The Future's Void

Last updated
The Future's Void
Ema-futures-void-300x300.jpg
Studio album by
EMA
ReleasedApril 7, 2014 (2014-04-07)
Genre Rock, folk-noise
Length43:31
Label City Slang, Matador
Producer EMA
EMA chronology
Past Life Martyred Saints
(2011)
The Future's Void
(2014)
Exile in the Outer Ring
(2017)

The Future's Void is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter and guitarist Erika M. Anderson (also known as EMA), former lead singer of the noise-folk band Gowns, released in the Europe on April 7, 2014 on City Slang, and in the United States on April 8 on Matador Records. [1]

Contents

The album was included in best-of-the-year year-end lists including those by Rolling Stone [2] and The Daily Dot . [3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 7.9/10 [4]
Metacritic 80/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The A.V. Club B [7]
Financial Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [8]
Mojo Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
NME 8/10 [10]
The Observer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Pitchfork 7.4/10 [12]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Spin 8/10 [15]

In his review for Pitchfork , Mark Richardson wrote, "despite the lyrical clunkers and ill-advised production choices, The Future’s Void has the feel of a real statement, of an artist trying for something new even if she doesn’t always get there. And the EMA project is antithetical to the idea of perfection anyway, so combing through the messy whole to find the places of clarity and insight feels somehow appropriate." [12]

In his best-albums-of-the-year write-up for The Daily Dot , critic Ramon Ramirez wrote that "(EMA) wrote the year’s best record about the Internet. . . . What stars here is her centralized, astute songwriting. EMA followed up 2011’s critically acclaimed Past Life Martyred Saints with a navel-gazing passion project, and the best thing she’s done." [3] Rolling Stone wrote in its own best-of-the-year note that "Erika M. Anderson made the best Nineties album of 2014 (if any of us were worried about technology and surveillance taking over our lives 20 years ago). Her follow-up to 2011's awesome Past Life Martyred Saints pulses, clangs and simmers—it's unsettling one moment, soothing the next and always a smartly satisfying listen." [2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Erika M. Anderson

No.TitleLength
1."Satellites"4:18
2."So Blonde"3:23
3."3Jane"4:34
4."Cthulu"5:27
5."Smoulder"5:08
6."Neuromancer"4:15
7."When She Comes"3:39
8."100 Years"5:11
9."Solace"4:18
10."Dead Celebrity"3:18

Related Research Articles

Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. They comprise Thom Yorke ; brothers Jonny Greenwood and Colin Greenwood (bass); Ed O'Brien ; and Philip Selway. They have worked with the producer Nigel Godrich and the cover artist Stanley Donwood since 1994. Radiohead's experimental approach is credited with advancing the sound of alternative rock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beck</span> American musician (born 1970)

Beck David Hansen, known mononymously as Beck, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his experimental and lo-fi style, and became known for creating musical collages of wide-ranging genres. He has musically encompassed folk, funk, soul, hip hop, electronic, alternative rock, country, and psychedelia. He has released 14 studio albums, as well as several non-album singles and a book of sheet music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonny Greenwood</span> English musician (born 1971)

Jonathan Richard Guy Greenwood is an English musician. He is the lead guitarist and keyboardist of the rock band Radiohead, and has composed numerous film scores. He has been named one of the greatest guitarists by numerous publications, including Rolling Stone.

<i>Kaputt</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Destroyer

Kaputt is the ninth album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer. It was released on January 25, 2011 by Merge Records and Dead Oceans Records. The album was leaked towards the end of 2010. The vinyl edition of the album features bonus material on side three written largely by frequent Destroyer collaborator Ted Bois. This material is also included in the European CD version of the album credited as 'The Laziest River'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolas Jaar</span> Chilean-American composer and musician

Nicolas Jaar is a Chilean-American composer and recording artist based in New York. Among his notable works are the albums Space Is Only Noise (2011), Sirens (2016), and Cenizas (2020). He has also released two albums as one half of his band Darkside and two further albums under the alias Against All Logic.

<i>Nostalgia, Ultra</i> 2011 mixtape by Frank Ocean

Nostalgia, Ultra is the debut mixtape by American singer-songwriter Frank Ocean. It was released on February 16, 2011. Ocean was inspired to make the mixtape after Hurricane Katrina in his native New Orleans and his subsequent relocation to Los Angeles. After joining alternative hip hop group Odd Future in 2009, he self-released the mixtape, without initial promotion. Nostalgia, Ultra has a unique R&B aesthetic and features surreal themes and nostalgic lyrics. The songs mostly focus on interpersonal relationships, personal reflection, and social commentary. Following its release, the mixtape received rave reviews from music critics. The cover features a picture of a bright orange BMW E30 M3, Ocean's "dream car", in plain sight amidst lush greenery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erika M. Anderson</span> American singer and songwriter

Erika Michelle Anderson, better known by her stage name EMA, is an American singer and songwriter originally from South Dakota, who presently lives in Portland, Oregon. In her career beginnings, she released her debut album Little Sketches on Tape in 2010 on Night People, an independent music label founded by former Raccoo-oo-oon member Shawn Reed. In 2011 EMA released her second album Past Life Martyred Saints, which received positive reviews from Pitchfork Media, Drowned in Sound, and the NME. After releasing her debut album, EMA was named "New Band of the Day" by The Guardian and "Artist to Watch" by Rolling Stone. In 2011 she performed "Endless, Nameless" for Spin's twentieth anniversary tribute to Nirvana's album Nevermind. Her song "The Grey Ship" was used on an episode of Adult Swim's Off the Air, and in the 2014 Carter Smith film Jamie Marks Is Dead.

<i>Past Life Martyred Saints</i> 2011 studio album by EMA

Past Life Martyred Saints is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter and guitarist Erika M. Anderson, former lead singer of the noise-folk band Gowns, released in the United States on May 10, 2011, under the relatively unknown label Souterrain Transmissions. After disbanding, Anderson began working on material for a solo act, but she endured many failed attempts to successfully record before finally receiving an offer from an independent record label. The album is noted for showcasing Anderson's vulnerability, lyrically dealing with themes of self-harm, drug use, and unsuccessful relationships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lana Del Rey</span> American singer and songwriter (born 1985)

Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, glamour, and melancholia, with frequent references to contemporary pop culture and 1950s–70s Americana. Her vintage Hollywood glamour aesthetic is presented not only in her music, but also in her music videos. She is the recipient of various accolades, including two Brit Awards, two Billboard Women in Music, two MTV Europe Music Awards, and a Satellite Award, in addition to nominations for eleven Grammy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Variety honored her at their Hitmakers Awards for being "one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 21st century". Rolling Stone placed Del Rey on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time (2023), and Rolling Stone UK named her The Greatest American Songwriter of the 21st century (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Future (rapper)</span> American rapper (born 1983)

Nayvadius DeMun Cash, known professionally as Future, is an American rapper and singer. Known for his mumble-styled vocals and prolific output, Future is considered a pioneer of the use of auto-tuned melodies in modern trap music. Due to the sustained popularity of this musical style, he is commonly regarded as one of the most influential rappers of his generation.

<i>R.A.P. Music</i> 2012 studio album by Killer Mike

R.A.P. Music is the fifth studio album by American rapper Killer Mike. It was released through Williams Street Records on May 15, 2012. The "R.A.P." in the album's title is a backronym for "Rebellious African People". Production was handled by rapper and producer Jaime "El-P" Meline; the album was the first collaboration between Killer Mike and El-P, who would later form the critically acclaimed duo Run the Jewels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Antonoff</span> American musician (born 1984)

Jack Michael Antonoff is an American singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer. Antonoff is the lead singer of rock band Bleachers, and is the guitarist and drummer in the pop rock band Fun; the latter group released the international number-one single "We Are Young" which won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and topped the Hot 100 for six weeks. He was previously the lead singer of the indie rock band Steel Train. Aside from his work with Bleachers and Fun, Antonoff has worked as a songwriter and record producer with various artists, including Taylor Swift, the 1975, Lorde, St. Vincent, Florence and the Machine, Lana Del Rey, Fifth Harmony, Kevin Abstract, Carly Rae Jepsen, The Chicks, Tegan and Sara and Clairo. Antonoff has often been credited with having a significant impact on the sound of contemporary popular music since the mid-2010s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">XO (song)</span> 2013 single by Beyoncé

"XO" is a power ballad recorded by American singer Beyoncé from her self-titled fifth studio album in 2013. Columbia Records released the song as the lead contemporary hit radio single from the album in the US and Italy on December 16, 2013. Ryan Tedder composed and co-wrote and co-produced "XO" with Terius "The-Dream" Nash and Beyoncé, with additional production handled by Chauncey "Hit-Boy" Hollis and HazeBanga Music. A pure midtempo Pop love song with electronic influences, "XO" is complete with electronic musical instrumentation, synthesizers and drums. Musically, it was compared to Beyoncé's own song "Halo" and was noted for having several music hooks including its call and response chorus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Young Thug</span> American rapper (born 1991)

Jeffery Lamar Williams, known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion, he is considered an influential figure in modern hip hop and trap music, and a pioneer of the mumble rap microgenre. Williams embarked on a musical career in 2011, releasing a series of mixtapes beginning with I Came from Nothing. In 2013, he signed with fellow Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane's 1017 Records and gained further attention and praise for his debut mixtape with the label, 1017 Thug, released in February of that year.

<i>Caustic Window</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Caustic Window

Caustic Window is an album by Richard D. James under the alias Caustic Window. Originally planned for release in 1996, only a few test pressings were produced. One of the copies, which surfaced for sale on Discogs in 2014, was bought and digitally distributed through a Kickstarter campaign. It was eventually sold on eBay for $46,300.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anderson .Paak</span> American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and drummer

Brandon Paak Anderson, better known by his stage name Anderson .Paak, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and drummer. He released his debut mixtape, O.B.E. Vol. 1 in 2012 and went on to release his debut album Venice in 2014. In 2016, he followed up with his second album, Malibu, which received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album, followed by his third album, Oxnard (2018). At the 61st Grammy Awards, Paak won his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance with his 2018 non-album single "Bubblin". In 2020, he won two additional Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album with his fourth album Ventura, while a song from the album won Best R&B Performance with "Come Home".

<i>Exile in the Outer Ring</i> 2017 studio album by EMA

Exile in the Outer Ring is the fourth studio album by American musician Erika M. Anderson. It was released on August 25, 2017, under City Slang.

<i>Honey</i> (Robyn album) 2018 studio album by Robyn

Honey is the eighth studio album by Swedish singer Robyn, and her first since Body Talk (2010). It was released on 26 October 2018 through Konichiwa, Island and Interscope Records. It features the singles "Missing U", "Honey", "Ever Again", "Beach 2k20", and "Baby Forgive Me". The song "Send to Robin Immediately" also served as part of the promotional campaign for the singer's clothing line collaboration with Björn Borg.

<i>Flamagra</i> 2019 studio album by Flying Lotus

Flamagra is the sixth studio album by American record producer Flying Lotus, released on May 24, 2019 by Warp Records. It is his first album since 2014's You're Dead!. The lead single, the spoken-word "Fire Is Coming" featuring David Lynch, was released along with its video on April 17, 2019. The album also features contributions from Anderson .Paak, George Clinton, Little Dragon, Tierra Whack, Denzel Curry, Shabazz Palaces, Thundercat, Toro y Moi and Solange. A deluxe version of the album with the instrumentals was released on May 29, 2020.

References

  1. Minsker, Evan (January 21, 2014). "EMA Details New Album The Future's Void, Shares "Satellites" Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  2. 1 2 "50 Best Albums of 2014". Rolling Stone . December 1, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  3. 1 2 "The 24 best albums you didn't hear this year". The Daily Dot . December 1, 2014. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  4. "The Future's Void by EMA reviews". AnyDecentMusic? . Retrieved December 19, 2019.
  5. "Reviews for The Future's Void by EMA". Metacritic . Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  6. Phares, Heather. "The Future's Void – EMA". AllMusic . Retrieved August 23, 2017.
  7. Rytlewski, Evan (April 8, 2014). "EMA pushes back against Internet culture run amok". The A.V. Club . Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  8. Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (April 5, 2014). "EMA: The Future's Void" . Financial Times . Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  9. Elan, Priya (April 7, 2014). "EMA – The Future's Void". Mojo . Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  10. Catling, Simon Jay (April 4, 2014). "EMA – 'The Future's Void'". NME . Archived from the original on April 9, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  11. Empire, Kitty (April 6, 2014). "EMA: The Future's Void review – dystopian angst with a personal touch". The Observer . Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  12. 1 2 Richardson, Mark (April 10, 2014). "EMA: The Future's Void". Pitchfork . Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  13. "EMA: The Future's Void". Q (334): 109. May 2014.
  14. Sheffield, Rob (April 8, 2014). "The Future's Void". Rolling Stone . Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  15. Soderberg, Brandon (April 9, 2014). "'The Future's Void,' But EMA Has Some Answers on Her Acerbic Sophomore Album". Spin . Retrieved May 24, 2019.