*Happiness Not Included | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 6 May 2022 | |||
Recorded | January 2020 – March 2021 | |||
Studio | Dean Street, London | |||
Genre | Synth-pop | |||
Length | 55:04 | |||
Label | BMG | |||
Producer |
| |||
Soft Cell chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from *Happiness Not Included | ||||
|
*Happiness Not Included is the fifth studio album by British synth-pop duo Soft Cell, released on 6 May 2022 through BMG Rights Management. It is their first studio album in 20 years, following Cruelty Without Beauty (2002). [1] It was preceded by the release of the single "Bruises on All My Illusions" in 2021 as well as "Purple Zone" in 2022, the latter a collaboration with fellow British synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. [2]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 78/100 [3] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
The Guardian | [4] |
The Independent | [5] |
The Line of Best Fit | 7/10 [6] |
Mojo | [7] |
musicOMH | [8] |
The Telegraph | [9] |
Uncut | 8/10 [10] |
On review aggregator Metacritic, *Happiness Not Included received a score of 78 out of 100 based on nine reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. [3] Dave Simpson of The Guardian called it a "wryly hopeful record" with "some trademark electro bangers". [4] Writing for The Line of Best Fit , Chris Todd summarised the "flavour" of the album as "one of world weariness peppered with salacious reflections of tales of past". [6] Roisin O'Connor of The Independent remarked on the downbeat nature of the lyrics, writing that while Soft Cell "were hardly upbeat to begin with, [...] this is downright miserable" although acknowledging that they "have good reason to be" and concluding that "it's not all hopeless – at least the music is good". [5]
All tracks are written by Marc Almond and David Ball except where noted.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Happy Happy Happy" | 4:46 |
2. | "Polaroid" | 4:41 |
3. | "Bruises on All My Illusions" | 4:45 |
4. | "Purple Zone" (with Pet Shop Boys) | 3:11 |
5. | "Heart Like Chernobyl" | 3:24 |
6. | "Light Sleepers" | 4:41 |
7. | "*Happiness Not Included" | 4:55 |
8. | "Nostalgia Machine" | 4:34 |
9. | "Nighthawks" | 5:14 |
10. | "I'm Not a Friend of God" | 4:34 |
11. | "Tranquiliser" | 3:50 |
12. | "New Eden" | 6:29 |
Total length: | 55:04 |
Chart (2022) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [11] | 51 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [12] | 175 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [13] | 55 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [14] | 12 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [15] | 5 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [16] | 37 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [17] | 86 |
UK Albums (OCC) [18] | 7 |
UK Dance Albums (OCC) [19] | 1 |
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [20] | 2 |
Overpowered is the second solo studio album by Irish singer and songwriter Róisín Murphy. It was released on 15 October 2007 by EMI Records. Receiving widespread critical acclaim, the album was more commercially successful than its predecessor, Ruby Blue (2005), debuting at number 20 on the UK Albums Chart with 9,656 copies sold in its first week. Overpowered was shortlisted for the 2007 Choice Music Prize in Murphy's native Ireland. As of May 2015, the album had sold 65,532 copies in the United Kingdom.
How About I Be Me? is the ninth full-length album by Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor, released in Ireland on 2 March 2012 on Shamrock Solutions and 5 March 2012 in the United Kingdom on One Little Indian. The first single "The Wolf Is Getting Married" was released on 24 February in Ireland and got to number 40 for one week, accompanied by a video directed by Roman Rappak, lead singer of Breton.
Communion is the debut studio album by English synth-pop trio Years & Years. It was released on 10 July 2015 through Polydor Records for the United Kingdom and other countries and Interscope Records for the United States only.
Hairless Toys is the third solo studio album by Irish singer Róisín Murphy. It was released on 8 May 2015 by Play It Again Sam. It is Murphy's first full-length release since 2007's Overpowered. The album was nominated for Best Irish Album of 2015 at the Choice Music Prize and the 2015 Mercury Music Prize. In 2016, it was awarded a silver certification from the Independent Music Companies Association, indicating sales of at least 20,000 copies throughout Europe.
Super is the thirteenth studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. It was released on 1 April 2016 on the band's own label, x2, through Kobalt Label Services. It is available on vinyl and compact disc along with a digital download. The album debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart. Lead single "The Pop Kids" reached number one on the UK Physical Singles Chart and narrowly missing out on the top 100 in the main chart.
Take Her Up to Monto is the fourth solo studio album by Irish singer Róisín Murphy. It was released on 8 July 2016 by Play It Again Sam. The album was co-produced with longtime collaborator Eddie Stevens during the same five-week session period that resulted in Murphy's previous album, Hairless Toys (2015).
Boy King is the fifth and final studio album by Wild Beasts, released on 5 August 2016 through Domino Records.
Human is the debut studio album by British singer and songwriter Rag'n'Bone Man. It was released on 10 February 2017 through Columbia Records and features his breakthrough single of 2016, entitled "Human". It debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with sales of 117,000, making it the fastest-selling debut album by a male artist during the 2010s.
World Be Gone is the seventeenth studio album by English synth-pop duo Erasure, released by Mute Records on 19 May 2017 in the United Kingdom and on 20 May 2017 in North America. The album reached number six on the UK Albums Chart, dropping out of the chart the next week.
Dirty Computer is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Janelle Monáe, released on April 27, 2018, by Wondaland Arts Society, Bad Boy Records and Atlantic Records. It is the follow-up to her studio albums The ArchAndroid (2010) and The Electric Lady (2013) and her first album not to continue the Cindi Mayweather Metropolis narrative.
Noonday Dream is the third album by British singer-songwriter Ben Howard, released on 1 June 2018.
High as Hope is the fourth studio album by English indie rock band Florence and the Machine. It was released on 29 June 2018, by Republic and Virgin EMI Records. It was preceded by the singles "Sky Full of Song" and "Hunger". "Patricia" was released as the third and final single on 10 August 2018.
The Blue Hour is the eighth studio album by English alternative rock band Suede. The album was released on 21 September 2018.
Not Waving, but Drowning is the second studio album by British rapper Loyle Carner. It was released on 19 April 2019 via AMF/Virgin EMI Records. The name comes from the poem "Not Waving but Drowning" by British poet Stevie Smith.
Happiness Begins is the fifth studio album by American pop rock band Jonas Brothers, released on June 7, 2019, by Republic Records. It is their first album since 2013's Live, and their first studio album since 2009's Lines, Vines and Trying Times. It was the first album released by the group since they reunited in 2019. It was preceded by their comeback single "Sucker" as well as "Cool". The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200.
Hotspot is the fourteenth studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 24 January 2020 by the band's own label x2, through Kobalt Label Services. It is supported by the singles "Dreamland" featuring Years & Years, which was released on 25 October 2019, and "Burning the Heather", which was released alongside the album announcement on 13 December 2019. The duo planned to tour the UK and Europe in support of the album in mid-2020. The album charted in numerous countries, reaching No. 3 on the album charts in the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain.
Seventeen Going Under is the second studio album by English musician Sam Fender. The album was released on 8 October 2021 through Polydor Records. The album explores Fender's upbringing and how it has impacted who he is today, exploring both his outward nihilism as well as his internal self-examination. Three singles were released ahead of the album: the title track, "Get You Down" and "Spit of You".
Things Take Time, Take Time is the third studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett. It was released on 12 November 2021 by Milk! Records, Mom + Pop Music and Marathon Artists.
How to Let Go is the second studio album by Norwegian singer-songwriter Sigrid, released on 6 May 2022 through Island Records. The album serves as the follow-up to Sigrid's debut album, Sucker Punch (2019). The album was promoted by the singles "Mirror", "Burning Bridges", "It Gets Dark", and "Bad Life" with British rock band Bring Me the Horizon.
I Used to Think I Could Fly is the debut studio album by Canadian singer and songwriter Tate McRae, released on May 27, 2022, through RCA Records. It was preceded by the singles "Feel Like Shit", "She's All I Wanna Be", "Chaotic" and "What Would You Do?". McRae embarked on a tour in support of the album in June 2022. The album was met with positive reviews from music critics, and saw commercial success, entering the top 10 in various countries, while debuting at number thirteen on the US Billboard 200.