Raise the Pressure
Encyclopedia
Raise the Pressure is Electronic
's second album, released in July 1996.
and Bernard Sumner
, and the other six co-written with former Kraftwerk
member Karl Bartos
. He was recommended to Electronic via a friend of Sumner's, and commuted to Manchester
throughout 1995 during the recording sessions, which stretched from late 1994 to late 1995.
The protracted sessions resulted in a dense, thick production that was later acknowledged by both Sumner and Marr and criticised in professional reviews; they consequently spent much less time on their next album Twisted Tenderness
.
Raise the Pressure was also remarked upon for Bernard Sumner's impressionistic lyrics, which some saw as the result of his use of Prozac
during this period, following an appearance on the BBC 2
programme The Late Show, which explored the effects of the antidepressant on creativity. According to Sumner, however, he only wrote one lyric whilst under the influence of Prozac. Musically the album comprises guitar pop/rock songs ("One Day", "Out of My League") and more dance
oriented tracks ("Until the End of Time", "If You've Got Love").
by Johannes Handschin, which echoes the sleeve of New Order
's 1989 album Technique
. The title of the album appears on the inner inlay sleeve of most CD releases; the Australia
n CD and cassette editions are two which have Raise the Pressure placed on the cover. This was the last Electronic album to be released on vinyl.
, Raise the Pressure received mixed reviews and did not perform as well commercially, with the first two singles "Forbidden City
" and "For You
" charting modestly in the UK Top 20, and the third, "Second Nature
", barely making the Top 40. In the US no commercial singles were released, with "Forbidden City" and "Second Nature" issued only as promotional radio-play discs. Four mixes of "Until the End of Time
" were released through the Electronic mailing list in October 1997; this item and a maxi single
of "Second Nature" remixes are among the most sought-after recordings by the band.
In 2007 a download-only edition of Raise the Pressure was released on the iTunes Store
, adding all five B-sides from the single releases. The remixes of "Until the End of Time" were also released on iTunes at this time.
Electronic (band)
-Albums:-Singles:-Music videos:-External links:* *...
's second album, released in July 1996.
Recording
Seven of the thirteen tracks were composed by full-time members Johnny MarrJohnny Marr
Johnny Marr is an English musician and songwriter. Marr rose to fame in the 1980s as the guitarist in The Smiths, with whom he formed a prolific songwriting partnership with Morrissey. Marr has been a member of Electronic, The The, and Modest Mouse...
and Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner , also known as Bernard Dickin, Bernard Dicken and Bernard Albrecht is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player and producer....
, and the other six co-written with former Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
member Karl Bartos
Karl Bartos
Karl Bartos was, between 1975 and 1990, along with Wolfgang Flür, an electronic percussionist in the electronic-music group Kraftwerk. He was originally recruited to play on its US "Autobahn" tour...
. He was recommended to Electronic via a friend of Sumner's, and commuted to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
throughout 1995 during the recording sessions, which stretched from late 1994 to late 1995.
The protracted sessions resulted in a dense, thick production that was later acknowledged by both Sumner and Marr and criticised in professional reviews; they consequently spent much less time on their next album Twisted Tenderness
Twisted Tenderness
Twisted Tenderness is the third album by English supergroup Electronic, released in 1999 by Parlophone in the UK and eighteen months later by Koch Records in the USA...
.
Raise the Pressure was also remarked upon for Bernard Sumner's impressionistic lyrics, which some saw as the result of his use of Prozac
Fluoxetine
Fluoxetine is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class. It is manufactured and marketed by Eli Lilly and Company...
during this period, following an appearance on the BBC 2
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
programme The Late Show, which explored the effects of the antidepressant on creativity. According to Sumner, however, he only wrote one lyric whilst under the influence of Prozac. Musically the album comprises guitar pop/rock songs ("One Day", "Out of My League") and more 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...
oriented tracks ("Until the End of Time", "If You've Got Love").
Artwork
The album cover is a painting of a cherubCherub
A cherub is a type of spiritual being mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and cited later on in the Christian biblical canons, usually associated with the presence of God...
by Johannes Handschin, which echoes the sleeve of New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
's 1989 album Technique
Technique (album)
Technique is the fifth studio album by New Order, released in 1989 via Factory Records. Partly recorded on the island of Ibiza, it incorporates Balearic beat and acid house influences into the group's electro/rock sound...
. The title of the album appears on the inner inlay sleeve of most CD releases; the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n CD and cassette editions are two which have Raise the Pressure placed on the cover. This was the last Electronic album to be released on vinyl.
Reception
Unlike its predecessor ElectronicElectronic (album)
Electronic is the self-titled debut album by British supergroup Electronic, formed by Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr. It was first released in May 1991 on the Factory label, and reissued in remastered form in 1994 by Parlophone after Factory collapsed.The album was a commercial success, reaching...
, Raise the Pressure received mixed reviews and did not perform as well commercially, with the first two singles "Forbidden City
Forbidden City (Electronic song)
"Forbidden City" is a song by English band Electronic, comprising Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr, with guesting co-writer Karl Bartos of Kraftwerk, released as the lead single from their second album Raise the Pressure, and their first new release in almost exactly four years, the last being the...
" and "For You
For You (Electronic song)
"For You" is a song by English band Electronic, comprising Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr, with guesting co-writer Karl Bartos of Kraftwerk, released as the second single from their second album Raise the Pressure. "For You" reached #16 on the UK Singles Chart.-Single:As was the trend in the 1990s,...
" charting modestly in the UK Top 20, and the third, "Second Nature
Second Nature (Electronic song)
"Second Nature" is a song by Electronic, released as the group's seventh single. It has an autobiographical lyric by Sumner which concerns his youth and growing up, while the music has a groovy shuffle which contrasts with the stricter dance tracks on its parent album Raise the Pressure...
", barely making the Top 40. In the US no commercial singles were released, with "Forbidden City" and "Second Nature" issued only as promotional radio-play discs. Four mixes of "Until the End of Time
Until the End of Time (Electronic song)
"Until the End of Time" is a dance song by the English duo Electronic. It first appeared on their second album Raise the Pressure in 1996 and then on a fan club CD the following year. It was composed by members Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner with guesting writer Karl Bartos.The track is mainly...
" were released through the Electronic mailing list in October 1997; this item and a maxi single
Maxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
of "Second Nature" remixes are among the most sought-after recordings by the band.
In 2007 a download-only edition of Raise the Pressure was released on the iTunes Store
ITunes Store
The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
, adding all five B-sides from the single releases. The remixes of "Until the End of Time" were also released on iTunes at this time.
Standard edition
- "Forbidden City" – 4:03
- "For You" – 4:52
- "Dark Angel" – 5:30
- "One Day" – 4:35
- "Until the End of Time" – 6:19
- "Second Nature" – 4:55
- "If You've Got Love" – 6:26
- "Out of My League" – 4:36
- "Interlude" – 0:44
- "Freefall" – 4:58
- "Visit Me" – 5:58
- "How Long" – 4:46
- "Time Can Tell" – 4:43
- The B-side "All That I Need" appeared on the Japanese edition.
iTunes bonus tracks
- "Imitation of Life" – 3:47
- "A New Religion" – 4:15
- "All That I Need" – 7:09
- "I Feel Alright" – 4:48
- "Turning Point" – 5:35
Credits
- Bernard Sumner: vocals and keyboards
- Johnny Marr: guitars, bass and keyboards
- Produced by Electronic
- Engineered by James Spencer
- Thanks to Karl Bartos (keyboards), Denise Johnson (vocals), Ged Lynch (drums and percussion), Donald Johnson (drums on 4), Danny Saber (organ on 8), Guy Pratt (bass on 13), Alan Meyerson (mixing 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12 & 13), James Spencer (mixing 2, 3, 8, 10 & 11), Andrew Berry, Russell Kearney, Kevin Jacobs, J.C., Ben Findlay, Jon Savage, Marcus Russell, Alec McKinlay, Abby Scott and all at Ignition.
- Cover illustration by Johannes Handschin.
- Electronic logo by Paul Barnes.
- Designed by Howard Wakefield @ Meiré und Meiré and Peter Saville.
- 1, 2, 5, 7, 12 & 13 written by Marr, Sumner and Bartos.
- 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10 & 11 written by Marr and Sumner.
Charts
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart 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 ... |
8 |
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
143 |
| U.S. Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
7 |