK in the 90s, so why Saint Etienne gets the nod I'm not sure, other than the fact they were a bit ahead of the curve (1991) and they're from San Francisco. Some of the shortish snippets are annoying. That, combined with the fact that the most listened to track is a Neil Young cover, isn't saying much about the song-writing

Good

Dig the vibe. Downtempo for the most part, but engaging throughout. Could definitely see myself putting this on while driving during the summer. Had never heard of them before this and will be added into my rotation. 3.5/5

I did not get much out of this. I was not bad, but I don't think it's anything special.

Verrassend album! Misschien toch een roadtripwaardig album voor onderweg naar La Douce France? In een normale setting zou ik het niet mega snel aanzetten.

Toen ik de cover zag dacht ik dat het echt een schijt album zou worden, maar het heeft mij positief verbaast. Kon er wel lekker op viben in de auto!

Prima maar ook weer niet zo veelzeggend. Sommige dingen ook doorgespoeld omdat ik er een beetje gek van werd. Las dat het lijkt op Primal Scream die we al geluisterd hebben, maar dan vind ik dit wel echtttt de mindere versie van. Mis hier weer héél erg de 2,5, maar dan maar 3

Best leuk album

It's fine for what it is. I guess if you had a head full of molly it's easy to listen to. If you like melodies or bridges or even a drum roll you are out of luck. Sorry, you just get one rhythm for straight minutes

This was a nice album.

Enjoyable album.

I liked some of the album, good vibe, albeit a bit of pic and mix style, but not bad tracks... and then there's the rest of the album... just noise and eventually vocal... I really had to stick with it waiting for tracks to go somewhere and then just left me hanging. So in summary, some of its listenable.

I can't place this in a genre. It's modern yet retro. Loads of acid house vibes but with unexpected vocals. One thing that stands out as a negative is the repetitive use of samples. I like samples but only if they're used a little more cleverly that the same one on repeat.

Really a funky kinda groovy thing for the most part. Kinda fun. 3.5

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Very interesting to hear the use of samples done so early, felt like a predecessor to Lo-Fi music. Vocals were alright but I enjoyed the instrumental portions a good amount. Had never heard of this band before.

Entertaining. Would rate 4 if it was a bit shorter.

something i’ve learned from listening to a bunch of new albums is that i don’t love techno. this album is no different but it’s a little better than the other ones i’ve heard so far

90s

Fine pop album just not really my style

This is fine. I like early 90s UK trip hop, dubby, jazzy, breaky stuff. This is a decent example but nothing beyond the opening track stands out.

3 stars

Not my style - but fun, quirky, and eclectic

The subtle pop songs were was rescued this French dance number from the brink of a two. Slightly better than the other faux french electro we had recently.

There were some really interesting moments and intepretations of other songs on this. Not my bag but I was okay with carrying it for a while.

Fun indie pop with a rock edge. Tinges of dance music as well. Fun catchy song writing. Hints of electronic music as well.

Kultsjanger fra en tid 10-20 år før dette ble albumet. Det har sin sjarm, men også sinebegrensninger

Still enjoyable but nothing outstanding

A lovely bit of British whimsy.

An album with flashes of trip-hop mastery, but certain tracks caused it to fall from a 4 to a 3. Solid for a debut album.

Lovely and spritely

Ok techno album, enjoyed the listen, not probably going to listen again

The Saint Etienne stop on the sample music train is one tethered to time but quite attractive in its dubby way. It doesn't present as a lost classic and the influence seems to have waned, but the sounds are still here, a little overstuffed.

Fun album! I liked Spring, Nothing can stop us and Carnt Sleep. Some of the lyrics were a bit repetitive and the housy things were not really my thing. I think I might come back to it though, it might grow on me

HL: “Like the Swallow”, “Girl VII”, “Spring”, “Nothing Can Stop Us”, “London Belongs to Me” Some unexpectedly psychedelic moments (like “Wilson”) I liked; I’m confused as to why, with all the influences and genres at play, the album as a whole sounds *dry*. Is it a victim of the early CD era? I was going to add the album was overlong, but turns out I had a deluxe version which was about 10 mins longer. November 19, 2022 CanCon alert:🚨 They said Winnipeg

I always like Saint Etienne's music: it never knocks me off my chair, but it's always pleasant and relaxing. And that goes a long way! P.S. Their 2021 album, I've Been Trying to Tell You, is quite good, too.

I loved this album when it was originally released. Girl VII was my gateway to London as I started to explore the city in the early 90's. Saint Etienne managed to make Kennington, Silvertown and Tooting Graveny sound glamourous. It's lost a little of the appeal over the years. It still has a nice slouch feel without ever being seedy. Some of the samples get on your tits after a while.

Pretty interesting house/pop album. I could feel the vibes.

I really like the sound of the album and I guess St Etienne may have influenced a lot of the 00's dream pop acts like Beach House or indie pop acts like The Radio Dept. But it's a bit long and a bit too unfocused when it comes to song writing. It's an OK experience and the influentialness is definitely showing.

A vaguely EDM album which seems about 20 years ahead of its time.

Light and airy, a precursor to Air and late 90’s early 2000 electronic

Atmospheric tones

Another cooky sample party that is fun at times

I found this album to be chill and easy to listen to, but the majority of the tracks are in my opinion small steps above the background rhythms one might find on a synthesizer organ. If not for a few decent tracks, I would have gone to 2.

Kinda nice

In the '90s, electronica was trying hard to sound like hip-hop. It made many new subgenres. And of course, not all of them worked.

Easy to listen to and enjoy. Nothing complex, just simple goodness. I like their version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart. 3/5

Decent dance music. ”Nothing Can Stop Us” is great

Not bad. Got better as it went along. I did think it was a bit uneven though.

Love the album and its title, looks like an iconic poster. The music itself is decently great though it can get a bit tiring after a while. One of the more happy trip hop albums I've heard. Their cover of Only Love Can Break Your Heart is a highlight and one of the best covers I've heard for a while.

good easy listening music

I’ve never heard of this band but they were cool

Pleasant enough but meh.

I liked this well enough. It kind of faded into the background, but I think it was supposed to, to some extent. I was impressed that it was from 1991, as I would have guessed it came some years later. I'm going to give it credit for really helping to create a sound that was later often imitated in the late 90s.

rilassante, particolare.

An okay album from what I remember. It kinda of was just background noise on my morning walk.

Dreamy and warm

Chill, retro synthpop.

Cool dance music

Nice sound, some catchy tunes but also tedious at times

Great album, but unfortunately not entirely to my taste, but despite that this is absolutely deserving of at least a 3.

Didn't love it, but they get an extra point bc of having a song called stoned to say the least lmao. Maybe stoned this album is better

fine, euro-poppy upbeat stuff

Cute left-of-centre dance-y, pop album. Fun but slight.

Not crazy about it but it was fine. Decent beats are kind of fun, but I prefer some other artists. 6/10

Foxbase Beta.

beta

Dance alternativo. Ni fu ni fa.

"Foxbase Alpha" is steeped in a strange flavour of nostalgia: we hear radio broadcasts, old 1960s film samples, the quiz show "Countdown" and more. It's a fun concept for an album: create a strange world existing in between the stuffy post-war generation and the raved up optimism of the early 90s. But it doesn't always fly. We begin with a radio announcer's anthem, bursting out its fanfare several times in succession before giving way to an inspired house-style cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart". It's one of the most esoteric introductions to 1991 I've ever heard. This opening is Saint Etienne's most well-known track and for good reason- it really does work and lovingly evokes the time it was made in. The other hit was "Nothing Can Stop Us" (apparently there's a version out there with Kylie on vocals) which is similarly enjoyable for its immediacy. Elsewhere we range from decent downbeat club tracks ("She's the One") to syrupy, cringeworthy pop ("London Belongs To Me"). Then there's "Stoned to Say the Least", which stretches its repeated bassline to breaking point over nearly eight minutes, while "Wilson"'s "would you like some sweets, Willy?/Come on Auntie, we'll miss the bus!" is one of the most grating samples I've ever heard and I'm banishing it to my nightmares after hearing this. I'm not exaggerating when I say it nearly tanked the whole thing. It's all alright in the end, though, as "Like the Swallow" feels like a worthy tribute to the album as a whole: sometimes boring, but always evocative, pretty, and strange.

Meh… if I could give this album 2 1/2 stars, I would, but since I can’t, I will give it three because I liked it more than I disliked it.

It was alright, liked a few songs.

This was a fun French album. Nice easy listening and not awful bike ride music either. Only love can break your heart stood out

This album was quite enjoyable. I found it reminiscent of Portishead, except with a light and poppy sound where they are dark and ethereal, like the other side of the coin. I liked their selection of samples and inclusion of radio/film dialogue in a couple sections. I did not particularly like the Neil Young cover, surprised it is their top song. The vocals are too far back in the mix, the bass is too forward and the rhythm is kind of clunky. All the other songs I thoroughly enjoyed and overall found this to be quite a soothing album. Fav Tracks: Carnt Sleep, Nothing Can Stop Us

I liked this but couldn’t find it on streaming so listened on YouTube with ad breaks and not the best sound! Enjoyed it enough that I might look to get hold of my own copy.

Nice one.

It's pretty daring starting your album with a Neil Young cover, but it's a fun one! Unfortunately, for me, the album just continues without reaching any heights or standout songs. Sarah Cracknells voice makes it a pleasurable listen. A bit like a less dark and more easy-going poppy Portishead. It's really not a bad album and I didn't mind the 3 full listens, but it has not opened any deeper sound or feeling. A 3,5* album

OK - Neil Young cover is one track I would listen to again.

Happy background music

Huh. Can't say I loved it, but there were a few enjoyable tracks, at least. Faves: "Spring" and "She's the One". All were at least solid, but I can't say there were a ton of standouts, or that I'd relisten. Still, worth your time for sure. 3 stars from me.

3.5

Decent

punky and fun! euro. possible 4? eh. 3.

Snatches of brilliance abound here - Only Love Can Break Your Heart turns Neil Young’s dirge into a celebratory moment of recovering from heartbreak catharsis and Nothing Can Stop Us is a charming and uplifting warm and mellifluous track. However, there are also snatches of odd cuts and movie samples to no seeming purpose - it all feels like padding which infuriate where instead you could imagine a glorious electronic song cycle.

At times, Ethereal, and others, Exhausted.

Didn't love it but also didn't hate it! Interesting sound.

Not even sure what genre this music is, but it was very interesting 3/5

groovy baby

above average thin jungle-y 90s club hits with some French Cocateau Twins-esque singing + maybe a little too many radio samples. 2nd half feels a bit stronger than the 1st

I love her cover of Neil Young. And some of the ambient tracks were okay....some weren't.

Looks very 60's but is actually early 90's. This is the debut album of an english club music group. Lovely vocals float over synth, sampled loops, drum machines, etc. Highly produced but nice enough as cool mood music. I imagine Don Draper's second wife, Megan, low energy dancing with a drink in her hand.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect going into this one. It's always refreshing to get an album that is completely new to you. Anyway, I thought this album was decent. Started out interesting enough, although it gets a bit boring by the end. I kind of dig stuff like this from time to time. Nothing particularly stands out, though. It does have a nice flow and stays consistent. Would you like some sweets, Willy? out of 10.

Interesting proto-trip-hop like album. It is perfectly good music, but didn't sway me one way or the other. The layering in some of the songs is quite fantastic though.

Generic. Easy listening for students.

This was better than Smoker's delight, in terms of background music. It also offered just enough to be more than background music. However will I be reaching for it often? No, I will not.

goed voor achtergrond met een paar nummers de die aandacht grijpen. Must listen? nou ik zou iets anders opzetten op men sterfbed

coole intro, en ook een zeer goed achtergrondalbum, zeker iets dat ik wil onthouden

It was OK - very of its time and felt like a bit of an in-joke in places.

1991, британский поп, дебютный альбом. Смесь танцевальной музыки, электроники и попа - на выходе лаунж, который можно включать в кафешках. Лучший трек: Only love can break your heart (кавер на Нила Янга).

Everything about this album is just okay. Started out pretty strong but songs just started to sound the same before long. Not amazing not bad l. Just okay.

Just ok tbh

Leuk, maar 'vergeetbaar'!

Ik vond dit verrassend leuk. Kende het helemaal niet, maar goeie sfeer.

Niet onprettig en luistert lekker weg. Maar als je me nu vraagt om uit te leggen wat dit precies was, dan gaat me dat niet zo 1-2-3 lukken.

Ik had hier nog nooit van gehoord. Weer eens iets anders. Geinig.

From the cover I thought this was going to be some kind of twee.pop, so I was kind of surprised as I started to listen. It's a nice collection of chill dance beats coupled with a pleasant voice. Nothing against this one.

The cover of Neil Young's 'Only Love can break your heart' is a brilliant fusion of classic 60's folk rock and 90's acid house. The rest of the album doesn't quite hit the same heights but is still an enjoyable listen.

Dance. Tranquilo.

A lovely chilled vibe, perfect for a sunny Sunday morning. Would revisit

Nice, chill Sunday listen 👌

I listened to a lot of this kind of danceable British indie but never turned on to this. Noticeable dub influence a big plus.

A curious opening, unexpected but refreshing. Strong ace of base vibes with an airy twist. Mildly repetitive lyrics but not unpleasant. Suitable for including in an operating theatre playlist with elements for everyone to enjoy. Unusual interim tracks that left a little to be desired, definitely needs to be listened to in track order to feel the flow. Pairs well with an espresso but not a good combination with a more stiff drink.

Refreshing house music enjoyable to dance or study to. I enjoy the 60s aesthetic combined with synth. My favorite tracks were "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", "Carnt Sleep", "Spring", "Nothing Can Stop Me Now", and "Kiss and Make Up".

- good background music, cool bass - repetitive beats (apart from like the swallow) - doesn't feel like it's pushing the buck that far, wondering why it's in the top 1001?

Niet echt tijd gehad om goed te luisteren. Was wel oke maar niks bijzonder imo.

Mysig vibe! Det känns som man är på semester, på någon slags resort och problemen i livet är väldigt få. Väldigt mellow elektroniskt tycks fungera rätt väl för mig. Det är dock inte något som kommer kvala i vardagslyssningen tror jag, utan kommer kanske mer användas som en flyktväg, en väg in i paradiset där problemen av vardagen inte finns. Men även sånt behövs. Bäst: "Only Love Can Break Your Heart"

Some nice pop tracks but not many that stand out and grab your attention. Faded into background music for the most part but definitely not bad

Anime closing music

It was... inoffensive. Billed as "trip-hop", I found it less atmospheric than others in the genre I've liked, with a few high points. Pretty good samples though.

Decent background music and some recognisable hits

Chill dance house vibes

v indie

Nice album

I don't listen to dance music, but this is fun, and I enjoy the mix of spoken word and sung lyrics. Sarah Cracknell's voice is GREAT. Not the kind of music I turn to normally, so nice to have a chance to give it a listen.

sounded to me like Madonna slightly.

It's ok. Got a good beat. I can dance to it.

Was a fan. Pretty chill music, great to listen to during work. Thought the shoutout to Countdown was pretty funny (start of 'Stoned to say the least').

House pop. Solid 3, nothing can stop us now is rad. Not my bag

Enjoyable bass lines and vibes. Nothing to shout about and had a few misses but enjoyable all the same

3.2 - Vaporous and sunny house pop, with lots of 90s tropes - crackly record sound, house drum tracks, light female vocals. Think of a souvenir shop in a European beach town, or sitting by the pool on Fire Island.

Suave, instrumental, relajado, pausado, tranquilo. Sin muchas florituras. Fácil de escuchar. No sorprende, pero no disgusta

weird beginning but overall liked it

ok! buenaaa

J’aime ce genre d’electro keyboard etc. Mais j’ai eu meilleur dans cette liste. 3.5

I knew "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" without knowing this band or album. Sounds of its era - dub, triphop influences. Repetitive bass lines and organ. Can hear lots of variety of influences. Wanted to like it more than I actually did.

nice, but kind of forgettable in the end.

Where is the 3.5 star?

Good vibes.

Catch parts but not a fan of dance music

3.5 stars

Ehh. Not my bag.

Not my favorite and went into Bjork radio after so weird

It improved as it went on but… just not really my kind of music. Doesn’t help that this is my third day in a row with this kind of thing

A relatively tedious, shallow quasi-trip-hop record. The Neil Young cover is bad.

Está entre agradable de tranquis y aburrido

Ah Yes, the 90s, when everything was a break beat. If we're comparing it to blue lines by Massive Attack, which is the most recent album from a similar genre, I would say this album has a little bit more going for it. The main vocalist has a decent voice, and some of the sampling is clever and trippy. I would easily give it a stronger two than blue lines, but I'm on the fence on whether or not it deserves a three.

I wanted to like it more but it just sound kind of bland to me.

Some catchy beats, just not my taste.

4/10

5/10

Een wat apart album, met als verbindende factor vooral dat het duidelijk klinkt als eind 80's/vroege 90's. Synth pop, triphop, reggae, ambient, early house. Allerlei genres komen voorbij en toch verveel ik me, aangezien bij de eerste vier nummers al een keer of drie het tempo er compleet uit is geslagen. Dit zijn wel die albums die me soms kunnen verrassen, maar helaas is dat deze keer niet het geval. Het klinkt me allemaal wat te oud, het is wat saai en het pakt me niet. 2 sterren omdat ik het echt iets te saai vind voor een voldoende.

eh, didn't really care for it.

Really weird. It’s like the soundtrack to an alternate universe. Idk. (15 songs, 58 mins)

Very boring, not my vibe at all

Boring

So far this just sounds like a tv broadcast. Wow does this sound dated. I’m on track 8 and it’s finally getting better. I got through the first seven and barely noticed them. And then track nine is boring again. This a long album. It goes between good and “when does this track end”.

Not my thing but ok

Best Songs: Spring, London Belongs to Me Overall, I like the idea of the album and the cover art but felt bored while listening through it. Spring and London Belongs to Me really show how great this sound could have been but I feel as if some songs are there just to be there.

I am not into club/house music really, but this was pretty cool and the club/house element is only one of the influences here. There's quite a bit of indie influence too.

This is like Screamadelica-lite, like if The Lightning Seeds were fronted by a woman who idolises PJ Harvey a bit too much. It’s ok, but it’s not interesting, and I don’t remember anything about it, really.

did not finish, kinda bland

Música para festa indie

I finished it but not for me.

Chill beat stuff from the early 90s. Not bad, but some songs have a “strike a pose” vibe. But there is some experimental stuff that redeems it a bit. 2.8/5.0

Wanted to like it more, too much sameness and weird samples

It’s just not very interesting is it?

groovy and chill, me gustó como para dejar de fondo. me hizo acordar un poco a lo que escuche de sade estos ultimos dias

In the early 90’s stores in the mall played music off of huge 4-track cartridges the corporate office would send each store. I pierced a lot of ears at The Earring Tree to “Only Love Can Break Your Heart”

Listened to it twice at work yesterday. Nothing stuck. Unremarkable. Didn’t annoy.

Pretty, sometimes too pretty, but was good for flow state while running

I didn't hate it but it was just a bit boring. I can imagine this was nice when you were on a comedown in a grotty bedsit in the 90s though. Not for me

This gets an extra star for the Neil Young cover, which is still a classic. But I'm not even sure the rest of this merits a 2. Admittedly, I Iost patience ~half way through and just skimmed the songs after Stoned to Say the Least. But this feels like a dorm room experiment that should have stayed as a fond college memory.

The singer has a decent voice, but once again it's another overlong boring dated techno album. This one also has a terrible Neil Young cover. I just don't get why there's do many albums like this on the list.

No thanks. Boring. Annoying. Tries to go somewhere interesting then just lets you down.