Edition 1 is a collaborative studio album by British crossover project King Midas Sound and Austrian musician Fennesz. It was released on 18 September 2015 through Ninja Tune. It received generally favorable reviews from critics.[1]
| Edition 1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 18 September 2015 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 59:25 | |||
| Label | Ninja Tune | |||
| Producer | The Bug | |||
| King Midas Sound chronology | ||||
| ||||
Background
editKing Midas Sound consists of Kevin Martin, Roger Robinson, and Kiki Hitomi.[2] Edition 1 is a collaborative studio album by King Midas Sound and Fennesz.[3] Martin and Fennesz knew each other since the 1990s.[4] The album features "improvised guitar tracks, samples, and unreleased material from Fennesz's archive."[5] They recorded Robinson's part at Martin's studio in Berlin, Hitomi's part in Leipzig, and Fennesz' part in Vienna.[6]
Edition 1 was, upon release, intended to be the first installment in a series of four King Midas Sound albums, each with a different collaborator.[7] However, no further albums have been released by the King Midas Sound project in this series, making it a standalone.
Edition 1 was released on 18 September 2015 through Ninja Tune.[8] It comes with the instrumental version released in conjunction on the digital and CD versions.[9] Edition 1 Instrumentals was later released on its own, on 13 November 2015.[10]
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 78/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
| Crack | 8/10[12] |
| Mojo | [13] |
| Pitchfork | 6.7/10[14] |
| Resident Advisor | 3.6/5[15] |
| Uncut | 8/10[16] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Edition 1 received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 from 9 critic scores.[1]
Adam Corner of Crack commented that "Edition 1 is a sprawling, dystopian distillation of King Midas Sound's sub-aquatic sonics and Fennesz' swirling soundscapes, as vocalists Roger Robinson and Kiki Hitomi sprinkle forlorn melodies on to phantom rhythm and bass from the dark side of dub."[12] He added, "for the most part, this engulfing and enigmatic album is a master-class in delicate desolation, and a beautiful merging of two restless electronic innovators."[12] Rory Gibb of The Quietus stated, "compared to Martin's monolithic last couple of albums as The Bug, or the glowering intensity of King Midas Sound's live incarnation of recent years, musically Edition 1 tends towards quiet, reflective gestures."[17]
Accolades
edit| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crack | Albums of the Year 2015 | 62
|
|
| The Quietus | The Quietus Albums of 2015 | 18
|
|
| The Wire | The Wire's Top 50 Releases of 2015 | 31
|
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Roger Robinson, Kevin Martin, and Christian Fennesz, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mysteries" | 4:42 | |
| 2. | "On My Mind" |
| 3:32 |
| 3. | "Waves" | 7:24 | |
| 4. | "Loving or Leaving" | 5:48 | |
| 5. | "Melt" |
| 5:10 |
| 6. | "Lighthouse" | 5:03 | |
| 7. | "Above Water" |
| 13:53 |
| 8. | "We Walk Together" |
| 5:41 |
| 9. | "Our Love" | 8:07 | |
| Total length: | 59:25 | ||
Personnel
editCredits adapted from liner notes.[21]
- The Bug – production, mixing
- Stefan Betke – mastering
- Optigram – artwork
- Jimmy Mould – photography
Charts
edit| Chart (2015) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Official Record Store (OCC)[22] | 22 |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Edition 1 by King Midas Sound". Metacritic. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
- ^ "King Midas Sound and Fennesz announce collaborative album, Edition 1". Fact. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Eede, Christian (4 August 2015). "King Midas Sound Album With Fennesz". The Quietus. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Lea, Tom (29 August 2015). ""We'd passed through the worst times of our lives": King Midas Sound and Fennesz open up about Edition 1". Fact. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ Minsker, Evan (4 August 2015). "King Midas Sound and Fennesz Team for New Album Edition 1, Share "Waves"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Reed, Davy (15 September 2015). "King Midas Sound & Fennesz – Edition 1". Crack. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ "Stream King Midas Sound and Fennesz's new album Edition 1". Fact. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Hudson, Alex (4 August 2015). "The Bug Side-Project King Midas Sound Announce Collaborative LP with Fennesz". Exclaim!. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ "Edition 1 | King Midas Sound". Bandcamp. 18 September 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
- ^ "King Midas Sound and Fennesz release Edition 1 Instrumentals". Fact. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Kellman, Andy. "Edition 1 - King Midas Sound, Fennesz". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
- ^ a b c Corner, Adam (18 September 2015). "King Midas Sound + Fennesz - Edition 1". Crack. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Chick, Stevie (October 2015). "Mojo Filter". Mojo: 95.
- ^ Beta, Andy (23 September 2015). "Fennesz / King Midas Sound: Edition 1". Pitchfork. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
- ^ Dicker, Holly (24 September 2015). "Fennesz / King Midas Sound - Edition 1". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ Pattison, Louis (October 2015). "New Albums". Uncut: 78.
- ^ Gibb, Rory (18 September 2015). "The Lead Review: Rory Gibb On King Midas Sound & Fennesz's Edition 1". The Quietus. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
- ^ "Albums Of The Year 2015 (page 4)". Crack. 1 December 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ "The Quietus Albums Of 2015, In Association With Norman Records". The Quietus. 7 December 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ "Listen to The Wire's Top 50 Releases of 2015". The Wire. December 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
- ^ King Midas Sound, Fennesz (2015). Edition 1 (CD booklet). Ninja Tune.
- ^ "Official Record Store Chart on 25/9/2015". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
Further reading
edit- Doran, John (29 September 2015). "The Difficulty Of Love: King Midas Sound And Fennesz Interviewed". The Quietus.