Held (album)

Last updated

Held
Held (album).jpg
Studio album by
Holy Other
Released27 August 2012 (2012-08-27)
Genre Electronic
Length35:16
Label Tri Angle
Producer Holy Other
Holy Other chronology
With U
(2011)		Held
(2012)		Lieve
(2021)

Held is the debut studio album by English record producer David Ainley under the pseudonym Holy Other. [1] [2] It was released on 27 August 2012 through Tri Angle. [3] It received generally favorable reviews from critics. [4]

Contents

Background

Held is a follow-up to Holy Other's debut EP, With U (2011). [5] It was created in his bedrooms in Manchester and London. [5] It took him about three months to finish the album. [5]

Teengirl Fantasy's remix of "Love Some1" featuring Kelela, [6] Tim Hecker's remix of "Held", [7] and Fort Romeau's remix of "Held" were released digitally, after the album's release. [8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 75/100 [4]
Review scores
SourceRating
Beats Per Minute 82% [9]
DIY Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Fact Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [11]
MusicOMH Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Pitchfork 8.0/10 [14]
PopMatters 7/10 [15]
Resident Advisor 4/5 [16]
The Skinny Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [17]
XLR8R 8/10 [18]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , Held received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 from 21 critic scores. [4]

Bram E. Gieben of The Skinny commented that "It is an album of contradictions: his productions are minimal and sparse, but richly layered and deeply textured, with washes of synths, sampled and treated vocals and tight, subtly-structured drums." [17] He added, "The real triumph of Held is emotional – rarely has instrumental electronic music been so heartfelt; simultaneously transcendent, uplifting, stately and sad." [17] Ruth Saxelby of Pitchfork stated, "His music is of the wholly sensual, painfully physical kind, and with Held he triumphantly translates his bruised intimacy to full-length format without losing any of its skin-prickling power." [14] Jamie Milton of DIY called the album "one of the most powerful records to be released in a very long time." [10] Andrew Ryce of Resident Advisor stated, "Despite all the hints at depression, Held is a strangely uplifting record." [16]

Accolades

Year-end lists for Held
PublicationListRankRef.
Beats Per Minute The Top 50 Albums of 2012
29
Crack The Top 100 Albums of 2012
58
Les Inrockuptibles The 100 Best Albums of 2012
73

Track listing

All tracks are written by Holy Other.

Held track listing
No.TitleLength
1."(W)here"3:49
2."Tense Past"3:52
3."Inpouring"2:46
4."Love Some1"4:28
5."U Now"3:59
6."In Difference"2:41
7."Past Tension"2:56
8."Held"6:07
9."Nothing Here"4:24
Total length:35:16

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes. [22]

Charts

Chart performance for Held
Chart (2012)Peak
position
UK Dance Albums (OCC) [23] 30
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [24] 41

References

  1. ↑ Kenneally, Cerys (29 September 2021). "Holy Other announces first album in nearly 10 years with title-track "Lieve"". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  2. ↑ Bray, Jack (22 November 2021). "Nearly a decade after his debut, Holy Other proves his efforts are still essential with Lieve". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  3. ↑ Murray, Robin (11 June 2012). "Holy Other Lines Up Debut Full Length". Clash . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "Held by Holy Other". Metacritic . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 Goble, Corban (17 August 2012). "Holy Other Talks Held, Touring, Showing His Face In Public". Stereogum . Archived from the original on 28 June 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  6. ↑ "Teengirl Fantasy invite Kelela to breathe some life into Holy Other's 'Love Some1'". Fact . 4 October 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  7. ↑ "Listen to Tim Hecker's remix of Holy Other's 'Held'". Fact . 18 October 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  8. ↑ "Download Fort Romeau's dancefloor-ready remix of Holy Other's 'Held'". Fact . 20 May 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  9. ↑ Ryan, Will (7 September 2012). "Album Review: Holy Other – Held". Beats Per Minute . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  10. 1 2 Milton, Jamie (29 August 2012). "Holy Other - Held". DIY . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  11. ↑ Shaw, Steve (27 August 2012). "Holy Other: Held". Fact . Archived from the original on 28 April 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  12. ↑ Khong, En Liang (27 August 2012). "Holy Other – Held". MusicOMH . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  13. ↑ Brailey, Louise (24 August 2012). "Holy Other – 'Held'". NME . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  14. 1 2 Saxelby, Ruth (14 September 2012). "Holy Other: Held". Pitchfork . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  15. ↑ Garratt, John (4 September 2012). "Holy Other: Held". PopMatters . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  16. 1 2 Ryce, Andrew (28 August 2012). "Holy Other - Held". Resident Advisor . Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  17. 1 2 3 Gieben, Bram E. (28 August 2012). "Holy Other – Held". The Skinny . Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  18. ↑ Fallon, Patric (27 August 2012). "Holy Other Held". XLR8R . Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  19. ↑ "The Top 50 Albums of 2012 (page 3)". Beats Per Minute . 14 December 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  20. ↑ "The Top 100 Albums Of 2012: 74-50". Crack . 6 December 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  21. ↑ "Nos 100 meilleurs albums de 2012: 51 à 100 (page 3)". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). 13 December 2012. Archived from the original on 16 December 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
  22. ↑ Holy Other (2012). Held (CD booklet). Tri Angle.
  23. ↑ "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
  24. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 March 2025.

Further reading

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