886:
1 Film One 2 This City 3 To Be With You 4 Cinemascope 5 Burning Car 6 Glimmer 7 Mr. No 8 Young Love 9 20th
Century 10 My Face 11 Underpass (Radio Edit) 12 Non-one Driving (Single Version) 13 Like a Miracle 14 A New Kind of Man 15 He's a Liquid 16 Plaza (Extended Version) 17 Underpass (Extended Version) 18 Blurred Girl (Lounge Fade Version) Disc: 3 1 A Frozen Moment 2 He's a Liquid (Instrumental Dub) 3 Mr. No 4 The Uranium Committee 5 A Man Alone 6 Over Tokyo 7 Terminal Zone 8 Urban Code 9 A Version of You 10 Glimmer 11 Fragmentary City 12 Metamorphosis 13 Approaching the Monument 14 Critical Mass 15 Alamogordo Logic 16 Touch and Go (Early Version) 17 Miss Machinery 18 No-one Driving (Early Version) 19 Burning Car (Early Version) 20 Like a Miracle (Early Version) 21 No-one Driving
681:
Foxx’s chops as a songwriter and the use of pre-digital synths which had to be configured manually. The sounds and arrangements Foxx came up with were his own. The only track which has dated is “Metal Beat” due to its borrowings from elements of
Kraftwerk's “Showroom Dummies” and “The Robots”. Overall, Metamatic is poppy, romantic, and refracts the aura of concrete-filled urban environments and the power they exert."
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566:"Underpass" was released as an edited single a week before the album (length: 3:18), making #31 in the UK charts and appearing on a number of electropop compilations of the time. Its B-side was a non-album instrumental, "Film One". In March 1980 a remix of "No-One Driving" was released as a double single with three other non-album tracks: "Glimmer", "Mr No" and "This City", reaching #32.
38:
885:
Track listing as per the original 1980 vinyl issue but in new gatefold sleeve with artwork featuring rare images and reconstructions. Track
Listings Disc: 1 1 Plaza 2 He's a Liquid 3 Underpass 4 Metal Beat 5 No-one Driving 6 A New Kind of Man 7 Blurred Girl 8 030 9 Tidal Wave 10 Touch and Go Disc: 2
664:
production on
Ultravox’s Systems of Romance, Foxx (aided by another synthesist and a bassist) finds the perfect counterpart for his themes of alienation and dislocation in sterile, minimalist electronic sounds. His vocals are oddly distant, like echoes, but the record has an honesty and directness
680:
feels as much about melody as the then-current musical tools. “He’s a Liquid” and “Touch and Go” had been played live by
Ultravox so, clearly, Foxx was honing some of the album’s songs before they were recorded; there was pre-planning. There’s also a timelessness, born from to the combination of
672:
review of the 2007 reissue Ian
Shirley concluded: "To be frank, however, Metamatic has not worn well. Although the analogue synth textures work well on the singles and tracks such as Plaza, Metal Beat and Touch & Go, the rhythms of the drum machines and overall sound of A New Kind Of Man and
531:
in 1998). The song "A New Kind of Man" is about a man stepping into a film screen, which inspired the cover art of the album. The song "He's a Liquid" was influenced by a still from a
Japanese horror film depicting a suit draped across a chair in such a way as to suggest that the wearer had
591:-era material, plus previously unavailable tracks, onto one bonus CD. Another re-mastered edition was released as a 3CD Deluxe Edition in 2018. This included fifteen instrumentals on disc three, as the new reissue project grew to forty-nine tracks across three CDs.
587:; the 1993 CD version of the album also included "Young Love", a previously unreleased track recorded in 1979. A 'definitive' two-CD reissue of the album was released in September 2007 which was intended to bring together all the
654:
wrote that "this restrained and melodic album of synthesised music and (surprise, surprise) futuristic visions comes as an impressive step forward" (from the "chronically pretentious
Ultravox").
673:
Tidal Wave are very dated. Considering how adventurous and warm the Human League’s
Reproduction and Travelogue from the same period are, Metamatic is the sound of musical austerity."
527:. Six of the tracks referenced automobiles or motorways, most obviously "Underpass" and "No-One Driving". (Foxx re-worked the former track as "Overpass" on the live
558:
spent seven weeks in the UK charts, peaking at #18. The album was generally well received by critics and is still cited as his most influential solo release.
539:
Although Foxx had performed "He's a Liquid" and "Touch and Go" live with
Ultravox before leaving the band in 1979, the band was not credited for them on
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876:"To Be With You" and "Cinemascope" were created by sampling and arranging audio clips from material previously recorded with analogue equipment.
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liquified; Foxx's lyrics also alluded to the 'fluidity' of human relationships. The final track, "Touch and Go", included
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wrote: "Metamatic is Foxx’s first venture alone into the world of synthesizers (...) In emulation of his own work and
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and tracks retrieved from two 1980 tapes marked "music for film" and "instrumentals". A 30-second piece entitled
606:
is the subject of a double-CD album "Metal Beat" released in 2007. The interview includes extracts from demos of
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573:" b/w "20th Century", making #35. He issued one more single-only release in October 1980, the transitional "
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577:" b/w "A Long Time", which provided a foretaste of the more fully produced sound of his next album,
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583:(1981). All these non-album tracks have appeared on various John Foxx compilations and reissues of
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1310:"CDs Weekly: John Foxx Three-disc reconfiguration of 1980's synth-pop landmark 'Metamatic'"
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Nicholls, Mike (19 January 1980). "Japan: Quiet Life / John Foxx: Metamatic".
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1331:(illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 117.
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547:(1980), their first album following Foxx's departure, Foxx was not credited.
543:. When Ultravox adapted the tune from "Touch and Go" for the song "Mr. X" on
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Foxx's record label and his official website are also named Metamatic.
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Dalton, Stephen (June 2018). "John Foxx: Metamatic: Deluxe Edition".
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An in-depth interview with Foxx by Steve Malins about the making of
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In June 1980, Foxx released a single with new songs on both sides, "
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was purely electronic in sound. The name 'Metamatic' comes from a
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1220:"Ultravox: The Story - Warren Cann interviewed by Jonas Warstad"
516:. Several of the synth parts were played by John Wesley-Barker.
81:
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The 2018 reissue received a positive review by Kieron Tyler: "
642:
Upon its release in 1980 the album received positive reviews.
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John Wesley Barker – additional synthesizers and keyboards
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The lyrics were heavily influenced by the writings of
622:, together with some early experiments by Foxx with
1069:Harrison, Ian (July 2018). "John Foxx: Metamatic".
1308:
478:Biennial in 1959. The album peaked at #18 on the
1581:
1207:The Golden Section Tour + The Omnidelic Ecotour
451:the previous year. A departure from the mix of
256:
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1120:Starr, Red (7–20 February 1980). "Albums".
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1092:. No. 182. October 2001. p. 147.
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1016:
817:
505:. Foxx's electronic equipment included an
36:
881:2014 Record Store Day white vinyl reissue
868:"A New Kind of Man" (alternative version)
1235:. Archive.theargus.co.uk. 2 August 2006.
1218:Warren Cann & Jonas Warstad (1997).
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975:Keyboards used on the album include the
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1295:Metamatic: Special Edition | John Foxx
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1126:. Vol. 2, no. 3. p. 31.
865:"Like a Miracle" (alternative version)
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1306:
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1233:"John Foxx, Pressure Point, Brighton"
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1052:(July 2018). "John Foxx: Metamatic".
871:"He's a Liquid" (alternative version)
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459:instrumentation on that band's work,
237:
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648:gave the album a 5 out of 5 rating.
520:was an influence on the production.
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1194:John Foxx: The Metamatic Interview
1182:
25:1980 studio album by John Foxx
14:
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1297:Record Collector 13 November 2007
1250:. Barcodezine.com. Archived from
668:From retrospective reviews, in a
509:, an Elka 'String Machine' and a
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1272:Smash Hits 7 February 1980, p.29
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1196:Electricity Club.com 2 May 2018
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529:Subterranean Omnidelic Exotour
1:
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1307:Tyler, Kieron (3 June 2018).
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1515:The Pleasures of Electricity
1075:. No. 296. p. 109.
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16:For the 1950s artworks, see
7:
1143:. No. 253. p. 45.
1058:. No. 250. p. 99.
665:that are quite affecting."
618:and an extended version of
443:is the debut solo album by
10:
1616:
1483:Glimmer: Best Of John Foxx
720:"A New Kind of Man" – 3:38
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1154:"John Foxx The Quiet Man"
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774:2001 reissue bonus tracks
737:1993 reissue bonus tracks
474:, first exhibited at the
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205:Released: 10 January 1980
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1547:Translucence/Drift Music
1086:"John Foxx: Metamatic".
501:, and was engineered by
1569:John Foxx and the Maths
1025:"Metamatic – John Foxx"
818:2007 reissue bonus disc
218:Released: 21 March 1980
1172:Contemporary Musicians
700:"He's a Liquid" – 2:59
689:All tracks written by
1600:Virgin Records albums
732:"Touch and Go" – 5:33
723:"Blurred Girl" – 4:16
628:analogue synthesisers
551:Release and aftermath
1539:Other collaborations
1254:on 27 September 2011
766:"A Long Time" – 3:49
598:Metal Beat interview
562:Singles and reissues
486:Production and style
233:Professional ratings
1451:Cathedral Oceans II
1248:"Barcode interview"
742:"Young Love" – 3:10
729:"Tidal Wave" – 4:14
710:"Metal Beat" – 2:59
234:
1468:Compilation albums
1458:Tiny Colour Movies
1437:In Mysterious Ways
1430:The Golden Section
1360:John Foxx (1992).
1205:John Foxx (2002):
999:string synth, and
792:"This City" – 3:03
769:"Swimmer 1" – 4:06
638:Critical reception
634:is also included.
232:
1595:1980 debut albums
1577:
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1500:With Louis Gordon
1356:Metamatic website
989:Elka Rhapsody 610
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925:
917:Kent Music Report
455:and conventional
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1590:John Foxx albums
1557:Related articles
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786:"Glimmer" – 3:33
670:Record Collector
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789:"Mr. No" – 3:14
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495:Pathway Studios
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480:UK Albums Chart
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61:18 January 1980
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1170:"John Foxx".
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1109:. p. 15.
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836:"Cinemascope"
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685:Track listing
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29:
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19:
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1488:
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1456:
1449:
1442:
1435:
1428:
1421:
1415:
1414:
1362:
1328:
1319:
1302:
1293:Ian Shirley
1289:
1277:
1268:
1256:. Retrieved
1252:the original
1241:
1227:
1214:
1209:liner notes)
1206:
1201:
1175:
1171:
1165:
1157:
1149:
1138:
1132:
1121:
1115:
1104:
1098:
1087:
1081:
1070:
1064:
1055:Classic Rock
1053:
1044:
1032:. Retrieved
1023:Bush, John.
974:
969:Gareth Jones
951:synthesizers
947:Roland CR-78
915:Australian (
884:
857:20th Century
852:"Young Love"
797:20th Century
754:20th Century
726:"030" – 3:15
688:
677:
675:
667:
656:
649:
643:
641:
631:
619:
615:
612:Touch and Go
611:
603:
601:
593:
588:
584:
578:
568:
565:
555:
554:
544:
540:
538:
528:
522:
514:drum machine
511:Roland CR-78
503:Gareth Jones
490:
489:
460:
453:synthesizers
439:
438:
437:
425:
413:
375:
337:
299:
289:Classic Rock
287:
186:
163:
155:
154:
46:Studio album
22:
1325:Kent, David
1258:11 November
1246:barcodexl.
1178:: 69. 2006.
981:ARP Odyssey
964:bass guitar
841:Burning Car
830:"This City"
804:Burning Car
571:Burning Car
534:psychedelic
507:ARP Odyssey
1584:Categories
1529:From Trash
1490:Metatronic
1423:The Garden
1123:Smash Hits
1007:References
971:– engineer
811:Miles Away
761:Miles Away
651:Smash Hits
580:The Garden
575:Miles Away
415:Smash Hits
187:Metamatic
165:The Garden
143:chronology
1564:Ultravox!
1416:Metamatic
1401:John Foxx
1282:John Foxx
955:keyboards
935:John Foxx
929:Personnel
907:UK Charts
902:position
862:"My Face"
846:"Glimmer"
705:Underpass
691:John Foxx
678:Metamatic
604:Metamatic
589:Metamatic
585:Metamatic
556:Metamatic
541:Metamatic
536:aspects.
518:Dub music
499:Islington
491:Metamatic
461:Metamatic
445:John Foxx
440:Metamatic
200:Underpass
156:Metamatic
141:John Foxx
134:John Foxx
94:Synth-pop
51:John Foxx
31:Metamatic
18:MĂ©tamatic
1476:Assembly
1363:Assembly
1327:(1993).
1158:Ondarock
1029:AllMusic
985:clavinet
977:Minimoog
945:(mainly
825:Film One
813:" – 3:17
806:" – 3:12
799:" – 3:06
783:" – 3:58
781:Film One
763:" – 3:17
756:" – 3:06
749:" – 3:58
747:Film One
717:" – 3:45
707:" – 3:53
449:Ultravox
252:AllMusic
129:Producer
66:Recorded
58:Released
48: by
997:Farfisa
849:"Mr No"
183:Singles
169:(1981)
160:(1980)
78:Pathway
1335:
1222:: p.41
1034:3 July
939:vocals
890:Charts
545:Vienna
246:Rating
243:Source
122:Virgin
100:Length
82:London
74:Studio
1140:Uncut
993:piano
620:Plaza
476:Paris
427:Uncut
420:7½/10
185:from
117:Label
89:Genre
1333:ISBN
1260:2011
1072:Mojo
1036:2014
953:and
900:Peak
632:Jane
626:and
614:and
457:rock
432:8/10
301:Mojo
294:8/10
69:1979
949:),
922:98
910:18
467:by
1586::
1184:^
1176:56
1174:.
1156:.
1027:.
1015:^
1003:.
995:,
991:,
987:,
983:,
979:,
941:,
937:–
693:.
610:,
482:.
109:24
105:38
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1393:e
1386:t
1379:v
1341:.
1313:.
1262:.
1089:Q
1038:.
919:)
859:"
855:"
843:"
839:"
827:"
823:"
809:"
802:"
795:"
779:"
759:"
752:"
745:"
713:"
703:"
339:Q
215:"
211:"
202:"
198:"
107::
20:.
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