Ultramarine

Ah, to hear the electronic sounds of 1992 again, a time when the scene was just starting to spread its wings and take diversions into different fields. It goes without saying that much of the material from that era of dance and techno has not exactly aged well. This is not at all the case for Ultramarine's Every Man And Woman Is A Star, and the good folks at Darla have taken it upon themselves to reissue this classic album as Rough Trade UK originally intended it. Far from being a simple dance album, this is a fantastic mix of smooth dub beats, playful electronics and pop music with a definite hint of world music. The fact that there are vocals and acoustic guitars sets this album apart from the field ten years ago, and it still sounds great today. Listening to "Weird Gear" or "Nova Scotia," it is apparent what attracted so much attention to this album the first time around. "Saratoga" is a classic bit of bouncy house, with its unforgettable flute melody, and there is plenty of variety throughout the album's 14 tracks - "Geezer" even takes a shot at reggae structures. Overall, this is a diverse sounding album that has achieved that rare status of being a timeless, genre defining release.