Emika (album)
| Emika | ||||
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| Studio album by Emika | ||||
| Released | 3 October 2011 | |||
| Recorded | 2011 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 47:36 | |||
| Label | Ninja Tune | |||
| Producer | Emika | |||
| Emika chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Emika | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    |
| Drowned in Sound | |
| The Irish Times | |
| Mojo | |
| The Observer | |
| Pitchfork | 7.4/10 |
| PopMatters |   |
| Q | |
| Resident Advisor | 4.0/5 |
| Uncut | |
Emika is the debut studio album by English singer Emika, released on 3 October 2011 by Ninja Tune. The album was written, composed, and performed by Emika and mastered by Berlin engineer Rashad Becker.
Emika chose a software studio as her instrument throughout her musical education and beyond. In Berlin she started to collaborate with engineer Rashad Becker. She has mentioned the roots techno culture as an inspiration because "it was a movement with sound and dancing at its very core. It was not about idols or stars, it was about sound and people coming together to dance and feel free" and also dubstep from Bristol and London, for "originally it was deep spiritual music made by kids for kids". These two influences combined with her being a classically trained pianist and a singer. Speaking of influences, Emika mentioned Delia Derbyshire, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop composer who came up with the original Doctor Who theme music ("not so much for the sounds she made as rather for her questing spirit, it inspires me as I go ahead mapping my own musical realm"), but also Mahler and Rachmaninoff. "Historically they are worlds apart, and yet much of their music shares a beautiful sense for tragedy. The tragedy of life itself, as it were. Not in a way that creates sadness within the listener, but in a way that makes one hold on dearly to every moment lived", she explained.
The songs of the album have been based on narratives. "I start with an idea, a story, and then I seek to find the sound world that best dramatizes my story, making it into a song. I try very hard to stay faithful to my narratives and not fall into the trap of genre conventions which is why I'm shy of genre references", Emika explained.
The release of Emika was preceded four singles which later were included into the album. The lead single, "Drop the Other", was released on 18 January 2010, and was followed by "Double Edge" on 10 May 2010. On 11 April 2011, "Count Backwards" was released, "the story of an over-fed yet undernourished soul in search of a little peace and quiet", according to Emika. She expanded:
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