Shelley's on Zenn-La
2018 studio album by Oliver Coates
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Shelley's on Zenn-La is a studio album by English cellist Oliver Coates. It was released on 7 September 2018 through RVNG Intl. It received universal acclaim from critics.[1]
| Shelley's on Zenn-La | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 7 September 2018 | |||
| Length | 38:40 | |||
| Label | RVNG Intl. | |||
| Oliver Coates chronology | ||||
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Background
Oliver Coates is an English cellist from London.[2] After releasing Upstepping (2016), he got signed to RVNG Intl.[3] Shelley's on Zenn-La is his third solo album.[4] In between, he collaborated with Mica Levi on Remain Calm (2016), and with Laurie Tompkins on Ample Profanity (2018).[5] The album imagines the defunct Stoke-on-Trent nightclub Shelley's Laserdome on a fictional planet called Zenn-La.[5] It features contributions from Malibu, Chrysanthemum Bear, and Kathryn Williams.[6]
The album was released on 7 September 2018 through RVNG Intl.[7] Music videos were released for "Charlev",[8] "A Church",[9] and "Norrin Radd Dreaming".[10]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 81/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The 405 | 8.5/10[11] |
| AllMusic |   [12] |
| Drowned in Sound | 6/10[13] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 8/10[14] |
| Loud and Quiet | 8/10[15] |
| MusicOMH | [16] |
| Pitchfork | 7.7/10[17] |
| Resident Advisor | 3.5/5[18] |
| The Skinny | [19] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Shelley's on Zenn-La received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 from 11 critic scores.[1]
Adam Badí Donoval of Bandcamp Daily stated, "With Shelley's, Coates abandons the vaporous ambience that typified his earlier work."[20] He added, "Eschewing the avant-garde aesthetic, this album displays the producer's heart: ecstatic avant-pop blended with shades of IDM."[20] Paul Simpson of AllMusic wrote, "More than just a worthy successor to Upstepping, Shelley's on Zenn-La reconfigures both modern classical and electronic dance music, producing a wholly original work which knows no boundaries."[12] Aidan Daly of The Line of Best Fit described the album as "renewed proof of Coates' gift for flexing considerable technological and musical muscle without ever becoming alienating."[14]
Accolades
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loud and Quiet | The Loud and Quiet Best 40 Albums of 2018 | 10 |
|
| Mixmag | The Top 50 Albums of 2018 | 30 |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Swollen Spiraling Face" (featuring Malibu) | 3:13 |
| Total length: | 41:48 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.[24]
- Oliver Coates
- Malibu – spoken word vocals (on "Norrin Radd Dreaming")
- Chrysanthemum Bear – all other vocals
- Kathryn Williams – flute (on "Perfect Apple with Silver Mark")
- Rafael Anton Irisarri – mastering
- Andreas Lubich – vinyl cut
- WWFG – design