Welcome to Earth
Encyclopedia
Welcome to Earth is the third studio album by Norwegian
futurepop band Apoptygma Berzerk
. It was released on February 22, 2000 on Metropolis Records
but was earlier released on Tatra Records.
The general theme of the album is that of extraterrestrials contacting earth and of moving on. The songs themselves contain samples of reports of alien sightings and crop circle
designs feature prominently in the cover and liner notes. Several tracks have been staples in live concerts ever since, especially the single "Kathy's Song", which became one of the band's biggest hits, being remixed by high profile artists such as VNV Nation
and Ferry Corsten
.
s and a hope that one day the truth will be revealed to us. Generally the tracks convey a feeling of alienation as well.
Stylistically the album drew criticism upon its release for its more accessible techno-focused sound on tracks such as "Eclipse" and "Kathy's Song". There are some tributes to the Commodore 64 home computer as well, hidden in the "64k" track which is based heavily on a sample of Chris Hülsbeck's Commodore 64 version of "Axel F
", and the track Untitled 4 is basically just a Commodore 64 chiptune. It is also worth mentioning that since the release of Welcome To Earth, band leader Stephan Groth tattooed a crop circle pattern on his left arm.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
futurepop band Apoptygma Berzerk
Apoptygma Berzerk
Apoptygma Berzerk is a Norwegian musical group. They have achieved success with a brand of synthpop, and ballads backed with electronic rhythms, commonly known within the scene and referring to themselves as "futurepop". Apop has won awards and top-10 spots in Germany and Scandinavia...
. It was released on February 22, 2000 on Metropolis Records
Metropolis Records
Metropolis Records is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based record label, distributor, and mail-order store specializing in the post-industrial field such as electro-industrial, synthpop, futurepop, darkwave, and gothic musical genres....
but was earlier released on Tatra Records.
The general theme of the album is that of extraterrestrials contacting earth and of moving on. The songs themselves contain samples of reports of alien sightings and crop circle
Crop circle
A crop circle is a sizable pattern created by the flattening of a crop such as wheat, barley, rye, maize, or rapeseed. Crop circles are also referred to as crop formations, because they are not always circular in shape. While the exact date crop circles began to appear is unknown, the documented...
designs feature prominently in the cover and liner notes. Several tracks have been staples in live concerts ever since, especially the single "Kathy's Song", which became one of the band's biggest hits, being remixed by high profile artists such as VNV Nation
VNV Nation
VNV Nation are a British/Irish electronic music band originally from Dublin, Ireland and Essex, United Kingdom and now based in Hamburg, Germany. They combine elements of electro-industrial, trance, synthpop and electronic body music . The members are Ronan Harris and Mark Jackson...
and Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten
Ferry Corsten, also known under the alias System F, is a Dutch producer of trance music, in addition to being a DJ and remixer. He also hosts his own weekly radio show, Corsten's Countdown. He routinely plays at events all over the world with crowds in excess of tens of thousands. In 2009 Ferry...
.
Track listing
2007 Remastered Release
Themes
The album deals mainly with the modern mythology of extraterrestrial alienExtraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
s and a hope that one day the truth will be revealed to us. Generally the tracks convey a feeling of alienation as well.
Stylistically the album drew criticism upon its release for its more accessible techno-focused sound on tracks such as "Eclipse" and "Kathy's Song". There are some tributes to the Commodore 64 home computer as well, hidden in the "64k" track which is based heavily on a sample of Chris Hülsbeck's Commodore 64 version of "Axel F
Axel F
"Axel F" is the electronic instrumental theme from the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop performed by Harold Faltermeyer. The title comes from the main character's name, Axel Foley , in the film. It topped musical charts in 1985 and remains a popular remix track. Mixes of "Axel F" topped European pop...
", and the track Untitled 4 is basically just a Commodore 64 chiptune. It is also worth mentioning that since the release of Welcome To Earth, band leader Stephan Groth tattooed a crop circle pattern on his left arm.
Trivia
- Playing "64k" backwards reveals that the vocals are a reversed sample of the vocals from "Kathy's Song".
- Listening to "Untitled 4" on a monaural player instead of a stereo player will reveal a hidden message from Kathy where she reads the tracklist.
- According to Kathy's reading of the tracklist "LNDP3" stands for "Love Never Dies Part 3"
- "Moment Of Tranquility" is based on the theme song from the popular cult TV show "Twin PeaksTwin PeaksTwin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
" and includes a sample from that show as well. In the liner notes, the song is dedicated to Twin Peaks' creator, David LynchDavid LynchDavid Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
. - The track "Help Me!" is the only APB track to feature a didgeridooDidgeridooThe didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia around 1,500 years ago and still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe"...
specifically recorded for the song. - "Untitled 3" includes samples from the movies Blair Witch Project and Fucking ÅmålFucking ÅmålShow Me Love is a 1998 Swedish film directed by Lukas Moodysson. Its original Swedish title is Fucking Åmål. The film is centered around the lives of two seemingly disparate teenage girls who begin a tentative romantic relationship. The film first premiered outside Sweden at the 1998 Cannes Film...
.