Bola – Shapes
Tracklist
| 1 | Fonk (Flower) | 6:09 | |
| 2 | Pula Kappas (Square) | 6:00 | |
| 3 | Ballast (Triangle) | 6:07 | |
| 4 | Zephyr (Pentagon) | 5:04 | |
| 5 | Clockjerk (Trapezoid) | 6:08 | |
| 6 | Forcasa2.2 (Oval) | 5:48 | |
| 7 | Serge2 (Octagon) | 5:20 | |
| 8 | Cobalt (Scope) | 6:21 | |
| 9 | Squib (Nuclear) | 10:17 |
Credits
- Written-By, Recorded By, Other [Marmalised By] – The Bolaman*
Notes
P&C 1996 - 2000 Skam.
Written, Recorded & Marmalised by the Bolaman circa 1996. Released as a digipak with clear braille sticker on the front right edge reading BOLA SHAPES.
Originally released on Bola - Shapes in 2000 without any indication of label or artist, just geometric shapes, hence the title. This release likewise has only shapes in place of the album and track titles. The track information below comes from Skam's website.
Track 1 was called Faint for its original appearance on the compilation Various - A Murder In The Company Of The Vespertine.
Track 3 is a slightly extended version of the original vinyl version (by about 20 seconds).
Track 5 was called Quinss when it appeared on the compilation Various - Vertical Forms.
Issued in a Digipak.
Written, Recorded & Marmalised by the Bolaman circa 1996. Released as a digipak with clear braille sticker on the front right edge reading BOLA SHAPES.
Originally released on Bola - Shapes in 2000 without any indication of label or artist, just geometric shapes, hence the title. This release likewise has only shapes in place of the album and track titles. The track information below comes from Skam's website.
Track 1 was called Faint for its original appearance on the compilation Various - A Murder In The Company Of The Vespertine.
Track 3 is a slightly extended version of the original vinyl version (by about 20 seconds).
Track 5 was called Quinss when it appeared on the compilation Various - Vertical Forms.
Issued in a Digipak.
Barcode and Other Identifiers
- Barcode (Text): 6 66017 14662 1
- Barcode (Scanned): 666017146621
- Matrix / Runout: [MPO logo] CA SKALD020 @ 08/09/06 08:49:08 PM
- Mastering SID Code: IFPI L039
- Mould SID Code: IFPI 1264
Other Versions (5 of 7)
View All| Title (Format) | Label | Cat# | Country | Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Recently Edited | Shapes (3×12", Limited Edition, 45 RPM, Album) | 33 | 33Shapes | UK | 2000 | ||
New Submission | Shapes (CDr, Album, Promo, Reissue) | Skam | SKALD020 | UK | 2006 | ||
New Submission | Shapes (CD, Album, Reissue, Digipak) | Beat Records | BRSK020 | Japan | 2006 | ||
New Submission | Shapes (9×File, ALAC, Album, Reissue) | Skam | SKALD 020 | UK | 2017 | ||
New Submission | Shapes (9×File, FLAC, Album, Reissue) | Skam | SKALD 020 | UK | 2017 |
Recommendations
Reviews
The quietly overshadowed follow up to Soup, Shapes is a beauty with a confidence and sensibility not felt even on Darrell Fitton's magnetic debut, which seems to unjustly overshadow all else in his discography. Not to say that Soup is not phenonemal, and also not to say too much of an album that this is not a review of. With Shapes, Fitton so easily brings forth his craft that finally, it sounds as if it is able to settle without any semblance of anxiety. Bola lingers in one location, always proving resourceful with what forgotten items he finds from the wreckage of some ship, before committing to another.- Edited 8 years agoBola's second long-player, SHAPES, came on the heels of SOUP, and while it shares many of the same features: cool, cerebral melodies, skittering rhythms, as a whole, it doesn't convey the sense of continuity that the album did. No matter. It's still pretty stellar, from the slow build of "Fonk (Flower)" and "Pula Kappas (Square)" to the ethnic samples on the grave "Zephyr (Pentagon)." A few of the tracks aren't as strong, like the whirling, directionless "Ballast (Triangle)" or the awkward "Clockjerk (Trapezoid)." But the strong tracks help make up for it. The icy, ambient "Forcasa2.2 (Oval)," for example, or the reverberating "Cobalt (Scope)." Indeed, "Squib (Nuclear)" basically encapsulates Bola's early sound, the emotional synths and slow, off-kilter rhythms. And what a rich, rewarding sound it is.
- Edited 15 years agoPeople have called this (well, the 3x12" version, which is missing some key tracks) Bola's weakest work, but in some ways it is my favourite. It was the first Bola release I heard, so that is perhaps part of the reason, but it is definitely more than just that. A criticism leveled at this release is that his other releases are more melodic, but I do not think it is a bad thing. It concentrates more on atmospherics and soundscapes than his other releases, backed with his familiar beat stylings. In fact, my reaction the opening track "Flower (Fonk)" was a spoken out loud "wow", and is possibly my favourite track he has done. I love it's deep soundscape which is peppered with a beautiful subtle melody and sparse beats.
This is another Bola gem, and at the very least deserves an attentive listen, putting aside any expectations you might have from listening to his other works.
