World Machine (song)

"World Machine" (Shep Pettibone remix)
Single by Level 42
from the album World Machine
B-side	"World Machine" (dub)
Released	October 1986
Studio	Maison Rouge (Fulham, West London)
Genre	Jazz-funk
Length	5:39
Label	Polydor
Songwriters	Wally Badarou Phil Gould Mark King Mike Lindup
Producers	Wally Badarou Level 42
Level 42 singles chronology
"Lessons in Love" (1986) "World Machine" (Shep Pettibone remix) (1986) "Running in the Family" (1987)
Licensed audio
"World Machine" (Shep Pettibone remix) on YouTube

"World Machine" is a song written by Wally Badarou, Phil Gould, Mark King and Mike Lindup that became the title track of the English jazz-funk band Level 42's sixth studio album. A remix of the song by Shep Pettibone was released as a 12-inch single in the US in October 1986 and peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Disco – Club Play chart in 1987. ^[1]

Critical reception

The review of the 12-inch single remix in Billboard read, "Pulsating electro jazz cut, much requested earlier this year as an album track, newly remixed for club impact." ^[2] In his review of the World Machine album for Rolling Stone , Steve Bloom wrote that the title track was "their best effort: propelled by Phil Gould's explosive tribal beat, it showcases Mike Lindup's considerable keyboard talents." ^[3] William Cooper's retrospective review of the album for AllMusic noted, "The jazzy, upbeat title track is one of the band's finest moments." ^[4]

Track listing

• 12-inch single ^[5]

1. "World Machine" (remix) – 5:39
2. "World Machine" (dub) – 7:24

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes for the World Machine album. ^[6]

Level 42 Mark King – bass guitar, vocals Mike Lindup – keyboards, vocals Phil Gould – drums Boon Gould – guitars Additional musicians Wally Badarou – Synclavier, additional vocals Gary Barnacle – saxophone

Production Level 42 – producers Wally Badarou – producer Julian Mendelsohn – production assistant, recording Shep Pettibone – remixing

References

1. Whitburn 2004 , p. 152.
2. "Reviews >Singles >Dance" (PDF). Billboard . Vol. 98, no. 47. November 22, 1986. p. 79. ISSN   0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 30, 2022.
3. Bloom, Steve (April 24, 1986). "Level 42 – World Machine". Rolling Stone . No. RS 472. p. 60. ISSN   0035-791X.
4. Cooper, William. "World Machine – Level 42". AllMusic . Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
5. World Machine (The Shep Pettibone Remix) (12-inch single liner notes). Level 42. Polydor Records. 1986. 885 471-1.
6. World Machine (record sleeve). Level 42. London: Polydor Records. 1985. 827 487-1.

Bibliography

• Whitburn, Joel (2004), Joel Whitburn's Hot Dance/Disco, 1974–2003, Record Research Inc., ISBN   978-0-89820-156-7