Top tracks — play these first
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30 Seconds Over Tokyo — Opening with dissonant guitar riffs and eerie vocals, this track encapsulates the album’s unsettling atmosphere while reflecting on urban alienation. It also serves as a powerful introduction to the band's unique sound.
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Final Solution — This track stands out with its haunting melody and poignant lyrics, exploring themes of despair and existential crisis. Its stark instrumentation complements the lyrical content, creating an impactful listening experience.
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My Dark Ages — With its driving rhythm and lyrical introspection, this song represents a turning point in the album, blending personal reflection with broader societal commentary. The tension builds throughout, making it a memorable highlight.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic journey with varied pacing
- wave-like emotional fluctuations
- explorative listening sessions required
- immersive soundscape discovery
- adventurous spirit for experimentation
Maybe skip if you
- prefer straightforward song structures
- seek instant gratification tracks
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Experimental — Delivers a chaotic sound that departs from traditional rock norms, showcasing artistic evolution.
- Career context
- Released in 1996, Datapanik in the Year Zero marked a significant moment for Pere Ubu as their fifth studio album, showcasing their continued evolution in the art rock genre. This album followed the release of The Tenement Year (1988) and represented a shift towards more avant-garde and experimental soundscapes, solidifying their legacy as pioneers of post-punk music.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Residents· Captain Beefheart· Wire
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
Disc 1
- 1 30 Seconds Over Tokyo 6:23
- 2 Heart of Darkness 4:46
- 3 Final Solution 4:59
- 4 Cloud 149 2:38
- 5 [untitled] 3:34
- 6 My Dark Ages 4:01
- 7 Heaven 3:06
- 8 Nonalignment Pact 3:19
- 9 The Modern Dance 3:30
- 10 Laughing 4:37
- 11 Street Waves 3:06
- 12 Chinese Radiation 3:29
- 13 Life Stinks 1:52
- 14 Real World 4:01
- 15 Over My Head 3:49
- 16 Sentimental Journey 6:08
- 17 Humor Me 2:45
- 18 The Book is on the Table 3:56
Disc 2
- 1 Navvy 2:42
- 2 On the Surface 2:37
- 3 Dub Housing 3:42
- 4 Caligari's Mirror 3:52
- 5 Thriller! 4:41
- 6 I, Will Wait 1:47
- 7 Drinking Wine Spodyody 2:46
- 8 Ubu Dance Party 4:49
- 9 Blow Daddy O 3:42
- 10 Codex 4:58
- 11 The Fabulous Sequel 3:07
- 12 49 Guitars & One Girl 2:54
- 13 A Small Dark Cloud 5:51
- 14 Small Was Fast 3:33
- 15 All the Dogs Are Barking 3:03
- 16 One Less Worry 3:48
- 17 Make Hay 4:06
- 18 Goodbye 5:21
- 19 Voice of the Sand 1:28
- 20 Kingdom Come 3:14
Disc 3
- 1 Go 3:37
- 2 Rhapsody in Pink 3:36
- 3 Arabia 5:04
- 4 Young Miles in the Basement 4:20
- 5 Misery Goats 2:40
- 6 Loop 3:17
- 7 Rounder 3:24
- 8 Birdies 2:30
- 9 Lost in Art 5:16
- 10 Horses 2:37
- 11 Crush This Horn 3:02
- 12 The Long Walk Home 2:37
- 13 Petrified 2:19
- 14 Stormy Weather 3:20
- 15 West Side Story 2:51
- 16 Thoughts That Go by Steam 3:50
- 17 Big Ed's Used Farms 2:24
- 18 A Day Such as This 7:22
- 19 The Vulgar Boatman Bird 2:51
- 20 My Hat 1:22
- 21 Horns Are a Dilemma 4:20
Disc 4
- 1 Vocal Liner Notes 0:56
- 2 Theatre 140, 5-5-78 0:07
- 3 Real World 4:33
- 4 Laughing 5:16
- 5 Street Waves 4:34
- 6 Humor Me 2:58
- 7 Over My Head 5:10
- 8 Sentimental Journey 8:49
- 9 Life Stinks 3:14
- 10 My Dark Ages 5:30
- 11 C. Teatro Medica, 3-3-81 0:12
- 12 The Modern Dance 3:41
- 13 Codex 3:24
- 14 Ubu Dance Party 3:58
- 15 Big Ed's Used Farms 3:28
- 16 Real World 2:47
- 17 Birdies 2:12
Disc 5
- 1 The Incredible Truth 2:34
- 2 It's in Imagination 4:43
- 3 Never Again 2:20
- 4 Sunset in the Antipodes 2:26
- 5 (Please) Fix My Horn (My Brakes Don't Work) 3:24
- 6 Baking Bread 2:13
- 7 Atom Mind 2:29
- 8 Autumn Leaves 4:17
- 9 Dear Richard 5:55
- 10 You're Gonna Watch Me 1:40
- 11 Amphetamine 5:32
- 12 She Smiled Wild 3:57
- 13 Jaguar Ride 1:46
- 14 Steve Canyon Blues 4:16
- 15 Home Life 6:43
- 16 30 Seconds Over Tokyo 7:00
- 17 Heart of Darkness 8:46
- 18 Pushin Too Hard 3:53
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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