Held (album)
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| Held | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 27 August 2012 | |||
| Genre | Electronic | |||
| Length | 35:16 | |||
| Label | Tri Angle | |||
| Producer | Holy Other | |||
| Holy Other chronology | ||||
| ||||
Held is the debut studio album by English record producer David Ainley under the pseudonym Holy Other.[1][2] It was released on 27 August 2012 through Tri Angle.[3] It received generally favorable reviews from critics.[4]
Held is a follow-up to Holy Other's debut EP, With U (2011).[5] It was created in his bedrooms in Manchester and London.[5] It took him about three months to finish the album.[5]
Teengirl Fantasy's remix of "Love Some1" featuring Kelela,[6] Tim Hecker's remix of "Held",[7] and Fort Romeau's remix of "Held" were released digitally, after the album's release.[8]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 75/100[4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Beats Per Minute | 82%[9] |
| DIY |   [10] |
| Fact |  [11] |
| MusicOMH | [12] |
| NME | [13] |
| Pitchfork | 8.0/10[14] |
| PopMatters | 7/10[15] |
| Resident Advisor | 4/5[16] |
| The Skinny | [17] |
| XLR8R | 8/10[18] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Held received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 from 21 critic scores.[4]
Bram E. Gieben of The Skinny commented that "It is an album of contradictions: his productions are minimal and sparse, but richly layered and deeply textured, with washes of synths, sampled and treated vocals and tight, subtly-structured drums."[17] He added, "The real triumph of Held is emotional – rarely has instrumental electronic music been so heartfelt; simultaneously transcendent, uplifting, stately and sad."[17] Ruth Saxelby of Pitchfork stated, "His music is of the wholly sensual, painfully physical kind, and with Held he triumphantly translates his bruised intimacy to full-length format without losing any of its skin-prickling power."[14] Jamie Milton of DIY called the album "one of the most powerful records to be released in a very long time."[10] Andrew Ryce of Resident Advisor stated, "Despite all the hints at depression, Held is a strangely uplifting record."[16]
Accolades
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beats Per Minute | The Top 50 Albums of 2012 | 29 |
|
| Crack | The Top 100 Albums of 2012 | 58 |
|
| Les Inrockuptibles | The 100 Best Albums of 2012 | 73 |
Track listing
All tracks are written by Holy Other.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "(W)here" | 3:49 |
| 2. | "Tense Past" | 3:52 |
| 3. | "Inpouring" | 2:46 |
| 4. | "Love Some1" | 4:28 |
| 5. | "U Now" | 3:59 |
| 6. | "In Difference" | 2:41 |
| 7. | "Past Tension" | 2:56 |
| 8. | "Held" | 6:07 |
| 9. | "Nothing Here" | 4:24 |
| Total length: | 35:16 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.[22]
- Holy Other – production
- Matt Colton – mastering
- Dr.Me – design
- Riyo Nemeth – photography
Charts
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Dance Albums (OCC)[23] | 30 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[24] | 41 |