Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
While webcast concerts and performances swiftly became commonplace by the end of the 1990s, there had to be pioneers somewhere in earlier years, and FSOL was among them. Instead of touring for the Lifeforms album in 1994, they instead set up a series of appearances on a variety of radio stations, as well as concert dates involving broadcasting to specific venues. ISDN, named after the high-speed connection that made these ventures possible, compiles a variety of cuts from four different sessions, including one with Robert Fripp. All four were live performances, with only new material appearing on ISDN itself, making it a fine standalone collection of intrinsic value beyond its gee-whiz factor. While not a cohesive listen like Lifeforms by default -- the selections aren't organized in chronological fashion -- all are edited together to provide a reasonable enough simulation of a standalone performance. Stylistically the duo explore both the experimental reaches of Lifeforms' unsettling ambient approach and the rougher sounds which would come to dominate on Dead Cities. "The Far Out Son of Lung and the Ramblings of a Madman" makes for a great taste of the latter, with a steady, aggressive hip-hop loop mixed with muted jazz trumpet and cascading, unnerving synth swirls and sighs, not to mention sudden guitar stabs. Similarly aggro efforts appear, like the steady, booming breakbeat echo and intense synth bassline on "Slider." On the calmer but no less intriguing side, standouts include "Just a Fuckin' Idiot" and especially "Dirty Shadows," subtle and threatening in atmosphere, resembling a spooked-out In the Nursery track. Besides Fripp, there's one other guest on the album -- sort of: John Williams gets some of his acoustic bass work sampled for a core loop on "Smokin Japanese Babe," which predates the commercial explosion of trip-hop by mere months.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From €13,50/month
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1995 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1995 Virgin Records Limited
The Future Sound Of London, Producer, MainArtist - Brian Dougans, Composer - Yage, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Garry Cobain, Composer
℗ 1994 Virgin Records Limited
Album review
While webcast concerts and performances swiftly became commonplace by the end of the 1990s, there had to be pioneers somewhere in earlier years, and FSOL was among them. Instead of touring for the Lifeforms album in 1994, they instead set up a series of appearances on a variety of radio stations, as well as concert dates involving broadcasting to specific venues. ISDN, named after the high-speed connection that made these ventures possible, compiles a variety of cuts from four different sessions, including one with Robert Fripp. All four were live performances, with only new material appearing on ISDN itself, making it a fine standalone collection of intrinsic value beyond its gee-whiz factor. While not a cohesive listen like Lifeforms by default -- the selections aren't organized in chronological fashion -- all are edited together to provide a reasonable enough simulation of a standalone performance. Stylistically the duo explore both the experimental reaches of Lifeforms' unsettling ambient approach and the rougher sounds which would come to dominate on Dead Cities. "The Far Out Son of Lung and the Ramblings of a Madman" makes for a great taste of the latter, with a steady, aggressive hip-hop loop mixed with muted jazz trumpet and cascading, unnerving synth swirls and sighs, not to mention sudden guitar stabs. Similarly aggro efforts appear, like the steady, booming breakbeat echo and intense synth bassline on "Slider." On the calmer but no less intriguing side, standouts include "Just a Fuckin' Idiot" and especially "Dirty Shadows," subtle and threatening in atmosphere, resembling a spooked-out In the Nursery track. Besides Fripp, there's one other guest on the album -- sort of: John Williams gets some of his acoustic bass work sampled for a core loop on "Smokin Japanese Babe," which predates the commercial explosion of trip-hop by mere months.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 18 track(s)
- Total length: 01:30:02
- Main artists: The Future Sound Of London
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: UMC (Universal Music Catalogue)
- Genre: Electronic
© 2024 Virgin Records Limited ℗ 2024 Virgin Records Limited
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.