''Three Mantras'' is the second studio album by English band Cabaret Voltaire. It was released in May 1980 by

Rough Trade Rough Trade may refer to: *Rough Trade (shops), London record stores *Rough Trade Records, a record label from the stores *Rough Trade Books, a publishing house from the label *Rough Trade (band), a Canadian new wave rock band * "Rough Trade" (''Am ...

Background and reception

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper published between 1954 and 1991, aimed at pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after ''New Musical Express'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK Album ...

'' originally publicised ''Three Mantras'' as, '..what's been described as "the world's longest single"..', evidently referring to a press release supplied by the group's label, Rough Trade. The album was packaged in an intentionally confusing manner, with the 'Eastern' and 'Western' titles reversed on the cover, the same label on both sides and a sticker on early pressings apologizing for there only being two mantras (despite the title) and explaining that the album was being priced as a single to make up for it. The reversed vocal that runs all the way through 'Eastern Mantra' is the name of another Sheffield electronic band;

The Human League The Human League are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic music, electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their t ...

. According to ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who, Dave Schulps, and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...

'', ''Three Mantras'' is "the group's first explicit venture into non-Western musical forms". It further commented, "The record also marks a shift in technique, as musical demands take precedence over production to strange and beautiful effect."

Track listing

Personnel

; Cabaret Voltaire *

Richard H. Kirk Richard Harold Kirk (21 March 1956 – 21 September 2021) was an English composer, musician and producer. He is best known for his work in electronic music, and for co-founding the influential music group Cabaret Voltaire in 1973. As a solo art ...

– guitar, wind instruments *

Stephen Mallinder Stephen William Mallinder (born 1 January 1955) is an English artist and musician who was a founding member of Cabaret Voltaire, and went on to work as Sassi & Loco, the Ku-Ling Bros., Hey, Rube!, Wrangler, and Creep Show. Biography Mallinder ...

– bass guitar, vocals, electronic percussion *

Chris Watson John Christian Watson (born Johan Cristian Tanck; 9 April 186718 November 1941) was an Australian politician who served as the third prime minister of Australia from April to August 1904. He held office as the inaugural federal leader of the Au ...

– synthesizers, tapes ; Additional personnel * John Clayton – percussion (on "Eastern Mantra") * Jane – tapes, Jerusalem market recordings (on "Eastern Mantra") ; Technical * Cabaret Voltaire – recording, production *

George Peckham George "Porky" Peckham (born 1942) is an English record engineer, widely recognised as among the most accomplished in the business. He has been responsible for producing the master discs from which many vinyl records have been pressed over the ...

– mastering

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1980 albums Cabaret Voltaire (band) albums Mute Records albums Industrial albums