On a Mission (Katy B album)
Encyclopedia
On a Mission is the debut studio album
by British dubstep singer Katy B
. The album was released on April 1, 2011, by Rinse
and Columbia Records
and in the USA on the 13 September. Katy worked with producers and writers DJ Zinc
, Benga, and Rinse FM
founder Geeneus. Katy had been recording songs for the album since June of 2007 and continued recording for three years until December 2010. The album was heavily influenced by the singer’s life experiences and her journey into the music world.
The album received positive reviews from music critics. Many appreciated the album’s sound, deeming it original, sharp, thrilling, solid and brilliant and others. The lyrical content received heavy praise, liking Katy’s projection of emotion in to the work and the messages it sends out. Lyrically, the majority of the album's songs are based on Katy’s life experiences of love, heartbreak, boys, and clubbing. Musically, On a Mission is rooted in the electronic dance
genre, while incorporating elements of dubstep
, garage
, UK funky, house
and R&B
in its production and beats. The album debuted at number 2 in the United Kingdom. The album was nominated for the 2011 Barclaycard Mercury Prize.
The album had a total of five singles released between 2010 and 2011. The first two singles from the album, "Katy on a Mission
" and "Lights On
", was released on August 22 and December 10, 2010 and peaked in the United Kingdom in the top five position, reaching number five and four respectively on the UK Singles (The Official Charts Company
). The third single, "Broken Record
", was released to commercial success in the UK, peaking at number eight on the charts. The last two singles from the album, "Easy Please Me
" and "Witches Brew
", failed to mimic the success of the first two singles from the album, peaking at number twenty-five and one hundred twenty-eight on the charts.
genre, incorporating its subgenres, including dubstep
, garage
, UK funky, house
, rave
, and drum and bass
.The album also takes subtle influences of contemporary R&B
and 90’s dance music
. The album most notably showcases Katy B’s warm, natural vocals with a feel of hostility and flirtatious eminating through the songs. The music on the album has been compared to notable act in the United Kingdom like the Sugababes
in the early stages of their careers, Basement Jaxx
, Kathy Diamond
, , and Lily Allen
. The songs are rich in melodies, hooks and on-point lyrics. The lyrical content is centered around themes of relationships turning bitter and envious, boy troubles, and clubbing in London, noted by many critics, from a rare genuine and frank perspective .
“Easy Please Me” is a dubstep song that features a casual rhyme and some humor in its lyrics, poking fun at rube-boy mentality. The production of the track is centered around bouncy rakish beats and ringtone synths. “Perfect Stranger” features influences of ecstatic jungle sounds and a bassline reminiscent of UK funky and dubstep music. “Broken Record” is a song a "like-a-bro-ken rec-ooooord" hook that is repeated near the end of the song with influences of techno , drum and bass and electro. The vocals on the track range from melodic to intense to ambiguous. The song is similar in sound to the song “Let Me Be Your Fantasy” by Baby D. “Katy on a Mission” features the use of strong vocals over sounds of buzzing electronic synthesizers, chunky, stuttering beats and soulful, cooing hooks. “Witches Brew” was written about sly seduction. Its production is centered around synthesizers, breakbeats and influences of neo-soul tones and electro.
Two songs from the album, “Power on Me” and “Go Away,” are about the dynamics of relationships. Power on Me displays vulnerability in Katy’s vocals and is built over a funky house groove with synth tones similar to those by Axel-F. Go Away is structured as a down tempo trip-hop and trance ballad.
Disappear is an introspective track about love and identity that features jungle sounds.
The production of “Hard to Get” is centered around an acid jazz sound with the use of trumpet. Near theend of the song, Katy gives shout-outs to her family and friends. Lights On is a ragga tinged song that features Ms Dynamite. Movement features the influence of house music
reports a score of 7.4 based on twenty-four professional reviews. Natalie Shaw of BBC Music
wrote that it "moves through house, dubstep, drum’n’bass, rave, UK garage and RnB with ease, attacking each with such accessibility it’s not hard to imagine each track topping the singles charts". She described the production as "sharp and cutting throughout, never losing its feverish hi-NRG" and noticed that Katy B is "a new breed of singer, adding a vibrant gloss to a new combination of sounds with a charm and personality all of her own". Nate Patrin of Pitchfork Media
called her "a genre-spanning pop singer who isn't tied down to a single thing, no matter how well it suits her" and felt that "what puts On a Mission over the top is Katy's way of expressing herself with emotions that extend past "wooo, druuunk" into more nuanced and detailed relationships with booming systems and the people who flock to them". Ben Hogwood of musicOMH
praised Brien's ability of "projecting emotion" as well as her voice, saying it "could easily sing the front page of the South London Press and have you clamouring for more" and called the lyrics "brilliantly written, at times extremely profound while at others throwing off the shackles for a night's partying". Alexis Petridis
of The Guardian
wrote that Brien "scrupulously avoids the kind of melismatic over-singing that is the female pop star's usual lot in a post-TV talent show world" and felt that On a Mission "almost uniquely for pop music about clubbing, sounds like the work of someone's who's actually been to a club". Jon O'Brien of Allmusic defined it as "a strikingly self-assured and original affair which not only convincingly captures the sound of contemporary London nightlife, but also reflects the voices of much of her late-teens/early-twenties generation". Noel Gardner from Drowned in Sound
called it "a sterling debut" and described it as "a pop album which comes off as written from life while also addressing the concerns of its audience". Marianne Halavage of The Herald
found it "brilliant" and described it as "an urban electronic feast of everything from funky house to drum’n’bass and rave". Alex Denney of NME
hailed it as "the British pop debut of the year".
Kitty Empire from The Observer
called the songs on the album "12 solidly built tunes that reflect her love of the euphoric rush of clubbing, of falling in love and the comedowns in their wake", while Simon Price of The Independent
described On a Mission as "a debut album of subtle, mature, intelligent electronic pop, reminiscent of Sugababes
before it all went wrong" and felt that it "sounds like a modern pop classic". Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine
felt that it is "a bright, cheerfully mainstream-friendly record that's almost completely built from the ingredients of much darker, grimier dance music subcultures" and noted that it "has already turned out some of the smartest dumb music in years". Rick Pearson of the Evening Standard
called it "thrilling, original and utterly of the moment" and stated that "dance music has discovered a new star". Alex Macpherson from FACT noted that Katy B is doing "something that literally no one else is at the moment: personality-driven music with a distinctive feminine voice that’s deeply rooted in underground scenes, but whose blithe lack of concern for their phallocentrism erodes the self-imposed boundaries they set up" and called On a Mission "a significant landmark album for both British dance and British pop". Gavin Martin of the Daily Mirror wrote that Brien "effortlessly glides through a template that mixes dubstep, garage, house and grime on this appealing, user-friendly debut", while Robert Copsey from Digital Spy
called the album "a collection of well-groomed songs loaded with earworm hooks, rich melodies and on-point lyrics that focus on music itself rather than homing in on a particular trend". Thomas H. Green of The Daily Telegraph
described it as "efficient, likeable, club-friendly pop, with the house numbers less memorable than the drum and bass leanings".
On Tuesday 19 July it had been announced that the album was one of the nominees for the 2011 Mercury Prize.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by British dubstep singer Katy B
Katy B
Kathleen "Katie" Brien, better known as Katy B, is an English singer-songwriter and a graduate of the BRIT School. She is a dubstep, R&B, funky, house and UK garage singer and has also performed under the name Baby Katy. She was born in Peckham, South London...
. The album was released on April 1, 2011, by Rinse
Rinse FM
Rinse FM is a London-based community radio station, licensed for "young people living and/or working within the central,east and south London areas.". The station plays grime, dubstep, UK garage, funky, drum and bass and other genres....
and Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and in the USA on the 13 September. Katy worked with producers and writers DJ Zinc
DJ Zinc
Benjamin Pettit, better known by his stage name DJ Zinc, is a drum and bass / breakstep DJ from the United Kingdom. Zinc is well known for 1995's "Super Sharp Shooter", a hip hop / jungle fusion.-Biography:...
, Benga, and Rinse FM
Rinse FM
Rinse FM is a London-based community radio station, licensed for "young people living and/or working within the central,east and south London areas.". The station plays grime, dubstep, UK garage, funky, drum and bass and other genres....
founder Geeneus. Katy had been recording songs for the album since June of 2007 and continued recording for three years until December 2010. The album was heavily influenced by the singer’s life experiences and her journey into the music world.
The album received positive reviews from music critics. Many appreciated the album’s sound, deeming it original, sharp, thrilling, solid and brilliant and others. The lyrical content received heavy praise, liking Katy’s projection of emotion in to the work and the messages it sends out. Lyrically, the majority of the album's songs are based on Katy’s life experiences of love, heartbreak, boys, and clubbing. Musically, On a Mission is rooted in the electronic dance
Electronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
genre, while incorporating elements of dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
, garage
2-step garage
2-step garage, or simply 2-step, is a typically English style of modern electronic dance music, and a relatively popular subgenre of UK garage.A transcription of this article is available as a PDF file.-Characteristics:...
, UK funky, house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
in its production and beats. The album debuted at number 2 in the United Kingdom. The album was nominated for the 2011 Barclaycard Mercury Prize.
The album had a total of five singles released between 2010 and 2011. The first two singles from the album, "Katy on a Mission
Katy On a Mission
"Katy on a Mission" is a song performed by British recording artist Katy B. It was released by Rinse accompanied by a b-side entitled "Louder" as her debut single and lead single from her forthcoming debut album, On a Mission on 22 August 2010. The song was co-written by Benga, Katy B and Geeneus,...
" and "Lights On
Lights On
"Lights On" is a song performed by British recording artist Katy B and serves as the second single from her debut album, On a Mission. It features UK-based R&B singer/ rapper Ms. Dynamite. It released in the United Kingdom on 10 December 2010 as a digital download...
", was released on August 22 and December 10, 2010 and peaked in the United Kingdom in the top five position, reaching number five and four respectively on the UK Singles (The Official Charts Company
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
). The third single, "Broken Record
Broken Record
"Broken Record" is a song performed by British recording artist Katy B and serves as the third single from her debut album, On a Mission. It was released in the United Kingdom on 25 March 2011 as a digital download...
", was released to commercial success in the UK, peaking at number eight on the charts. The last two singles from the album, "Easy Please Me
Easy Please Me
"Easy Please Me" is a song by British singer-songwriter Katy B from her debut album On a Mission. It was released as the album's fourth single on 3 June 2011.-Music video:...
" and "Witches Brew
Witches Brew
Witches Brew can refer to:*A synonym for Potion.*Witches' Brew , a fantasy novel written by Terry Brooks.*Witches Brew , an underground European record label....
", failed to mimic the success of the first two singles from the album, peaking at number twenty-five and one hundred twenty-eight on the charts.
Composition
"On a Mission" is an album structured in the electronic dance musicElectronic dance music
Electronic dance music is electronic music produced primarily for the purposes of use within a nightclub setting, or in an environment that is centered upon dance-based entertainment...
genre, incorporating its subgenres, including dubstep
Dubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
, garage
2-step garage
2-step garage, or simply 2-step, is a typically English style of modern electronic dance music, and a relatively popular subgenre of UK garage.A transcription of this article is available as a PDF file.-Characteristics:...
, UK funky, house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, rave
Rave music
Rave music may either refer the late 1980s genre or any genre of electronic dance music that may be played at an electronic dance party such as a rave. Very rarely, the term is used to refer to less electronic related genres glam, powerpop, psychedelic rock and dub music parties...
, and drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
.The album also takes subtle influences of contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and 90’s dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
. The album most notably showcases Katy B’s warm, natural vocals with a feel of hostility and flirtatious eminating through the songs. The music on the album has been compared to notable act in the United Kingdom like the Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
in the early stages of their careers, Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx
Basement Jaxx are a British electronic dance music duo from London, England consisting of Felix Buxton born 1971 and Simon Ratcliffe born 1 December 1969. They first rose to popularity in the late 1990s...
, Kathy Diamond
Kathy Diamond
Kathy Diamond is a funk/disco house singer-songwriter from London, England. She was born in Sheffield in the north of England. Her love for soul and disco started at an early age, gaining inspiration from Donna Summer....
, , and Lily Allen
Lily Allen
Lily Rose Beatrice Cooper , better known as Lily Allen, is an English recording artist and fashion designer. She is the daughter of actor and musician Keith Allen and film producer Alison Owen. In her teenage years, her musical tastes evolved from glam rock to alternative...
. The songs are rich in melodies, hooks and on-point lyrics. The lyrical content is centered around themes of relationships turning bitter and envious, boy troubles, and clubbing in London, noted by many critics, from a rare genuine and frank perspective .
“Easy Please Me” is a dubstep song that features a casual rhyme and some humor in its lyrics, poking fun at rube-boy mentality. The production of the track is centered around bouncy rakish beats and ringtone synths. “Perfect Stranger” features influences of ecstatic jungle sounds and a bassline reminiscent of UK funky and dubstep music. “Broken Record” is a song a "like-a-bro-ken rec-ooooord" hook that is repeated near the end of the song with influences of techno , drum and bass and electro. The vocals on the track range from melodic to intense to ambiguous. The song is similar in sound to the song “Let Me Be Your Fantasy” by Baby D. “Katy on a Mission” features the use of strong vocals over sounds of buzzing electronic synthesizers, chunky, stuttering beats and soulful, cooing hooks. “Witches Brew” was written about sly seduction. Its production is centered around synthesizers, breakbeats and influences of neo-soul tones and electro.
Two songs from the album, “Power on Me” and “Go Away,” are about the dynamics of relationships. Power on Me displays vulnerability in Katy’s vocals and is built over a funky house groove with synth tones similar to those by Axel-F. Go Away is structured as a down tempo trip-hop and trance ballad.
Disappear is an introspective track about love and identity that features jungle sounds.
The production of “Hard to Get” is centered around an acid jazz sound with the use of trumpet. Near theend of the song, Katy gives shout-outs to her family and friends. Lights On is a ragga tinged song that features Ms Dynamite. Movement features the influence of house music
Singles
- "Katy on a MissionKaty On a Mission"Katy on a Mission" is a song performed by British recording artist Katy B. It was released by Rinse accompanied by a b-side entitled "Louder" as her debut single and lead single from her forthcoming debut album, On a Mission on 22 August 2010. The song was co-written by Benga, Katy B and Geeneus,...
" was released as the album's lead single on 22 August 2010 through Rinse FMRinse FMRinse FM is a London-based community radio station, licensed for "young people living and/or working within the central,east and south London areas.". The station plays grime, dubstep, UK garage, funky, drum and bass and other genres....
, where it debuted on the UK Singles ChartUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at number 5; also managing to top the dance chartUK Dance ChartThe UK Dance Chart is a chart compiled by The Official Charts Company from sales in record stores and digital downloads. Although the chart does not currently receive any airplay on the radio or television, the chart can be viewed on the BBC Radio 1 and The Official Charts Company website.Digital...
and independent releases chartUK Indie ChartThe UK Independent Chart or Indie Chart is a chart of the best-selling independent record releases in the UK.- History :In the wake of punk, small record labels began to spring up, as an outlet for artists that were unwilling to sign contracts with major record companies, or were not considered...
.
- "Perfect StrangerPerfect Stranger (song)"Perfect Stranger" is a song by live electronic music project Magnetic Man featuring English singer-songwriter Katy B. It is the second single to be released from their debut album Magnetic Man, although it can also be found on Katy B's debut album On a Mission...
", a collaborative single between Katy and trio Magnetic ManMagnetic ManMagnetic Man is an electronic music project consisting of dubstep producers and DJs, Benga, Skream and Artwork. The trio first met in the late 1990s at the Big Apple Records store in Croydon, England. They perform using three computers, one playing drum samples, one playing basses and the third...
also saw release; having been released through Columbia Records on 1 October 2010; where it debuted in the UK at number 16. Despite appearing on On a Mission (in a shorter edit), the single served as the second single for the album Magnetic ManMagnetic Man (album)Magnetic Man is the debut album by the English Dubstep supergroup of the same name. It was released on 8 October 2010 on Columbia Records. It features vocals provided by different guest vocalists, including Katy B and Ms...
.
- "Lights OnLights On"Lights On" is a song performed by British recording artist Katy B and serves as the second single from her debut album, On a Mission. It features UK-based R&B singer/ rapper Ms. Dynamite. It released in the United Kingdom on 10 December 2010 as a digital download...
" (feat. Ms. DynamiteMs. DynamiteNiomi Arleen McLean-Daley , who performs as Ms. Dynamite, is a double BRIT Award and three time MOBO Awards winning UK garage, R&B and hip hop singer and rapper.-Biography:...
) was released as the album's second single on 10 December 2010 through Rinse FMRinse FMRinse FM is a London-based community radio station, licensed for "young people living and/or working within the central,east and south London areas.". The station plays grime, dubstep, UK garage, funky, drum and bass and other genres....
and Columbia RecordsColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, where it debuted in the UK at number 4. The single features vocals from British MC Ms Dynamite.
- "Broken RecordBroken Record"Broken Record" is a song performed by British recording artist Katy B and serves as the third single from her debut album, On a Mission. It was released in the United Kingdom on 25 March 2011 as a digital download...
" was released as the album's third single on 25 March 2011. It charted on the UK Singles Chart at number 8 on the 3 April 2011.
- "Easy Please MeEasy Please Me"Easy Please Me" is a song by British singer-songwriter Katy B from her debut album On a Mission. It was released as the album's fourth single on 3 June 2011.-Music video:...
" was released as the fourth single on 3 June 2011. It peaked at number 25 on UK Singles Chart.
- "Witches' BrewWitches' Brew (Katy B song)"Witches' Brew" is a song by British singer-songwriter Katy B from her debut album On a Mission. It was released as the album's fifth single on 28 August 2011...
" was released as the fifth single on 28 August 2011. Katy herself confirmed via Twitter that she was filming a video for the track. The music video premiered on Vevo on 3 August 2011.
- "Movement" was confirmed as the sixth single. The Music Video is in 24 October 2011. The Katy B is going with a girl in the airport and goes to the holiday. The girl is playing and Katy B are resting, after resting, they goes in the shopping.
Critical reception
On a Mission was well-received by most music critics. Aggregating website AnyDecentMusic?AnyDecentMusic?
AnyDecentMusic? is a website that collates reviews of contemporary music albums, covering rock, pop, electronic, dance, folk, country, roots and urban...
reports a score of 7.4 based on twenty-four professional reviews. Natalie Shaw of BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
wrote that it "moves through house, dubstep, drum’n’bass, rave, UK garage and RnB with ease, attacking each with such accessibility it’s not hard to imagine each track topping the singles charts". She described the production as "sharp and cutting throughout, never losing its feverish hi-NRG" and noticed that Katy B is "a new breed of singer, adding a vibrant gloss to a new combination of sounds with a charm and personality all of her own". Nate Patrin of Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
called her "a genre-spanning pop singer who isn't tied down to a single thing, no matter how well it suits her" and felt that "what puts On a Mission over the top is Katy's way of expressing herself with emotions that extend past "wooo, druuunk" into more nuanced and detailed relationships with booming systems and the people who flock to them". Ben Hogwood of musicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
praised Brien's ability of "projecting emotion" as well as her voice, saying it "could easily sing the front page of the South London Press and have you clamouring for more" and called the lyrics "brilliantly written, at times extremely profound while at others throwing off the shackles for a night's partying". Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis is a British journalist, head rock and pop critic for UK newspaper The Guardian, as well as a regular and contributor to the magazine GQ.Petridis began his career writing for Varsity whilst a student at the University of Cambridge...
of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
wrote that Brien "scrupulously avoids the kind of melismatic over-singing that is the female pop star's usual lot in a post-TV talent show world" and felt that On a Mission "almost uniquely for pop music about clubbing, sounds like the work of someone's who's actually been to a club". Jon O'Brien of Allmusic defined it as "a strikingly self-assured and original affair which not only convincingly captures the sound of contemporary London nightlife, but also reflects the voices of much of her late-teens/early-twenties generation". Noel Gardner from Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
called it "a sterling debut" and described it as "a pop album which comes off as written from life while also addressing the concerns of its audience". Marianne Halavage of The Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
found it "brilliant" and described it as "an urban electronic feast of everything from funky house to drum’n’bass and rave". Alex Denney of NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
hailed it as "the British pop debut of the year".
Kitty Empire from The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
called the songs on the album "12 solidly built tunes that reflect her love of the euphoric rush of clubbing, of falling in love and the comedowns in their wake", while Simon Price of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
described On a Mission as "a debut album of subtle, mature, intelligent electronic pop, reminiscent of Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
before it all went wrong" and felt that it "sounds like a modern pop classic". Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
felt that it is "a bright, cheerfully mainstream-friendly record that's almost completely built from the ingredients of much darker, grimier dance music subcultures" and noted that it "has already turned out some of the smartest dumb music in years". Rick Pearson of the Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
called it "thrilling, original and utterly of the moment" and stated that "dance music has discovered a new star". Alex Macpherson from FACT noted that Katy B is doing "something that literally no one else is at the moment: personality-driven music with a distinctive feminine voice that’s deeply rooted in underground scenes, but whose blithe lack of concern for their phallocentrism erodes the self-imposed boundaries they set up" and called On a Mission "a significant landmark album for both British dance and British pop". Gavin Martin of the Daily Mirror wrote that Brien "effortlessly glides through a template that mixes dubstep, garage, house and grime on this appealing, user-friendly debut", while Robert Copsey from Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
called the album "a collection of well-groomed songs loaded with earworm hooks, rich melodies and on-point lyrics that focus on music itself rather than homing in on a particular trend". Thomas H. Green of The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
described it as "efficient, likeable, club-friendly pop, with the house numbers less memorable than the drum and bass leanings".
On Tuesday 19 July it had been announced that the album was one of the nominees for the 2011 Mercury Prize.
Track listing
Standard VersionChart performance
| Charts (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Flanders) Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
10 |
| Belgium (Wallonia) Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
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| Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... (IRMA Irish Recorded Music Association Irish Recorded Music Association is the Irish record industry association. IRMA is a non-profit association set up to manage and control the music industry in the Republic of Ireland.-Goals and activities:... ) |
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| Polish Albums Chart Polish Music Charts The Polish Music Charts are two official album charts and seven singles charts in Poland, provided by ZPAV, the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . The first, the Top 100, is a monthly chart based on data received from the album companies... |
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| Scottish Albums Chart | 4 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
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| UK Download Chart | 2 |
| UK Dance Chart UK Dance Chart The UK Dance Chart is a chart compiled by The Official Charts Company from sales in record stores and digital downloads. Although the chart does not currently receive any airplay on the radio or television, the chart can be viewed on the BBC Radio 1 and The Official Charts Company website.Digital... |
1 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 1 April 2011 | Rinse FM Rinse FM Rinse FM is a London-based community radio station, licensed for "young people living and/or working within the central,east and south London areas.". The station plays grime, dubstep, UK garage, funky, drum and bass and other genres.... / Columbia Records Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company... |
| United States | 13 September 2011 | Columbia Records Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company... |