Ecstatic Computation
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| Ecstatic Computation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 3 May 2019 | |||
| Genre | Electronic[1] | |||
| Length | 36:06 | |||
| Label | Editions Mego | |||
| Producer | Caterina Barbieri | |||
| Caterina Barbieri chronology | ||||
| ||||
Ecstatic Computation is a studio album by Italian composer Caterina Barbieri.[2] It was released on 3 May 2019 through Editions Mego.[3] It received universal acclaim from critics.[4]
Caterina Barbieri is an Italian composer.[2] She released Vertical (2014), Patterns of Consciousness (2017), and Born Again in the Voltage (2018).[2] Ecstatic Computation is her debut studio album for Editions Mego.[5] It was released on 3 May 2019.[3]
Barbieri later released Fantas Variations (2021).[6] It contains reinterpretations of the album's song "Fantas" by Evelyn Saylor, Bendik Giske, Kali Malone, Walter Zanetti, Jay Mitta, Baseck, Carlo Maria, and Kara-Lis Coverdale.[7]
Ecstatic Computation was reissued in 2023 through Barbieri's record label Light-Years, with "Perennial Fantas" added as a CD-only bonus track.[8]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 84/100[4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| Exclaim! | 9/10[10] |
| Pitchfork | 7.8/10[11] |
| Resident Advisor | 4.0/5[12] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Ecstatic Computation received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 84 out of 100 from 6 critic scores.[4]
Paul Simpson of AllMusic commented that "the album is deeper, darker, and trippier than any of her previous releases."[9] He added, "Intense, emotional, and often revelatory, Ecstatic Computation further establishes Barbieri as a truly visionary artist."[9] Layla Fassa of Resident Advisor stated, "Stylistic influences and sonic textures are varied, yet they're cohesive."[12] She added, "The result is an album that's both provocative and blissful."[12] Joseph Burnett of The Quietus stated, "Even in its most unsettling moments, such as the silent gaps that punctuate the synth notes on closer 'Bow of Perception', Ecstatic Computation retains a sense of expanding horizons and joyful experiments."[13]
Accolades
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fact | The Best Albums of 2019 | — |
|
| The Quietus | Quietus Albums of the Year 2019 | 3 |
|
| Resident Advisor | 2019's Best Albums | — |
|
| The Wire | The Wire's Top 50 Releases 2019 | 41 |
Track listing
All tracks are written by Caterina Barbieri.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fantas" | 10:31 |
| 2. | "Spine of Desire" | 1:32 |
| 3. | "Closest Approach to Your Orbit" | 6:30 |
| 4. | "Arrows of Time" | 4:37 |
| 5. | "Pinnacles of You" | 5:47 |
| 6. | "Bow of Perception" | 7:03 |
| Total length: | 36:06 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 7. | "Perennial Fantas" | 7:48 |
| Total length: | 43:54 | |