View source for Ex:el

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = ex:el
| type       = studio
| artist     = [[808 State]]
| cover      = 808state_ex-el_cover.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = 4 March 1991<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.808state.com/discogs/808_index.htm |title = 808 State - Discography}}</ref>
| recorded   = September – December 1990
| studio     = Revolution Studios
| genre      = {{hlist|[[House music|House]]<ref name="various"/>|[[techno]]<ref name="various"/>|[[acid house]]<ref name="various"/>|[[synth-pop]]<ref name="various"/>|[[sound collage]]<ref name="various"/>|[[Rave music|rave]]<ref name="various"/>}}
| length     = {{ubl|57:32 (UK)|63:34 (US)}}
| label      = {{hlist|[[ZTT Records|ZTT]]|[[Tommy Boy Records|Tommy Boy]]|[[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]}}
| producer   =
| prev_title = [[Utd. State 90]]
| prev_year  = 1990
| next_title = [[Gorgeous (808 State album)|Gorgeous]]
| next_year  = 1993
| misc         = {{Singles
 | name        = ex:el
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = Cubik / Olympic
 | single1date = 1990
 | single2     = [[In Yer Face]]
 | single2date = 1991
 | single3     = Ooops
 | single3date = 1991
 | single4     = Lift / Open Your Mind
 | single4date = 1991
}}
}}
{{Album ratings
| rev1      = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="allmusic">[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r6653|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Drowned in Sound]]''
| rev2score = 7/10<ref>{{cite web|last=Gardner|first=Noel|url=https://drownedinsound.com/releases/15240/reviews/4139509|title=808:90, ex:el, Gorgeous, Don Solaris (reissued)|website=[[Drowned in Sound]]|date=2010-03-22|access-date=2024-08-11}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book|first=Colin|last=Larkin|author-link=Colin Larkin|chapter=808 State|title=Encyclopedia of Popular Music|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&q=808+state|publisher=[[Omnibus Press]]|year=2011|isbn=9780857125958|via=Google Books}}</ref>
| rev4      = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev4score = B+<ref name="ew">{{cite web |title=ex:el |website=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816162546/https://ew.com/article/1991/05/17/exel/ |archive-date=2022-08-16 |url-status=live |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/05/17/exel/}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[The Line of Best Fit]]''
| rev5score = 82%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/808-state-exel-deluxe-edition-7988|title=808 State - EX:EL (Deluxe Edition)|last=Rueben|first=Simon|website=[[The Line of Best Fit]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019132139/http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2008/10/808-state-exel-deluxe-edition/|archive-date=2008-10-19|url-status=live|date=2008-10-17|access-date=2024-08-11}}</ref>
| rev6      = ''[[MusicHound]]''
| rev6score = 4.5/5<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Graff |editor1-first=Gary |editor2-last=Durchholz |editor2-first=Daniel |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |publisher=Visible Ink Press |year=1999 |isbn=1-57859-061-2 |chapter=808 State|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/378/mode/1up 378–379]}}</ref>
| rev7      = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Q"/>
| rev8      = ''[[Record Mirror]]''
| rev8score = 8/10<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Tim|last=Nicholson|magazine=[[Record Mirror]]|title=808 State: ex:el|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/57779449@N02/51313687874/|volume=38|issue=10|date=1991-03-09|access-date=2024-08-11}}</ref>
| rev9      = ''[[Select (magazine)|Select]]''
| rev9score = {{rating|4|5|full=U+25A0.svg|empty=U+25A1.svg|rating=medal}}<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Collis|first=Andrew|title=Building an Empire State|url=https://selectmagazinescans.monkeon.co.uk/showpage.php?file=wp-content/uploads/2017/05/albums13.jpg|magazine=[[Select (magazine)|Select]]|issue=10|date=April 1991|page=88|access-date=2024-08-11}}</ref>
| rev10 = ''[[Tom Hull – on the Web]]''
| rev10score = B+ ({{Rating-Christgau|hm2}})<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=808+state|title=Grade List: 808 State|website=[[Tom Hull – on the Web]]|first=Tom|last=Hull|date=November 8, 2023|access-date=November 11, 2023}}</ref>
}}{{DISPLAYTITLE:''ex:el''|noerror}}
'''''ex:el''''' is the third studio album by [[808 State]], released on 4 March 1991 by [[ZTT Records]].<ref name="Q">{{Cite journal|last=Sutcliffe|first=Phil|date=5 March 1991|title=ex:el review|journal=[[Q Magazine]]|volume=55|pages=68}}</ref> In contrast to the band's previous work, the album features more catchy melodies and heavier [[acid techno]] beats and percussion, "embracing earlier flirtations with [[Hip hop music|hip-hop]] and [[industrial music]]".<ref name="allmusic"/>

The album also features the guest vocals of [[Bernard Sumner]] of [[Joy Division]] and [[New Order (band)|New Order]], who sings on "Spanish Heart".<ref name="Q" /> In addition, [[Björk]] sings on "Qmart" and "Ooops", and is credited with co-writing both;<ref name="various">{{Cite web|title=808 State Album Review: Gorgeous|url=http://www.808state.com/various/reviews/AlbumReview-Newbuild.htm|access-date=2021-12-13|website=www.808state.com}}</ref> this album marked the start of a long-running working relationship between Björk and [[Graham Massey]].<ref name="Q" />

It is considered to be the first major release to feature the sample from the film ''[[Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory]]'' of the phrase "we are the music makers", which became one of the most common vocal samples in electronic music. It is also the first electronic album to feature guest vocals by important [[alternative rock]] artists on selected tracks, which became commonplace too on later pop-oriented electronic albums.<ref name="allmusic"/>

Phil Sutcliffe in ''[[Q Magazine]]'' called the album "irresistibly full of fun"<ref name="Q" />

The album is last to feature founding member Martin Price, who left the group in October 1991 to perform solo production work, eventually forming his own label, Sun Text.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">{{cite book
| first= Martin C.
| last= Strong
| year= 2000
| title= The Great Rock Discography
| edition= 5th
| publisher= Mojo Books
| location= Edinburgh
| pages= 311–312
| isbn= 1-84195-017-3}}</ref>

In 2007, ''[[The Guardian]]'' included the album in their list of "1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die".<ref>{{Cite news |date=2007-11-20 |title=Artists beginning with E |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/nov/19/1000tohearbeforeyoudie2 |access-date=2024-08-15 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

==Track listing==
{{Track listing
| title1 = San Francisco
| length1 = 4:56
| title2 = Spanish Heart
| note2 = featuring [[Bernard Sumner]]
| length2 = 3:51
| title3 = Leo Leo
| length3 = 4:01
| title4 = Qmart
| note4 = featuring [[Björk]]
| length4 = 4:58
| title5 = Nephatiti
| length5 = 4:50
| title6 = Lift
| length6 = 5:12
| title7 = Ooops
| note7 = featuring Björk
| length7 = 4:41
| title8 = Empire
| length8 = 4:20
| title9 = [[In Yer Face]]
| length9 = 4:54
| title10 = Cubik
| length10 = 3:44
| title11 = Lambrusco Cowboy
| length11 = 4:05
| title12 = Techno Bell
| length12 = 4:56
| title13 = Olympic
| length13 = 4:21
}}

* "Olympic" was included only on later releases.
* The US version includes an alternate version of "Cubik", subtitled "Tomix", with a duration of 9:28, as track 10.

===2008 deluxe edition===
In September 2008, ''ex:el'' was re-released as a 'deluxe edition'. The original album was remastered by Graham Massey, and [[Ian Peel (journalist)|Ian Peel]] and Graham Massey compiled a bonus disc of remixes and unreleased tracks which included:<ref>{{Cite web |title=808 State - ex:el Deluxe Edition (808 Archives Part II) |url=http://www.808state.com/discogs/808pages/albpages/albexeldeluxe/albexeldeluxe.htm |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=www.808state.com}}</ref>
# "In Yer Face" (Facially Yours Remix) – 4:17
# "Olympic" (Euro Bass Mix) – 5:44
# "Lift" (Heavy Mix) – 4:42
# "Cubik" (State to Pan Am Mix) – 4:29
# "Open Your Mind" (Sound Garden Mix) – 4:28
# "Lambrusco Cowboy" (Alt Mix) – 4:17
# "Ski Family" – 5:14
# "Ooops" (Mellow Birds Mix) – 4:04
# "In Yer Face" (Cheadle Royal Mix) – 3:26
# "Olympic"  (Unreleased Mix) – 4:55

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Chart performance for ''Ex:el''
!Chart (2009)
!Peak<br />position
|-
!scope="row"|Australian Albums ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref name="Aus2">{{cite web|url=https://www.bubblingdownunder.com/2021/12/week-commencing-17-december-1990.html|title=Bubbling Down Under Week commencing 17 December 1990|website=bubblingdownunder.com|date=17 December 2021|access-date=17 December 2021}}</ref>
|align="center"|109
|-
{{album chart|UK2|4|date=19910310|rowheader=true|access-date=1 August 2022}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{808 State}}
{{Björk}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1991 albums]]
[[Category:808 State albums]]
[[Category:Tommy Boy Records albums]]
[[Category:ZTT Records albums]]


{{1990s-electronic-album-stub}}