New Forms is the debut album by the drum and bass act Roni Size / Reprazent and was released in 1997. The double-disc set was the winner of the Mercury Music Prize in 1997,[1] and often cited as their magnum opus.
A companion remix album, Replica, was also released. It includes "Western", the UK b-side of the "Brown Paper Bag" single, along with various remixes of album tracks.
The album went on to be re-recorded as New Forms² in 2008.
Releases
The album was released in various formats with slightly different track lists. In the UK, there was a 2CD version and a single disc edition, and the vinyl was released in both 4LP and 5LP versions. Of the two vinyl versions, the most common pressing is the 4LP version comprising most of the first CD; the 5-LP set includes tracks from the second CD, replacing "Intro" with "Heroes" and "Digital", which are appended to the end.[2]
In the US, only the 2CD version was released, though this contained the bonus track of "Electricks".
Reception
Commercial performance
New Forms entered the UK Albums Chart during the week ending 5 July 1997 and peaked at number 8.[3] By September 2011, the album had sold 325,000 copies in the United Kingdom since its release.[4]
Critical response
New Forms was released to generally favourable reviews. Allmusic described the album as "the major statement on drum'n'bass",[5] while in 2010 BBC Music noted that it "carved a mainstream niche for drum and bass like no album before it".[6] Pitchfork Media's Ryan Schreiber was less generous, commenting that the album "doesn't really get decent until the second half of disc one".[7]
Track listing
- CD pressing
All songs written and composed by Roni Size, except where noted.
| 1. |
"Railing" (Size, Dominic Smith) |
2:05 |
| 2. |
"Brown Paper Bag" |
9:03 |
| 3. |
"New Forms" (Size, Bahamadia, Suv) |
7:45 |
| 4. |
"Let's Get It On" |
6:57 |
| 5. |
"Digital" (Size, Onallee) |
9:05 |
| 6. |
"Matter of Fact" |
4:05 |
| 7. |
"Mad Cat" |
4:56 |
| 8. |
"Heroes" (Size, Onallee) |
6:35 |
| 9. |
"Share the Fall (full vocal mix)" (Size, Onallee, Die, Krust) |
6:13 |
| 10. |
"Watching Windows" (Size, Onallee) |
5:33 |
| 11. |
"Beatbox" (Size, Suv) |
1:09 |
| 12. |
"Morse Code" |
6:58 |
| 13. |
"Destination" (Size, Onallee, Ben Watt, Tracey Thorn) |
8:12 |
| 1. |
"Intro" |
0:54 |
| 2. |
"Hi-Potent" |
6:53 |
| 3. |
"Trust Me" |
6:26 |
| 4. |
"Change My Life" |
8:27 |
| 5. |
"Share the Fall" (Size, Onallee, Die, Krust) |
6:26 |
| 6. |
"Down" (Size, Die) |
6:51 |
| 7. |
"Jazz" (Size, Suv) |
6:04 |
| 8. |
"Hot Stuff" (Size, Krust) |
6:32 |
| 9. |
"Ballet Dance" (Size, Die) |
6:41 |
| 10. |
"Electricks" (US bonus track; appears on Japanese pressings as "Treatment") |
6:17 |
- 4x Vinyl pressing
| 1. |
"Brown Paper Bag" |
9:10 |
| 1. |
"New Forms" (Size, Bahamadia, Suv) |
7:48 |
| 2. |
"Railing" (Size, Dominic Smith) |
2:05 |
| 1. |
"Let's Get It On" |
7:02 |
| 1. |
"Share the Fall (full vocal mix)" (Size, Onallee, Die, Krust) |
5:48 |
| 1. |
"Morse Code" |
6:42 |
| 2. |
"Beatbox" (Size, Suv) |
1:11 |
- 5x Vinyl pressing
| 1. |
"Share the Fall" (Size, Onallee, Die, Krust) |
6:26 |
| 1. |
"Down" (Size, Die) |
6:51 |
| 1. |
"Jazz" (Size, Suv) |
6:04 |
| 1. |
"Hot Stuff" (Size, Krust) |
6:32 |
| 1. |
"Ballet Dance" (Size, Die) |
6:41 |
| 1. |
"Heroes (album version)" (Size, Onallee) |
6:34 |
| 1. |
"Digital" (Size, Onallee) |
9:04 |
New Forms²
New Forms² is a 2008 remake of the original New Forms album. Roni Size has described it as having a "new coat of armour added to the original tracks".[11] The album contains four new songs: "Heart to Heart", "Less is More", "Don't Hold Back" and "Encore", while omitting several of the songs from the original pressing. The majority of the record features edited versions of previous tracks, with segues throughout. The most drastic cuts occur to "Brown Paper Bag" and "Let's Get It On", which are reduced by over five minutes each; the latter becoming a simple ambient interlude.
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Roni Size, except where noted.
| 1. |
"Railings" (Size, Dominic Smith) |
2:05 |
| 2. |
"Brown Paper Bag" |
3:46 |
| 3. |
"New Forms" (Size, Bahamadia, Suv) |
4:47 |
| 4. |
"Let's Get It On" |
1:41 |
| 5. |
"Trust Me" |
5:03 |
| 6. |
"Digital" (Size, Onallee) |
6:35 |
| 7. |
"Matter of Fact" |
3:57 |
| 8. |
"Heroes" (Size, Onallee) |
4:14 |
| 9. |
"Share the Fall (full vocal mix)" (Size, Onallee, Die, Krust) |
6:09 |
| 10. |
"Heart to Heart" (Size, Onallee) |
4:51 |
| 11. |
"Less Is More" (Size, Suv) |
6:15 |
| 12. |
"Down" (Size, Die) |
5:12 |
| 13. |
"Hi-Potent" |
5:08 |
| 14. |
"Don't Hold Back" (Size, Dominic Smith) |
2:57 |
| 15. |
"Beatbox" (Size, Suv) |
1:09 |
| 16. |
"Encore" |
4:31 |
| 17. |
"Destination" (Size, Onallee, Ben Watt, Tracey Thorn) |
3:51 |
References
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