Sinking (album)

Sinking
Studio album by The Aloof
Released 27 May 1996 (1996-05-27)
Studio
Genre Electronic
Length 70:21
Label East West
Producer The Aloof
The Aloof chronology
Cover the Crime
(1994)		 Sinking
(1996)		 Seeking Pleasure
(1998)
Singles from Sinking
  1. "Stuck on the Shelf"
    Released: 1995
  2. "Wish You Were Here"
    Released: 1996 (re-released 1997)
  3. "One Night Stand"
    Released: 1996
  4. "Sinking"
    Released: 1997

Sinking is the second studio album by British electronica band The Aloof, released in the UK on 27 May 1996.[1] The album consists of a mixture of songs and instrumentals, linked by a common theme of abuse of drugs, using other people and self-harm.[1]

Four singles were released from the album, two of which reached the UK Singles Chart in 1996: "Wish You Were Here", which reached number 61[2] and "One Night Stand" which reached number 30, becoming the band's biggest hit single.[2] A remixed version of "Wish You Were Here" was then released in early 1997, peaking at number 43.[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
NME8/10[4]
Q[5]

Sinking was universally acclaimed by the music press on its release. Ian Cranna of Q said that "dance music that actively engages the head and emotions is a rare beast but The Aloof are just such a treat... Haunting melancholy hooks and cyclical rhythms weave in and out of driving, evolving electrogrooves as bits of the past are remodelled and evocative touches added.[5] NME's Iestyn George noted that the record was more laidback than the group's debut album, stating, "Sinking is apparently the result of less clubbing and more time listening to [Gary] Burns' stash of blues records... And the assertion that there's more to The Aloof than an explosive tribal drum break is borne out by vocalist Ricky Barrow's arresting brand of bitter lyrical melancholy."[4] Martin James of Melody Maker awarded the album the magazine's "recommended" rating and said that "Sinking offers that rare thing — an album without fillers. Indeed, as an example of the waves of techno and indie breaking into each other, The Aloof are not so much 'Sinking' as surfing the sonic boundaries."[6]

AllMusic's John Bush "Sinking adds a contemplative earthiness gained from the blues and film music [...] while the orchestral flair of closing track 'The Last Stand' show The Aloof working through a variety of inspirations with a surplus of good ideas to back them up".[3]

Track listing

All tracks written by The Aloof except where noted.

  1. "Bittersweet" – 6:42
  2. "Stuck on the Shelf" – 9:50
  3. "Abuse" – 6:10
  4. "Wish You Were Here" – 6:22
  5. "Sinking" – 7:35
  6. "One Night Stand" – 8:57
  7. "Space Dust" – 2:24
  8. "Hot Knives at Lunchtime" (Ricky Barrow, Gary Burns, Jagz Kooner, Dean Thatcher) – 5:14
  9. "Losing It" – 7:23
  10. "Sunk" – 2:38
  11. "The Last Stand" – 9:06

Personnel

The Aloof

  • Ricky Barrow – vocals
  • Gary Burns – keyboards
  • Jagz Kooner – programming
  • Richard Thair – percussion
  • Dean Thatcher – DJ, programming

Additional personnel

  • Caroline Last – string arranger on "The Last Stand"

References

  1. 1 2 James, Martin (June 1996). "Going Ape". Muzik. pp. 84–86.
  2. 1 2 3 "ALOOF - full Official Chart History - Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 July 2018.
  3. 1 2 Bush, John. "Review: The Aloof – Sinking". AllMusic.
  4. 1 2 George, Iestyn (25 May 1996). "A Menace to Sobriety". NME. p. 56.
  5. 1 2 Cranna, Ian (July 1996). "Review: The Aloof – Sinking". Q. No. 118. p. 107.
  6. ↑ James, Martin (25 May 1996). "Review: The Aloof – Sinking". Melody Maker. p. 53.
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