Ultramarine – United Kingdoms

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.