Foley Room cover

Foley Room

Amon Tobin · 2007

74 min · 13 tracks · electronic music

A sonic exploration weaving intricate soundscapes with organic textures and field recordings, creating a rich auditory tapestry.

Top tracks — play these first

  • →
    Keep Your Distance — This track exemplifies Tobin's ability to blend complex rhythms with atmospheric textures, creating a dynamic listening experience that encapsulates the album's essence.
  • →
    Bloodstone Start here — Opening the album, Bloodstone sets a compelling tone with its layered sound design and engaging composition, drawing listeners into Tobin's unique world.
  • →
    Foley Room — The title track serves as a culmination of the album's themes, showcasing Tobin's mastery of manipulating sound to create evocative landscapes.
  • →
    Horsefish — Horsefish stands out with its intricate layering and rhythmic complexity, illustrating Tobin’s skill in merging organic sounds with electronic elements.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental
73 /100
Alpine
Higher than 96% of albums we've rated

Foley Room showcases intricate sound design and innovative production techniques, marking a significant evolution in Tobin's work.

What we noticed

  • The album features a wide range of field recordings layered with electronic textures, creating a complex auditory landscape.
  • Tracks often shift in tempo and mood, with some pieces building tension through gradual layering of sounds.
  • Several tracks incorporate abrupt transitions, moving from one sonic theme to another without warning, enhancing the experimental feel.
Composition 25% of the score
8/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
9/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
7/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
8/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
6/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • dynamic exploration of soundscapes
  • immersive field recordings throughout
  • wave-like pacing with tension
  • long-form piece for deep focus
  • climactic moments that surprise

Maybe skip if you

  • seeking instant gratification
  • prefer straightforward song structures

Where this album fits

In the catalog
Experimental — Foley Room represents a significant departure in sound, focusing on intricate soundscapes.
Career context
By the time Amon Tobin released Foley Room in 2007, he was well-established in the electronic music scene following his breakout album, Supermodified, in 2000. This album marked an evolution in his sound, showcasing a deeper engagement with found sounds and field recordings, which he began experimenting with more prominently in this phase of his career.
Stylistic neighbors
Squarepusher· Bonobo· Boards of Canada

Tracklist

Disc 1

  • 1 Bloodstone Start here 4:10
  • 2 Esther’s 3:20
  • 3 Keep Your Distance 4:47
  • 4 The Killer’s Vanilla 4:10
  • 5 Kitchen Sink 4:47
  • 6 Horsefish 5:05
  • 7 Foley Room 3:37
  • 8 Big Furry Head 3:16
  • 9 Ever Falling 3:43
  • 10 Always 3:38
  • 11 Straight Psyche 6:46
  • 12 At the End of the Day 3:12

Disc 2

  • 1 Foley Room: Found Footage 23:27

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata