Looking for a particular dense, sample-based album from the mid-90's

July 17, 2021 7:18 PM

Help me remember this amazing media-dense album from the mid-90's!

It

• was sample-based, possibly completely sample-based
• was not hip-hop, or even really trip-hop
• was critical of the media landscape of the time
• explored themes of information overload
• employed samples of things like game shows and newcasters
• came on a CD that I think also had a video or some kind of program on it
• had a pretty long band name
• sounded something like a cross between My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, the Dust Brothers, and Negativland

I remember listening to it in 1996, if that helps.

Thank you hive mind!

posted by swift to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

Total guess: Beware the Whim Reaper by People Like Us?
posted by unknowncommand at 7:40 PM on July 17, 2021 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Emergency Broadcast Network?
posted by Candleman at 7:45 PM on July 17, 2021 [5 favorites]

Response by poster: Yes! Telecommunication Breakdown by EBN.

I guess it is sort of trip-hoppy. Thank you!
posted by swift at 7:54 PM on July 17, 2021

Glad it's sorted. My answer becomes a suggestion: you might like Let Us Play / Let us Replay by Coldcut.
posted by k3ninho at 2:54 AM on July 18, 2021 [2 favorites]

3:7:8 is still a fairly common song to appear in my driving mixes. Their video work also presaded the information overload of endless social media scrolling.
posted by Candleman at 2:25 PM on July 18, 2021

came on a CD that I think also had a video or some kind of program on it

It came with a (Mac-formatted!) 3.5" floppy disk, actually. Great album.

If you like that sort of thing (soundwise at least) I recommend Meat Beat Manifesto's "Subliminal Sandwich" album from 1996. Jack Dangers from MBM produced the EBN album.

Also: EBN's YouTube channel. "Electronic Behavior Control System" video.
posted by neckro23 at 9:47 AM on July 19, 2021 [1 favorite]