Architecture (album)

Architecture is the third studio album by Spahn Ranch, released on April 8, 1997, by Cleopatra Records.^[4] After original member Rob Marton departed from the band, Christian Death drummer David Glass and drummer Harry Lewis joined the Spahn Ranch to further experiment with the band's fusion dark wave and industrial music.^[5] Critics have called it one of Spahn Ranch's most influential and experimental albums for its incorporation of drum and bass, dub and live guitar.^[6][7]

Architecture
Studio album by Spahn Ranch
Released	April 8, 1997 (1997-04-08)[1][2][3]
Recorded	May 1996 (1996-05) – January 1997 (1997-01)
Studio	JLab Studio (Los Angeles, California)
Genre	EBM electro-industrial
Length	51:44
Label	Cleopatra
Producer	Matt Green Judson Leach
Spahn Ranch chronology
In Parts Assembled Solely (1996) Architecture (1997) Retrofit EP (1997)
Alternative cover
Architecture: Beta cover

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[8]

Aiding & Abetting compared praised the album for its expression of gothic music influences "The Coiled One anticipated the big gothic surge, and so Architecture is poised to cash in on the big electronic wave that is just now reaching shore."^[9] Allmusic critic Mike Pfeiffer described it as the Spahn Ranch's strongest album and said "Architecture shows a departure from gloom and an embrace of intelligent electronic rhythm styles like drum'n'bass and electro."^[8] Last Sigh Magazine said "this is somewhat of a departure from The Coiled One, but nevertheless a step ahead in Spahn Ranch's successful music" and "what is really excellent about this album is the instrumentals that Spahn Ranch provides the listener with."^[10] A critic at Lollipop Magazine, Angela Dauthi, called the album an improvement over their previous work, saying "the songs take on electronica drum beats and fills while throwing in dissonant keyboard glissandos with cool, detached lyrics" and "while their last two albums had stripped everything down to a pumping beat and noisy vocals, Architecture takes a sharp left turn and punches the gas."^[11] Option called the album "eminently listenable, even the darker Gothic tones are opened up, creating music that sounds more like songs than exercises in mood."^[12] Critic Dave Thompson said "a cover of the Equals "Black Skinned Blue Eyed Boys" is positively ecstatic, pulsing sonics which throb with a literal passion" and "several tracks (most notably "Futurist Limited") echo elements of Depeche Mode, sans that band's congealing precociousness, while "Incubate" takes Hammer's "Can't Touch This" motif into Kraftwerkian territory to stunning effect."^[13]

Chris Best of Lollipop Magazine gave the album a mixed review and said "there are some great tunes on this disc, but the electronica bits are stale and dated (as in techno circa 1990 or anything by 2 Unlimited)."^[14] Sonic Boom criticized the album for being incohesive but said "a casual flip through all of the tracks provide for a dizzying array of genre hopping from trance, drum & bass, disco, ballads, to even a cover version of the Equals, 'Black Skinned Blue Eyed Boys'."^[15]

Track listing

No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"Monochrome"	Green Maroulis	3:50
2.	"Black Skinned Blue Eyed Boys" (The Equals cover)	Eddy Grant	3:31
3.	"In the Aftermath"	Green Maroulis	5:13
4.	"Futurist Limited"	Green Maroulis	3:52
5.	"Incubate"	Green	4:04
6.	"Embodied"	Green Maroulis	5:34
7.	"A Depression Glass"	Green Maroulis	4:26
8.	"U Tell Em U"	Green Raven	5:27
9.	"Futurist Unlimited"	Green Maroulis	4:26
10.	"Laurels"	Green Maroulis	5:17
11.	"The Catalyst"	Green Maroulis	4:03
12.	"Solace"	Green	2:02

All lyrics are written by Athan Maroulis, except "Black Skinned Blue Eyed Boys" by Eddy Grant

Architecture: Beta bonus tracks^[16]

No.	Title	Music	Length
13.	"Heretic's Fork"	Green Maroulis Rob Morton	4:43
14.	"Locusts"	Green Maroulis	3:59
15.	"Vortex"	Green Maroulis	4:07
16.	"The Judas Cradle"	Green Maroulis	3:56
17.	"Static Detonates the Gel"	Green	3:32

Accolades

Year	Publication	Country	Accolade	Rank
1996	CMJ New Music Monthly	United States	"Top 25 Dance"	7	[17]
"*" denotes an unordered list.

Personnel

Adapted from the Architecture liner notes.^[18]

Spahn Ranch

• Matt Green – sampler, synthesizer, drum programming, production, mixing
• Harry Lewis – percussion
• Athan Maroulis – lead vocals

Additional performers

• Daniel Bryan Harvey – guitar (2, 4, 6, 9)
• David Parkinson – percussion
• Paul Raven – bass guitar (2, 6, 7), loops and additional synthesizer (8)

Production and design

• T.J. Barrial – photography
• Atelier³ D Thom Bissett – design
• Judson Leach – production, engineering, mixing, mastering

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog
United States	1997	Cleopatra	CD	CLP 9977
		Out Of Line/Sub/Mission		OUT 016, CD WHIP 036

References

1. Wilson, Elliot (May 1997). "Hip-Hop: Just Out". CMJ New Music Monthly (45). CMJ Network, Inc.: 55. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
2. Barnhart, Becky (2000). "Schwann Spectrum". Schwann Spectrum. 9 (2). Stereophile, Incorporated: 246. ISBN 9781575980782. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
3. Fletcher, Tony; Robbins, Ira (1997). Spahn Ranch. The Trouser Press Guide to '90s Rock. McFarland & Company. p. 764. ISBN 9780684814377. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
4. "Spahn Ranch: Architecture". Keyboard. 23 (7–12). GPI Publications: 13. 1997. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
5. Wilson, MacKenzie. "Spahn Ranch > Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
6. Yücel, Ilker (April 3, 2018). "Cleopatra Records Re-releasing 1997 Album From Spahn Ranch". ReGen. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
7. Finkler, Ed (April 22, 1997). "Interview with Spahn Ranch". Sonic Boom. 5 (4). Retrieved August 17, 2020.
8. Pfeiffer, Mike. "Spahn Ranch: Architecture > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
9. Worley, Jon (April 14, 1997). "Spahn Ranch: Architecture". Aiding & Abetting (132). Retrieved August 17, 2020.
10. colmnist (March 13, 1999). "Spahn Ranch: Architecture". Last Sigh Magazine. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
11. Dauthi, Angela (April 1, 1998). "Spahn Ranch – Architecture – Review". Lollipop Magazine. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
12. Pedersen, Erik (1997). "Spahn Ranch: Architecture". Option. 77–81. Sonic Options Network: 118. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
13. Thompson, David (November 1, 2000). Spahn Ranch: Architecture. Alternative Rock: Third Ear – The Essential Listening Companion. Miller Freeman, Inc. pp. 648–649. ISBN 9780879306076. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
14. Best, Chris (April 1, 1997). "Spahn Ranch – Architecture – Review". Lollipop Magazine. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
15. Christian, Chris (May 1997). "Spahn Ranche: Architecture". Sonic Boom. 5 (4). Retrieved August 17, 2020.
16. "Spahn Ranch: Architecture: Beta > Overview". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
17. Haslett, Tim (July 1997). "Dance Top 25". CMJ New Music Monthly (47). CMJ Network, Inc.: 50. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
18. Architecture (booklet). Spahn Ranch. Marina Del Rey, California: Cleopatra Records. 1997.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

External links

• Architecture at Bandcamp
• Architecture at iTunes
• Architecture at Discogs (list of releases)