Ace of Base

. The 1990s saw China Records releasing various disappointing Art of Noise compilations: The Ambient Collection, The FON Mixes, The Drum and Bass Collection, Art Works, and reissues of Best Of without the ZTT-era tracks.
. In 1990, Dudley and Jeczalik declared the Art of Noise was done, although they did assist in the promotion of the lightly remixed The Ambient Collection compilation that the China label released to cash in on the burgeoning ambient house scene. There had already been a clear trend towards progressively greater complexity both in technique and style, and for the most part an abandonment of the group's early club sound. The followup album, Below the Waste, with only a few inspired tunes, sounded like a hollow imitation of its predecessors, lacking the aesthetic and creative fullness of previous releases, and failing to achieve much success upon its release in 1989. The band has abruptly changed styles of music on several occasions. Only the first edition of the compilation contained tracks licensed from ZTT, though, diluting the band's reputation in later years.

Their earlier songs were often a bit faster paced. China Records included the song on a greatest hits album, and it also appeared on subsequent albums by Jones. "C'est la Vie (Always 21)" (1999) is a good example of this style. In 1988, a lackluster, one-off collaboration with singer Tom Jones, a cover of Prince's "Kiss" (a staple in Jones' stage shows) renewed the public's interest in the Art of Noise and provided their biggest hit in the mainstream. In Ace of Base's later music, the pace of the songs tends to be moderate, with more of the interest sometimes coming from the melody and the orchestration rather than the rhythm. It didn't score any hits, although their record label tried mightily to push remixes of "Dragnet" into the dance clubs. This effect is most noticable in The Bridge, with each band member contributing 1/4th of the album. The album featured Jeczalik's best rhythmic collages to date, plus lush string arrangements, pieces for boys' choir, and keyboard melodies from Dudley.

Individually, the four Aces drew further inspiration from different sources. That year saw the release of their album In No Sense? Nonsense!, which is considered by many to be among their best work, despite the inclusion of arguably "cutesy" tracks composed for the soundtracks of the movies Dragnet and Disorderlies. A blend of salsa and reggae can be heard on European releases such as "Cruel Summer", "No Good Lover", and "Doctor Sun". By 1987, the band's membership was down to just Jeczalik and Dudley. Tracks with retro themes from this album include "Always Have, Always Will", "Cecilia" and "Donnie". The upcoming soundtrack pieces continued The Art of Noise's evolution into a pop band and away from Morley's faceless "non-group.". For example, their Flowers album was the first to introduce a Motown flavor into Scandinavian music. Around 1986, Jeczalik and Dudley started appearing in photographs without masks, alienating some fans that had come to appreciate Morley's "art for art's sake" asthetic.

Ace of Base continually experimented with new sounds. From this same album, the "Beat Box"-like single "Legs" was a mild underground hit in dance clubs, and "Paranoimia" achieved some success when a remix of it was released as a single with overdubbed vocal samples provided by the supposedly computer-generated character Max Headroom. Jonas admitted a strong influence by Whigfield in "You and I". This album spawned the Grammy award-winning cover of the Peter Gunn theme, recorded with twangy guitar legend Duane Eddy reprising the lead rather than just being sampled. "Beautiful Life" was a blend of American Gospel music and the band's earlier club sound. The remaining members moved to the UK-based China Records label, keeping some of the band's original imagery and ethos alive in their second album, In Visible Silence. "Angel Eyes" and "Edge of Heaven" became sophisticated pop ballads. In 1985, Morley and Horn split from the group and pursued other projects.

"Lucky Love" was the band's attempt at an acoustic sound. Critics' reviews of Into Battle and the more fully realized Who's Afraid (of the Art of Noise?) album (1984) were mixed, with some hailing the group's unique, deconstructive approach to sound and song construction, and others dismissing them as a pretentious novelty band. Later, more thoughtful studio recordings gradually replaced the "Euro-punk" sound. The early videos for "Close (to the Edit)" were impressive and unusual, becoming cult favorites on MTV. Most of their early songs, including "All That She Wants" and "Happy Nation" were club-friendly tracks inspired by the growth of the club scene across Europe. Musically, aside from the cleverness of deftly juxtaposing found sounds, the project was also intended to pay homage to the influence of Claude Debussy, who revolutionized popular music at the beginning of the 20th century, and to the sonic "Art of Noises" experiments of Italian Futurist Luigi Russolo. The band members were strongly influenced by club music. Band members never appeared in photos without masks, and sleeve art was filled with manifestos, quotes, photographs, and graphic design elements that stood in stark contrast to the unimaginative photo-of-the-band-and-some-lyrics motifs that were typical at the time.

The band's fifth released album, Da Capo, was recorded at studios in Stockholm. Morley managed the packaging of the project as a faceless "non-group", a work of art, itself, that merely existed. The last track prepared during The Bridge era, "You and I", was recorded at Jonas' newly-completed studio, The Barn. Many later recordings, including those for Flowers and the six tracks recorded in 1999], also were prepared and mixed at The Barn. It immediately scored a hit in the urban and alternative dance charts in the USA with the highly percussive, cut-up instrumental track "Beat Box," a favorite among breakdancers. Later recordings, including those of Happy Nation and The Bridge, took advantage of professional facilities in both Gothenburg and Stockholm. The group's debut EP, Into Battle with the Art of Noise, appeared in September 1983 on Horn's fledgling ZTT label. Their first recording sessions took place in a basement converted into a studio (hence the name). With Paul Morley providing much of the band's art direction, Horn, Dudley, Jeczalik, and Langan formed the initial incarnation of The Art of Noise.

Their earliest performances were in small clubs in Gothenburg and their first recordings were simple reproductions of their live performances. This was at first done with very little input from musicians "playing" instruments as they would in a typical band, but later works introduced traditional instruments into the mix. From early on, Ace of Base drew inspiration from the growing European club scene. These sounds were then assembled, in the studio, into various instrumental arrangements and sound collages.
. Samples, some borrowed from other pieces of music, such as the baritone "dum" from "Leave It" by Yes, but most coming from original sources had to be bathed in reverb to mask the early sampler's low fidelity.
. While some musicians were using samples as adornment in their works, Horn and his companions saw the potential to craft entire compositions with the sampler, tossing the traditional rock aesthetic out the window, or at least turning it on its ear.

In 1998 the band's single "Life is a Flower" was the most heavily played radio single of the year, despite the fact it was never released in the Americas. With the Fairlight, short digital sound recordings called samples could be "played" through a piano-like keyboard. In Europe, Ace of Base won awards for Best Selling Scandinavian Artist at the 1995, 1996, and 1997 World Music Awards in Monaco. They performed at each of these events. The technological impetus for the Art of Noise was the advent of the Fairlight CMI sampler, an electronic musical instrument that Horn was reportedly among the first to purchase. The band also received three Grammy nominations, two American Music Awards, and two Billboard Music Awards for "Best-Selling Album" and "Best-Selling Single". Jeczalik, and mixing engineer Gary Langan. In addition, "The Sign Home Video Collection" was also certified platinum. In his employ were keyboardist/arranger Anne Dudley, keyboardist/programmer J.J.

Two of the band's albums received platinum certication in the United States:. In 1983, Trevor Horn, who had achieved a New Wave hit in 1981 with "Video Killed The Radio Star", which he recorded with Geoff Downes under the name The Buggles, was working in the studio with Yes on what would become the album 90125, and with Frankie Goes To Hollywood on what would become the album Welcome to the Pleasuredome. These are:. The band is noted for their innovative use of electronics and computers in pop music and particularly for innovative use of sampling. Four of the group's singles have received gold or platinum certification by the RIAA in the United States. Inspired by turn-of-the-century revolutions in music, the Art of Noise was initially packaged as a faceless anti- or non-group, blurring the distinction between the art and its creators. Ace of Base released the world's highest selling debut album of all time, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, 1997 edition. Their 1993 release The Sign/Happy Nation sold an estimated 23 million copies. The group's mostly instrumental compositions were novel and often clever melodic sound collages based on digital sampling technology, which was new at the time.

The following is a partial list. The Art of Noise was a pop group formed in 1983 by producer Trevor Horn, music journalist Paul Morley, and session musicians/studio hands Anne Dudley, J.J. Jeczalik, and Gary Langan. Throughout their relatively short time recording and performing together, Ace of Base set a number of world records and other achievements. Reconstructed (2004). They are about to re-enter the studio in order to record a sixth album which will be released in 2005. The Seduction of Claude Debussy (1999). Da Capo was released in 2002 and whilst well received by fans, it didn't trouble many charts. The Ambient Collection (1990).

The band remain together today but have chosen to step out of the limelight. Below the Waste (1989). In the United States, they have had seven Billboard Top 40 hits and two platinum albums. The Best of the Art of Noise (1988). Ace of Base has released dozens of singles worldwide. Re-works of Art of Noise (1987). A greatest hits compilation was released at the end of the 90s before the band started work on album number 4. In No Sense? Nonsense! (1987).

comeback with Cruel Summer proved short-lived, but in Europe, Life Is A Flower was one of the most played records on radio that year. In Visible Silence (1986). Their U.S. Daft (1985). In 1995, their second album The Bridge sold a respectable five million copies but it seemed clear that with music tastes rapidly changing, the hype about the band died down, much to the relief of blonde singer Linn who decided to hand over power to her sister Jenny for their third album Flowers which was released in 1998. (Who's Afraid Of?) The Art of Noise! (1984). He has long relinquished and rejected these ties. Into Battle With the Art of Noise EP (1983).

The band's image was tarnished by revelations that Ulf used to be a member of a neo-Nazi group in Sweden. More hits followed such as The Sign, which went on to spend six weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for a Grammy. The months that followed saw the band propel themselves to worldwide fame. All That She Wants, produced by the legendary Denniz PoP then became a hit single all over the world.

After several attempts, the song was eventually a Scandinavian hit and the band signed a pan-European distribution deal with Metronome. In 1990 they signed with Mega Records and released Wheel Of Fortune. Jenny explained once that the reason was "no one could pronounce the name of the group and nobody could remember it". In late 1989, Johnny & Nicklas left the group, and in 1990, Ulf Ekberg joined and they changed their name to Ace of Base.

Their band went throught several names; 'Kallinin Prospect' (a street in Moscow), 'CAD' (Computer Aided Disco), and 'Tech-Noir' (French for "black technology'; named for a nightclub in The Terminator). Jonas' sisters, Jenny and Malin, joined as singers. In 1987, Jonas Berggren, as well as his two friends Johnny Lindén and Nicklas Tränk formed a group. Their sound has been described as 'pop reggae' and is often compared to ABBA and Aqua.

Ace of Base are a Swedish pop band composed of Jonas Berggren (Joker), Ulf Ekberg (Buddha), Linn Berggren and Jenny Berggren; the three Berggrens are siblings. Radio Edit. Filur Radio Mix. Fairlite Radio Mix.

Junk&Function/M12 Radio Mix. Don't Stop. Sweetbox Extended Mix. Lenny B's Organi-c House Mix.

Lenny B's Club Mix. Album Version. Vission Lorimer Funkified Mix. Lenny B's Club Mix.

Frankie Knuckles Classic Club Mix. Armand's British Nites Mix. Amadin Mix. Acoustic Version.

Single Edit. Old School Mix. New Buddha Version. D-House Mix.

Soul Poets Night Club Mix. Original Version. Milk Long Edit. Extended Version.

KLM Radio Mix. KLM Club Mix. Hani Radio Mix. Hani Num Club Mix.

Album Version. Vission Lorimer Club Mix. Uno Clio Mix. Single Version.

Lenny B's House of Joy Club Mix. Junior's Circuit Bump Mix. 12" Extended Version. Single Version.

Extended Single/Dub. Banghra Version. 12" Version. Young and Proud [limited release].

Whenever You're Near Me [limited release]. Wheel Of Fortune [limited release]. Waiting for Magic [limited release]. Voulez-Vous Danser [limited release].

Travel to Romantis [limited release]. Tokyo Girl [limited release]. The Sign [limited release]. Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry.

My Deja Vu [limited release]. Lucky Love. Living In Danger [limited release]. Happy Nation.

Everytime It Rains. Edge of Heaven [limited release]. Donnie [limited release]. Don't Turn Around [limited release].

Dancer in a Daydream [limited release]. Cruel Summer. Cecilia [limited release]. Beautiful Life.

Angel Eyes [limited release]. All That She Wants. World Down Under. Wonderful Life.

What's The Name Of The Game. Unspeakable. The Juvenile. Summer Days [limited release].

Show Me Love. Remember The Words. Ordinary Day. Hey Darling.

Don't Stop [limited release]. Da Capo. Change With The Light. Beautiful Morning (Groove Radio Edit) [limited release].

Beautiful Morning. Wheel Of Fortune [limited release]. The Sign. Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry [limited release].

Lucky Love (Frankie Knuckles Mix) [limited release]. Lucky Love (Acoustic Version) [limited release]. Lucky Love [limited release]. Love In December [limited release].

Living In Danger [limited release]. Life Is A Flower. Happy Nation [limited release]. Hallo Hallo [limited release].

Everytime It Rains. Don't Turn Around. Cruel Summer. C'est La Vie (Always 21).

Beautiful Life (Junior Vasquez Mix) [limited release]. Beautiful Life. Always Have, Always Will. All That She Wants.

Whenever You're Near Me [limited release; rewrite of 'Life Is A Flower']. Travel To Romantis. Tokyo Girl. Life Is A Flower [limited release].

Into the Night of Blue [limited release]. I Pray [limited release]. He Decides. Everytime it Rains [limited release].

Sun [limited release]. Dr. Donnie. Don't Go Away.

Cruel Summer (Blazin' Rhythm Remix) [limited release]. Cruel Summer (Big Bonus Mix) [limited release]. Cruel Summer. Cecilia.

Captain Nemo [limited release]. Always Have, Always Will. Adventures In Paradise. You And I [limited release].

Whispers In Blindness. Wave Wet Sand. Strange Ways. Ravine.

Que Sera. Perfect World. Never Gonna Say I'm Sorry. My Déjà Vu.

Lucky Love (Acoustic Version). Lucky Love [limited release]. Just 'N' Image. Experience Pearls.

Edge Of Heaven. Blooming 18. Beautiful Life. Angel Eyes.

Young And Proud. Wheel Of Fortune. Waiting For Magic (Total Remix 7"). Voulez-Vous Danser.

The Sign. My Mind (Mindless Mix). Living In Danger. Just Chaos (Munchhausen) [limited release].

Hear Me Calling [limited release]. Happy Nation (Remix) [limited release]. Happy Nation. Fashion Party [limited release].

Don't Turn Around. Dimension of Depth [limited release]. Dancer In A Daydream. All That She Wants (Banghra Version).

All That She Wants. Exit Floors (known to exist). Magic. Ice Cream.

Another Chance. Funk Funk. Close To You. Loosing In Time.

A Million Ways. Ace (known to exist). Mr. Moogoperator (known to exist).

Hear Me Calling (known to exist). Young and Proud (known to exist). Walk Like A Man (known to exist). Hipnotize (known to exist).

Young and Proud. The Strike. Tlaltelolco Muerto. Texturous Thoughts.

Tech Noir 'Ce Soir' (Mix). Subordinate Lifestyle. Roxy Carmichael's Love. Hey, Bart!.

Hear Me Calling. Femme Fatale (Humpty Remix). Eskimo Girl (Unconscious Mix). Don't Leave Me Now (Rap Mix).

Care for Me (Instrumental). Beauty Queen. The Bridge (1 RIAA platinum certification). The Sign (9 RIAA platinum certifications).

Cruel Summer (1998 RIAA gold certification; over 500,000 copies sold in the United States). Don't Turn Around (1994 RIAA gold certification; over 500,000 copies sold in the United States). The Sign (1994 RIAA platinum certification; over 1,000,000 copies sold in the United States). All That She Wants (1994 RIAA platinum certification; over 1,000,000 copies sold in the United States).