The World Will Decide
Negativland · 2020
63 min · 15 tracks · experimental music
A collage of sampled sounds and spoken word, weaving together themes of digital disconnection and societal critique.
Top tracks — play these first
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Content — This track encapsulates the album's exploration of media saturation and the overwhelming nature of information in contemporary life, utilizing a stark contrast between spoken word and sonic texture.
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I Didn’t Know I Was Dead — Here, the juxtaposition of haunting samples with existential musings creates a surreal sense of detachment from reality, embodying the album's themes of disconnection.
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The World Will Decide — As the title track, it serves as a culmination of the album's message about agency and autonomy in an increasingly controlled world, featuring a layered narrative approach that invites reflection.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album's collage style and thematic depth create a distinctive listening experience, though cohesion varies across tracks.
What we noticed
- The album features a dense layering of samples, with each track incorporating multiple sound bites that create a collage effect.
- Spoken word segments are interspersed throughout the tracks, often responding to or contrasting with the sampled sounds.
- Several tracks utilize abrupt transitions and shifts in tone, which contribute to a sense of disorientation reflective of its themes.
- The final track serves as a culmination of the preceding ideas, blending elements from earlier songs while introducing new sonic textures.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. 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
- wave-like pacing with surprises
- dynamic exploration of soundscapes
- thought-provoking societal critiques
- engaging in headphone detail hunting
- for late-night contemplation
Maybe skip if you
- prefer straightforward song structures
- seek instant gratification tracks
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on November 13, 2020, The World Will Decide is Negativland's first album since their 2016 release, True False. At this point in their career, the group remained influential within the experimental music scene, continuing to explore their signature mix of sound collage and political commentary. Their work reflects both a response to contemporary issues and an ongoing evolution of their artistic approach.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Residents· Throbbing Gristle· John Zorn
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Unlawful Assembly 1:22
- 2 Content 3:55
- 3 Before I Ask 5:17
- 4 Why Are We Waiting 0:41
- 5 Create the Visitor 4:51
- 6 We Can Really Feel Like We’re Here 3:21
- 7 More Data 5:40
- 8 I Didn’t Know I Was Dead 1:33
- 9 Failure 4:28
- 10 Don’t Don’t Get Freaked Out 4:18
- 11 Anything Else 2:21
- 12 Attractive Target 8:33
- 13 Open Your Mouth 4:00
- 14 Incomprehensible Solution 5:53
- 15 The World Will Decide 7:30
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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