, The Art Of Noise Rakim - Metaforce

Text from Facebook announcement:
"May the Metaforce be with you"

Released today on digital platforms - 23 years after its initial CD and vinyl run - Metaforce

This nine-track special edition includes remixes from Roni Size, guest vocals from Rakim, and a previously unreleased Victor Calderone 12”.

The first in a February series of digital editions celebrating The Art of/The Seduction of Claude Debussy, Metaforce originally appeared on two CD singles, and all tracks from both are included here. As is Roni Size's The Sighs of a Metaphor mix which was originally only released on 12” vinyl and has been remastered from the original tapes.

The 7-minute The Flower of a Metaphor by Victor Calderone was produced back in 1999 after the original physical editions had been released so now also finally gets to see the light of day. For completists, The Influence of a Metaphor is also included: effectively an Extended Mix of the finished album version that was previously available on the now-deleted The Art of Noise Influence compilation. Further remixes come from The Shark Tank, The Metaphor Tops, Ollie J and Rhythm Masters.

To quote Billboard's original review, "By featuring rapper Rakim's James Brown-esque verbal gymnastics on Metaforce, a song about French poet Charles Baudelaire, the Art of Noise reaches across a century not so much for a connection but for a future of possibilities." As Paul Morley said in the same feature:

"The basic idea of the Art of Noise is the same as it always was and always will be. To be different, to manipulate images of themselves, and to manipulate the outside world." Brace yourself for an almost-one hour drop of Metaforce Mixes:

1 - The Seduction of a Metaphor: intromix (4:54)
2 - The Size of a Metaphor* (5:41)
3 - Metaphor on The Floor (Plan 138) (3:49)
4 - The Sighs of a Metaphor** (6:34)
5 - The X-ray of a Metaphor (5:25)
6 - The Flower of a Metaphor (7:50)
7 - The Beat of a Metaphor (6:52)
8 - The Influence of a Metaphor (5:46)
9 - The Seduction of a Metaphor*** (4:10)

* a/k/a Roni Size Vocal Mix
** a/k/a Roni Size Dub Mix
*** a/k/a The Radio Edit

Metaforce is a Definition Series edition from Zang Tuum Tumb, courtesy of The Dream Department (artwork: Philip Marshall; archive: Ian Peel), with thanks to Anne Dudley, Paul Morley, The Image Of A Group, Trevor Horn, Lol Creme, The Metaphor Tops, and Anthony Acid.

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