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Scale
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Scale Image
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 20 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 27 Ratings

  • Summary: Like a more accessible, poppier version of Matmos, UK electronica artist Matthew Herbert likes to record concept albums with instrumentation derived from real-world objects. 'Scale' (which again features Dani Siciliano on vocals) samples 723 items (including coffins and fuel pumps) in its 11Like a more accessible, poppier version of Matmos, UK electronica artist Matthew Herbert likes to record concept albums with instrumentation derived from real-world objects. 'Scale' (which again features Dani Siciliano on vocals) samples 723 items (including coffins and fuel pumps) in its 11 politically-charged dance tracks.… Collapse

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. musicOMH.com
    100
    Inspiring and ingenious, this is an album you shouldn't be without.
  2. Lost At Sea
    95
    One of the best albums of 2006.
  3. Prefix Magazine
    90
    A lean, focused record, Scale is Herbert's best record to date, and a must-buy for any dance-music fan.
  4. PopMatters
    80
    [The songs'] politicism is woven so masterfully into the lush electronic pop medium that you’re never coerced into consideration of any one issue.
  5. BBC collective
    80
    Warm and quirky. Pleasantly bizarre. Sophisticated and daft. Herbert at his best.
  6. Almost Cool
    75
    A highly enjoyable album that doesn't beg to be parsed too deeply.
  7. Stylus Magazine
    50
    So we've got pop music too lightweight to do much more than fancy up the background and a conceptual underpinning, that, due to the seamless way it's blended into these songs, is near imperceptible.

See all 20 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 20
  3. Negative: 2 out of 20
  1. mattt
    Jan 23, 2007
    10
    great and creative masterpiece, one of the best of 06. definitely deserves more listens in 07. I agree with Javier on the Knife and Junior great and creative masterpiece, one of the best of 06. definitely deserves more listens in 07. I agree with Javier on the Knife and Junior Boys but I'm From Barcelona is by far one of the best new bands and has one of the best new releases.… Expand
  2. DavidR
    Jun 21, 2006
    10
    One of the best albums in decades. Totally unique, this is not an electronic album. A glitch-electronic-producer with 700-some instruments One of the best albums in decades. Totally unique, this is not an electronic album. A glitch-electronic-producer with 700-some instruments recorded with microphones, along with some amazing vocalists, lead us into brand new musical terrain... uncharted.… Expand
  4. RH
    Jul 2, 2006
    10
    Album of the year. Hands down. Listening to this in the car or on the train or bus or whatever in the middle of a bustling city is orgasmic.
  5. judej.
    May 31, 2006
    9
    What makes Herbert a constant engagment is his love of sound and inability to make a sequel: this is not "Around the House part II". Totally What makes Herbert a constant engagment is his love of sound and inability to make a sequel: this is not "Around the House part II". Totally a lush and inventive album from a very progressive artist.… Expand
  6. AlanG
    Jun 17, 2006
    9
    I danced to it all day when I had the time to play it all day. If it makes you want to dance without thinking about what you are doing it has I danced to it all day when I had the time to play it all day. If it makes you want to dance without thinking about what you are doing it has to be a good dance album. Right?… Expand
  7. captainferre
    Jun 8, 2006
    7
    herbert has mixed up his post big band style of "Goodbye Swingtime" with the "bodily functions" era sample cut ups and Dani Siciliano vocals, herbert has mixed up his post big band style of "Goodbye Swingtime" with the "bodily functions" era sample cut ups and Dani Siciliano vocals, to fairly groovesome effect. Sadly there's a sense of drift and the album doesn't really chart much of a leap forward. Dani S's vocals are sweet but like the music are more texture than stand out. Despite Herbert's cute-formalist sampling techniques and policies he's not really good with melodies or lyrics per se, and the lushness does little to hide this.… Expand
  8. KarynW
    Jul 17, 2006
    0
    Initially boring but after a few listens the vocals make you want to tear the stars down from the sky and crush them.

See all 20 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Best Album of 2006

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