Fantasea (mixtape)

Fantasea
Mixtape by Azealia Banks
Released July 11, 2012 (2012-07-11)
Recorded 2010–12
Genre
Length 52:08
Label Winter Records[2]
Producer
Azealia Banks chronology
1991
(2012)		 Fantasea
(2012)		 Broke with Expensive Taste
(2014)

Fantasea is the debut mixtape by American hip hop recording artist Azealia Banks, released as a free download on July 11, 2012.[3][4]

Background

Banks first announced the possibility of a mixtape on May 10, when she tweeted, "So y'all will be getting, 1991 EP this month, the FANTASTIC mixtape for the summer, and Broke With Expensive Taste, in the Fall".[5] On May 30, Banks took to Twitter again to announce her plans to alter the title of the mixtape from Fantastic to Fantasea.[6] Banks released the album cover of "Fantasea" via Instagram on July 9. Banks later confirmed that Fantasea would have 18 tracks (15 originals and 3 remixes). Via Twitter, Banks spoke on the mixtape saying "Fantasea is almost kind of a first album of sorts....but it happened by mistake.... It's weird". "This is a test run... I tried a lot of cool things... Sounds I thought were progressive, beats made by close friends, different flowsss."[7]

In 2015, upon the launch of music streaming service Tidal, Fantasea, along with other various artists mixtapes, was uploaded to the service under the record label of Winter Records.[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Robert Christgau[9]
The Guardian[10]
Pitchfork Media7.6/10[11]
Respect.favorable[12]
Spin8/10[13]
Sputnikmusic[14]
The Sourcefavorable[15]

Fantasea was subject to highly positive reviews from music critics. The Guardian's Graeme Virtue wrote that the mixtape "showcase[s] an artist brimming with ideas" and gave it a rating of four stars (out of five).[16] Spin gave the album a rating of 8 out of 10 and wrote that the album "makes her [Banks] sounds mega-industrious."[13]

Promotion

Song releases

On May 11, 2012, Banks released the track "Jumanji" online as a free digital download. Produced by Hudson Mohawke and Nick Hook, the track served as the first song set to feature on the upcoming mixtape.[17] A second track, "Aquababe"—produced by EPROM and Machinedrum—was released online on June 13.[18] Ahead of its release on July 11, Banks released a third track, "Nathan" on June 30. Featuring American rapper Styles P, "Nathan" was produced by Drums of Death.[19] Azealia spoke on the song Nathan saying "I'm that rap girl who's out here and doesn't have another rapper behind her, but she's got all this mouth and she's all over the place, So [this collaboration] was cool for me [because I'm like] 'What ya'll gonna say now, when I bust out with that Styles P record?' Ya'll not gon' call me fake and make fun of me for having one song. Yeah, I make lil' dance music and ya'll got jokes, whatever—watch when I come out with the Styles P record."[20] Banks released the song "Neptune" featuring Shystie online on July 10, 2012. She also released music videos for "Luxury" and "Atlantis" on September 27 and November 11, 2012, respectively.[21][22]

Tour

In support of Fantasea, Banks embarked on her first headlining concert tour titled Mermaid Ball.[23]

Track listing

No. TitleProducer(s) Length
1. "Out of Space"  Liam Howlett[lower-alpha 1] 2:34
2. "Neptune" (featuring Shystie)Ikonika[lower-alpha 2] 3:57
3. "Atlantis"  O/W/W/W/L/S 2:29
4. "Fantasea"  Machinedrum[lower-alpha 3] 4:29
5. "Fuck Up the Fun"  Diplo, DJ Master D 2:25
6. "Ima Read"  Zebra Katz[lower-alpha 4] 1:02
7. "Fierce"  Drums of Death[lower-alpha 5] 3:14
8. "Chips"  O/W/W/W/L/S 3:48
9. "Nathan" (featuring Styles P)Drums of Death 3:24
10. "L8R"  Machinedrum 2:42
11. "Jumanji"  Hudson Mohawke, Nick Hook 2:55
12. "Aquababe"  EPROM & Machinedrum[lower-alpha 6] 3:45
13. "Runnin'"  Lunice 3:30
14. "Us"  O/W/W/W/L/S 2:46
15. "Paradiso"  RRXL 0:49
16. "Luxury"  Machinedrum 2:45
17. "Azealia (Skit)"    1:03
18. "Esta Noche"  Munchi[lower-alpha 7] 3:14
19. "Salute"  AraabMuzik[lower-alpha 8] 1:27

Notes

  1. ↑ The song "Out of Space" samples the track of the same name, originally by The Prodigy.
  2. ↑ The song "Neptune" samples the track "Heston", originally by Ikonika
  3. ↑ The song "Fantasea" samples the track "Fantastix", originally by Machinedrum.
  4. ↑ The song "Ima Read" samples the track of the same name, originally by Zebra Katz featuring Njena Reddd Foxxx.
  5. ↑ The song "Fierce" samples the track of the same name, originally by Drums of Death, it also samples Work It Girlfriend by Jack & Jill.
  6. ↑ The song "Aquababe" samples the track "Regis Chillbin (Machinedrum Remix)", originally by Eprom.
  7. ↑ The song "Esta Noche" samples the track of the same name, originally by Munchi.
  8. ↑ The song "Salute" samples the track of the same name, originally by AraabMuzik.

References

  1. ↑ Carley, Brennan (November 6, 2014). Azealia Banks Silences Haters on Debut 'Broke With Expensive Taste' at the Wayback Machine (archived January 7, 2015). Spin.
  2. ↑ "TIDAL - Fantasea". Tidal. Retrieved May 18, 2015. – via Tidal (subscription required)
  3. ↑ "Azealia Banks "Fantasea" Tracklist & Cover Art". HipHop DX. June 25, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Azealia Banks gives away free 19-track mixtape 'Fantasea'". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Azealia Banks confirms new mixtape, Fantastic, for Summer release". Digital Spy. 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  6. ↑ "Azealia Banks changes title of mixtape". NME. IPC Media. 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  7. ↑ "New Music: Azealia Banks f/ Shystie – 'Neptune'". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  8. ↑ "TIDAL - Fantasea". Tidal. Retrieved May 18, 2015. – via Tidal (subscription required)
  9. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide: Azealia Banks". Consumer Guide. Archived from the original on July 8, 2014.
  10. ↑ Virtue, Graeme (September 30, 2012). "Azealia Banks – review". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015.
  11. ↑ Hogan, Mark (July 23, 2012). "Azealia Banks: Fantasea". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on December 24, 2014.
  12. ↑ Kearse, Stephen (July 17, 2012). "Azealia Banks Tries, Fails and Succeeds on 'Fantasea'". Respect.
  13. 1 2 Tate, Greg (July 16, 2012). "Azealia Banks, 'Fantasea' (self-released mixtape)". Spin. Archived from the original on August 10, 2014.
  14. ↑ Tao, Conrad (July 15, 2012). "Fantasea Review". Sputnikmusic. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013.
  15. ↑ DiBenedetto, Salvatore (July 18, 2012). "Azealia Banks 'Fantasea' Mixtape Review". The Source. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015.
  16. ↑ Graeme Virtue. "Azealia Banks – review". the Guardian.
  17. ↑ "Azealia Banks debuts new track, "Jumanji"". Digital Spy. 2012-05-11. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  18. ↑ "Azealia Banks debuts new track, "Aquababe"". Digital Spy. 2012-06-13. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  19. ↑ "Azealia Banks releases catty "Nathan" artwork". idolator.com. 2012-06-29. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
  20. ↑ "New Music: Azealia Banks f/ Styles P – 'Nathan'". Rap-Up.com. 2012-06-30. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
  21. ↑ "Video: Azealia Banks – ‘Luxury’". Rap-Up.
  22. ↑ "Video: Azealia Banks – ‘Atlantis’". Rap-Up.
  23. ↑ Lipshutz, Jason (June 4, 2012). "Azealia Banks Brings a Mermaid Ball to NYC". Billboard.
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