Into Battle with the Art of Noise

Into Battle with the Art of Noise
EP by Art of Noise
Released	26 September 1983 (1983-09-26)[1]
Recorded	February – August 1983[1]
Genre	Electro, synthpop, art pop, sound collage
Length	23:26 29:14 (USA)
Label	ZTT ZTIS 100 (UK) Island 90137 (USA)
Producer	Art of Noise[1]
Art of Noise chronology
Into Battle with the Art of Noise (1983) Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise? (1984)

Into Battle with the Art of Noise is a 1983 EP by the Art of Noise—its first release, and also the first release by ZTT Records. The record represented the first instalment in the ZTT's Incidental Series (catalogue number ZTIS 100).^[1]

Into Battle... constructed tracks using early sampling techniques centred on the Fairlight CMI workstation, which at that time represented the state-of-the-art in musical technology.

Reworked tracks

The two key hit tracks from the EP ("Beat Box" and "Moments in Love") were subsequently featured on the group's first LP, Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise?, except for the EP, "Beat Box" was remixed, reconstructed and substantially modified to concentrate more on musical experimentation rather than the raw hip-hop sound of the original. The LP version was designated "Diversion One", while the original EP version of "Beat Box" has since (unofficially) become known as "Diversion Zero."

Reissues

In 1986, Who's Afraid was combined with portions of Into Battle... and the 1985 "Moments in Love" 12-inch single, to form the Daft compilation.

In 2003, the original Into Battle... EP was issued on CD for the first time on a German-only release, but the release inexplicably included "Diversion One" of "Beat Box" in place of "Diversion Zero."

Into Battle... also features as part of disc four of the 2006 Art of Noise boxed set And What Have You Done with My Body, God?. The project was conceived, researched and compiled by music journalist (and Art of Noise aficionado) Ian Peel – sourced from the original masters – and restored the original version of "Beat Box" and features the 5:10 edit of "Moments in Love" from the cassette issue of the EP, neither track having been officially released on CD before.

In April 2011, Peel continued his archiving of classic and vaulted ZTT material, now named the Element Series, with a Deluxe Edition reissue of Into Battle with the Art of Noise. This intends to be the first of a chronological remastering and repackaging effort of the Art of Noise's output, collating the original album or EP with extended and previously unavailable tracks; in this case, audio that would have made up the follow-up to the Into Battle... EP, a planned album called Worship (Worship intended to continue the experimental cut-and-paste aesthetic of Into Battle... However, with the commercial success of the single Close (To The Edit), these recordings were re-edited and reconstituted into the more commercially viable album Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise?, considered the first 'true' AON album, also due an upcoming Deluxe Edition release in 2011). As part of Record Store Day (16 April 2011), this Deluxe Edition was also released as a Limited Edition 2 LP vinyl version: both the original EP and the Worship material LP on 180g blue vinyl, limited to 500 copies worldwide.^[2]

Cover art

The artwork depicted on the original EP sleeve was derived from the Ghent Altarpiece – the sleeve design and layout itself is intentionally similar to that of the Dave Brubeck Quartet's 1961 album Time Further Out.^[3]

Parody

The EP's title and elements of its visual and musical style were parodied by the group Mainframe with their 1983 12-inch single, "Into Trouble with the Noise of Art".

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[4]

Allmusic reviewer Ned Raggett had positive views on the EP, stating "One listen to into Battle With the Art of Noise and some of the influences in industrial, hip-hop, techno, and pop become clearer."

Track listing

All songs except "Donna" were written by Anne Dudley, Trevor Horn, J.J. Jeczalik, Gary Langan, and Paul Morley.

US/UK Vinyl

Side 1

1. "Battle" (0:25)
2. "Beat Box" (4:48) (sampled drums played by Alan White of Yes)
3. "The Army Now" (2:02) (sampled vocals performed by The Andrews Sisters)
4. "Donna" (1:44) (Composed by Gary Langan)

Side 2

1. "Moments in Love" (10:15) (Feat. Vocals perf. by Camilla Pilkington)
2. "Bright Noise" (0:05)
3. "Flesh in Armour" (1:24)
4. "Comes and Goes" (1:18)
5. "Moment in Love" (1:25)

UK cassette

Side 1

1. "Battle" (0:25)
2. "Beat Box" (4:48) (Samples "Kool is Back", as perf. by Funk Inc.)
3. "The Army Now" (2:02)
4. "Donna" (1:44)

Side 2

1. "Moments in Love" (5:08)
2. "Bright Noise" (0:05)
3. "Flesh in Armour" (1:24)
4. "Comes and Goes" (1:18)
5. "Moment in Love" (1:25)

US cassette

Side 1

1. "Battle" (0:25)
2. "Beat Box" (4:48) (Contains a vocal sample of "Soweto", as perf. by Malcolm McLaren)
3. "The Army Now" (2:02)
4. "Donna" (1:44)
5. "Beat Box" (a repeat of track 2, 4:48)

Side 2

1. "Bright Noise" (0:05)
2. "Flesh in Armour" (1:24)
3. "Comes and Goes" (1:18)
4. "Moments in Love" (10:15)

References

External links

• Into Battle With the Art of Noise at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
• Into Battle with the Art of Noise at Discogs (list of releases)