System 7 (band)
Encyclopedia
System 7 are a British ambient
dance
band. Due to the existence of another band called System Seven, they were initially marketed as 777 in North America. System 7
was the name of the current Macintosh Operating System at the time of the band's formation.
Steve Hillage
and Miquette Giraudy
, both formerly of Gong
, formed System 7 after hearing the likes of The Orb
playing Hillage's 1979 ambient record Rainbow Dome Musick
. They soon became part of the underground dance scene in London. While Hillage and Giraudy form the core of System 7, it is more of an extended collaborative project with artists such as Carl Craig
, Laurent Garnier
, Derrick May, Alex Paterson
(of The Orb), and Youth
. System 7 makes extensive use of Hillage's guitars.
Hillage and Giraudy have also launched a spin-off project called Mirror System, "the new vehicle for developing the chilled
& downtempo dimensions of our music". They have also worked under the name Groovy Intent.
As Mirror System
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
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...
band. Due to the existence of another band called System Seven, they were initially marketed as 777 in North America. System 7
System 7
System 7 is the name of a Macintosh operating system introduced in 1991.System 7 may also refer to:* System 7 , a British dance/ambient band* System 7 , 1991 album* IBM System/7, a 1970s computer system...
was the name of the current Macintosh Operating System at the time of the band's formation.
Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage
Steve Hillage is an English musician, best known as a guitarist. He is associated with the Canterbury scene and has worked in experimental domains since the late 1960s...
and Miquette Giraudy
Miquette Giraudy
Miquette Giraudy is a keyboard player and vocalist, best known for her work in Gong and with her partner Steve Hillage. She and Hillage currently form the core of the ambient band System 7.-Film:...
, both formerly of Gong
Gong (band)
Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...
, formed System 7 after hearing the likes of The Orb
The Orb
Throughout 1989, the Orb, along with Martin Glover, developed the musical genre of ambient house through the use of a diverse array of samples and recordings. The culmination of its musical work came toward the end of the year when the group recorded a session for John Peel on BBC Radio 1...
playing Hillage's 1979 ambient record Rainbow Dome Musick
Rainbow Dome Musick
-Recording details:* Recorded at Om, January 1979, for the Rainbow Dome at the Festival for Mind-Body-Spirit, Olympia London, April 21-29, 1979.* Equipment engineer: John Newsham.* Rainbow Dome concept by Rupert Atwill.* Sleeve design: Rupert Atwill/Laserphaze....
. They soon became part of the underground dance scene in London. While Hillage and Giraudy form the core of System 7, it is more of an extended collaborative project with artists such as Carl Craig
Carl Craig
Carl Craig is a Detroit-based producer of techno music, and is considered to be one of the most important names in the Detroit second generation of techno producers and DJs...
, Laurent Garnier
Laurent Garnier
Laurent Garnier , is a French techno music producer and DJ. Garnier began DJ-ing in Manchester during the late 1980s. By the following decade, he had a broad stylistic range, able to span deep house, Detroit techno, trance and jazz...
, Derrick May, Alex Paterson
Alex Paterson
Alex Paterson is an English musician and co-founder of the ambient group The Orb, in which he has worked since its inception....
(of The Orb), and Youth
Martin Glover
Martin Glover, also known as Youth, is a record producer and a founding member and bassist of the UK band Killing Joke. He is a member of The Fireman along with Paul McCartney. Glover was born in Africa.-Early career:...
. System 7 makes extensive use of Hillage's guitars.
Hillage and Giraudy have also launched a spin-off project called Mirror System, "the new vehicle for developing the chilled
Chill out music
Chill out music is an umbrella term for several styles of electronic music characterized by their mellow style and mid-tempo beats — "chill" being derived from a slang injunction to "relax."Chill out music emerged in the early and mid-1990s in "chill rooms" at dance clubs, where relaxing music...
& downtempo dimensions of our music". They have also worked under the name Groovy Intent.
Studio albums
- System 7System 7 (album)System 7 is the first studio album by dance/ambient band System 7.A somewhat different version was released in the United States as 777 by 777...
(1991) - 777777 (album)777 is the second studio album by British ambient dance band System 7. - Track listing :...
(1993) - Point 3Point 3Point 3 is the collective title of the third and fourth studio albums by British ambient dance band System 7. The first of the two is Point 3 - Fire Album; the second, Point 3 - Water Album. The two offer different mixes of the same material, Fire using more drums and rhythms, while Water is more...
- Fire Album (1994) - Point 3Point 3Point 3 is the collective title of the third and fourth studio albums by British ambient dance band System 7. The first of the two is Point 3 - Fire Album; the second, Point 3 - Water Album. The two offer different mixes of the same material, Fire using more drums and rhythms, while Water is more...
- Water Album (1994) - Power of SevenPower of Seven (album)Power of Seven — or, as represented in typographic artwork on its packaging, Power of Seven7 — is the fifth studio album by British ambient dance band System 7.- Track listing :- External links :...
(1996) - Golden SectionGolden Section (album)Golden Section is the sixth studio album by British ambient dance band System 7.- Track listing :- External links :* • discography on the official System 7 website...
(1997) - Seventh WaveSeventh Wave (System 7 album)Seventh Wave is the seventh studio album by British ambient dance band System 7.- Track listing :- External links :* • discography on the official System 7 website...
(2001) - EncantadoEncantado (album)Encantado is the eighth studio album by British ambient dance band System 7."Encantado" is a Spanish word that means "enchanted" or "entranced". Hillage and Giraudy were inspired to use this title following a visit to Coba on the Yucatán Peninsula ....
(2004) - Phoenix (2008)
- Up (2011)
As Mirror System
- Mirror System (2006)
- Reflector - DJ Mix (2010)
U.S. albums
As 777- 777System 7 (album)System 7 is the first studio album by dance/ambient band System 7.A somewhat different version was released in the United States as 777 by 777...
(1992) U.S. version of the System 7 album - System 7.3: Fire + WaterPoint 3Point 3 is the collective title of the third and fourth studio albums by British ambient dance band System 7. The first of the two is Point 3 - Fire Album; the second, Point 3 - Water Album. The two offer different mixes of the same material, Fire using more drums and rhythms, while Water is more...
(1995) U.S. release of the two Point 3 albums
Compilations
- System ExpressSystem ExpressSystem Express is a compilation album by dance/ambient band System 7 showcasing remixes of tracks from their first four studio albums. Four are the band's best-known single remixes and seven are completely new mixes...
(1996) - Mysterious Traveller with Derrick May (2002)
- Planet 7Planet 7Planet 7 is a compilation album by dance/ambient band System 7 available only as a download from the iTunes Store. Four of the tracks were previously available on a download-only EP, AAWDLC002, available from the A-Wave online store, released simultaneously with Encantado.- Track listing :-...
(2006) iTunesITunes StoreThe 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...
-only album
Singles & EPs
- "Sunburst" (1990)
- "Habibi" (1991)
- "Freedom Fighters" (1991)
- "Miracle" (1991)
- "7:7 Expansion" (1992) - #39 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 ...
; February 1993 - "Sinbad/Quest" (1993) - #74 on the UK Singles Chart; July 1993
- "Alpha Wave" (1995)
- "Hangar 84" (1996)
- "Interstate" (1996)
- "Rite of Spring" (1997)
- "Ring of fire" (1998)
- "High Planes Drifter" (2001)
- "Planet 7" (2004)
- "Love Mission - Mission Love" • "I Move" • "Teotihuacan" • "Om Rock" (by Groovy Intent) (download-only EP) (2004)
- "Space Bird" (2008)
- "AlphaWave/HPD" (2010)