Black Sun (Kode9 & the Spaceape album)
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| Black Sun | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 18 April 2011 | |||
| Genre | UK bass[1] | |||
| Length | 45:42 | |||
| Label | Hyperdub | |||
| Producer | S. Goodman | |||
| Kode9 & the Spaceape chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Black Sun | ||||
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Black Sun is the second and final collaborative studio album by Kode9 & the Spaceape.[2] It was released on 18 April 2011 through Kode9's record label Hyperdub.[3] It received generally favorable reviews from critics.[4]
Black Sun is Kode9 & the Spaceape's second collaborative studio album, following Memories of the Future (2006).[5] Kode9 took a sabbatical from teaching at the University of East London.[6] In a 2011 interview, the Spaceape cited his recent reading of "classic" writers H. G. Wells and George Orwell, as well as the film directors David Cronenberg, Michael Haneke, Alfred Hitchcock, and Akira Kurosawa, as the influences on the album.[7]
Black Sun includes contributions from Cha Cha and Flying Lotus.[8] The album's cover art is designed by Optigram.[9] The album comes with illustrations by Raz Mesinai that visualize the album's story.[10]
The Spaceape died on 2 October 2014, and Black Sun became their final collaborative studio album.[2]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 80/100[4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The A.V. Club | B+[11] |
| Fact |    [12] |
| The Guardian | [13] |
| MusicOMH | [14] |
| Pitchfork | 7.7/10[15] |
| Resident Advisor | 4/5[16] |
| The Skinny | [17] |
| Tiny Mix Tapes | [18] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Black Sun received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 80 out of 100 from 12 critic scores.[4]
Alex Macpherson of The Guardian stated, "while 2006's Memories of the Future captured the nocturnal smokiness of traditional dubstep, Black Sun is more about richly textured, pitch-shifting synths and spidery rhythmic workouts."[13] He added, "It's often engaging, but the way it discomfits is rather expected, a well-worn sonic language of alienation and dystopia."[13] Nate Patrin of Pitchfork commented that "instead of sinking into a single-minded atmosphere of futurist foreboding, the music is more sprightly and intricate," adding that "tension and anxiety don't always have to be cavernous and austere, and Black Sun reveals a way for dubstep's vanguard to express their more ominous impulses in a way you can still dance to."[15] Michaelangelo Matos of The A.V. Club stated, "In spite of its sprawling palette, Black Sun is tight and compact, an album rather than simply a showcase."[11]
Accolades
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fact | The 50 Best Albums of 2011 | 34 |
|
| Rough Trade | Top 100 Albums of 2011 | 89 |
Track listing
All lyrics are written by S. Gordon; all music is composed by S. Goodman.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Black Smoke" (featuring Cha Cha) | 4:51 |
| 2. | "Promises" | 3:33 |
| 3. | "Am I" | 3:40 |
| 4. | "Love Is the Drug" (featuring Cha Cha) | 2:59 |
| 5. | "Neon Red Sign" (featuring Cha Cha) | 3:17 |
| 6. | "The Cure" (featuring Cha Cha) | 3:46 |
| 7. | "Black Sun" (partial eclipse version) | 5:28 |
| 8. | "Hole in the Sky" | 2:16 |
| 9. | "Otherman" | 4:23 |
| 10. | "Green Sun" | 4:33 |
| 11. | "Bullet Against Bone" | 3:48 |
| 12. | "Kryon" (featuring Flying Lotus) | 3:06 |
| Total length: | 45:42 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.[21]
- S. Goodman – production
- S. Gordon – vocals
- Cha Cha – additional vocals (1, 4–6)
- Flying Lotus – additional production (12)
- Optigram – cover art
- Raz Mesinai – Black Sun story illustration
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Dance Albums (OCC)[22] | 35 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[23] | 38 |