Ultramarine – United Kingdoms

Not even Ultramarine expected an expanded edition of this and Bel Air, which Warner released on digital platforms. It includes many b sides, interesting remixes (the Carl Craig remixes of Ultramarine were always very good) and the even loopier and trippier long version of Kingdom. A 2CD edition would have been welcome, yes, but it is a great gift for us Ultramarine completists.

One of the worst albums I've ever heard. Happy Land is probably the worst electronic track ever made. The elements are right - layers, spheres, beats and acids - but there's no inspiration. If you give me these samples and I will just make better!

Guy below said it perfectly; " the champagne pop of "Queen of the Moon"...In me 'umble opinion "Queen of the Moon" could have stolen, if not at least supported Wyatt's contribution; all it need was some sugar and spice and Sarah Cracknell from Saint Etienne. I have to admit it didn't touch me in the same way as "every man and every woman..." it feels less sure of its direction and lacks the playfullness, but still it has it's moments and don't forget to check the Carl Craig remixes of Hooter!

I've always liked this record - agree with others who say it's a dry sound - inevitable as it's largely sampled/sequenced but it was hearing this and the previous one that lead me to the Wyatt, Kevin Ayers and the Canterbury scene - and the whole album is a great homage to all that -but mixes in some Cabaret Voltaire / ACR drum loops and Balearic Beats which is a heady concoction indeed. They cleverly joined the dots between late 70s English Art Rock/ Prog/Psychedelia with 90s ambient dance music and if you listen beyond the production values there some decent choons on this- they've further refined this formula of late so check out their more recent releases.

I bought this album around the time of its release, early autumn '93. I really wanted to like it, but there is something about the instrumentation and arrangements that is just too dry, too programmed, too Casio-like, too rigid (ironically that is maybe the quintessence of being British after all!) In the end, the collaborations with Robert Wyatt is what saves the album for further listening.

CD would be nice.

Fantastic third album by Ultramarine (second album in the electronic-folk style the exemplified on "Every Man And Woman Is A Star"). Like no other electronic of the era. So human, yet so Earthly and somehow above/beyond humanity. Like the reach of humanity's arm, out into dark forested night. Relaxing, but not background music. Energetic, but never hectic, never tense with anything but the pleasant feeling of waiting for what's next.

Ultramarine followed up their classic EVERY MAN AND WOMAN IS A STAR with UNITED KINGDOMS, an album that puzzled some and delighted others. And, really, it's a mix of both. They push their folksiness even further, particularly reveling in its British incarnation. This folk tradition is most apparent with the crooning vocals of Robert Wyatt on "Kingdom" and "Happy Land," both of which call into question the classist structure of British society. But elsewhere, the folk merges into with the electronics: the deep bass of "Source" contrasts with its harmonic flutes; the champagne pop of "Queen of the Moon"; the vocal utterances and perky bounce of "Urf." The start of the long "English Heritage" blends digital blipping with little horn stabs, but soon eases into some guitars and bongos, and then, after a fade-out interlude, a quiet piano line. The English heritage of colonialism and assimilation, I suppose. ("Dizzy Fox" is almost as long, but doesn't cover quite as much ground.) The vocal ululations make another appearance on the "The Badger," which manages to bring together fat horns and a string section under one roof. Similarly, "Hooter" lays on a thick bass but verges into near-jazz territory with its drum patterns. "No Time" ends the album on a mellow note, representative of the album as a whole -- strong, but with a different character than their previous album.

Lush, sublime, completely original and so special; I love this album for so many reasons. It's perfect music for it's pure unadulterated listening pleasure, and also perfect for whatever time on a sunday/monday/tuesday when you get home :) The uplifting joy that fills all the tracks is something I have not heard captured so well by any other album; certainly some artists come close, exceed even, but for what this album represents - folk-electonica-acid house -whatever label you care to add - it is awesome, and still as great 20 years after it's release.

The lyrics to the two tracks which have vocals reprinted in the sleeve ('Kingdom' & 'Happy Land') are a grand nod to English power/class struggles, a really fresh approach to anti-establishment music culture (for me at least.) And there is the downright funk of 'English Heritage', 'The Badger' & 'Dizzy Fox' (with ace weird-out vocal samples.) I have played tracks off this album all over the place and they always get people's feet moving, and played the album as a whole at the party-after-the-after-party and again everyone loves it.

With the current surge in 'electro-swing' (Kormac, Caravan Palace etc.) and artists like Spoonbill making waves, Ultramarine deserve a nod for making this beautiful music when the ideas of such genres where just that; ideas.

5 stars and a big smile!

Criminally neglected - it does sound dated but there are many brilliant pop-ambient moments on this disc. "Hooter" is sublime funk. "Happy Land" is mellow, hummable, and classic pop. But the highlight simply must be "English Heritage" for the last few minutes after the fade-out. Such melodic perfection just runs too brief ...