You used to call me sadness

I love this song. Who else loves it to the point of hearing it in your sleep at night?

Re: You used to call me sadness



which version...? ;)

Re: You used to call me sadness

I like the Bside version that i have on oscillons that is 5:11 long. It is a bit more stripped down and focuses on the vocals more than the version i have on aluminum tunes vol 3. Are there any other versions?

Re: You used to call me sadness

I just love the wind instruments!!! A wonderful arrangement...

Re: You used to call me sadness

I love it (them) as well, I think it made my Top 10 list a few topics back. It's the perfect sonic representation of melancholy.

Re: You used to call me sadness

good. yes I put that in my top ten too.

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I like the horns.

Re: You used to call me sadness

One of my favorites as well (the FLUORESCENCES / OSCILLONS version).
Whenever I want to play STEREOLAB to people who don't know them I end up playing this track!
Beautiful song, fabulous arrangement and a very warm recording.
It also reminds me of an old love so it is particularly close to my heart.

Re: You used to call me sadness

My first exposure to this tune was of course the "AT" version thus I'm more in tune to the guitar/keyboard driven instrumentation on that tune. The more fleshed out "Fluorescences" B-side at first struck me a bit schmaltzy and old-timey with its lounge-jazz beat and sedate brass/winds, but eventually that version too grew on me. They're both good! Like apples and oranges really.

But my question is: when exactly at 1996 was "Fluorescences" EP recorded? I suspect the AT version is the earliest recorded one (June, 1996). Let's take the codas of either versions: the end of AT version is very sparse (but I really think this sparseness sounds almost cathedral in its hypnotism, which is another reason why I always like the AT version a lot) whereas the B-side's coda adds some counterpoints that weren't there on the June 1996 recording, like the top-heavy horns in 6/4 against the 4/4 groove and that endearing circular vocal melody. Considering that Morgane later played that circular melody on organ (see below), I think it was added after the AT version was done.

Some interesting facts about the AT version: it's actually a collaboration with Ui. Which means that Ui's drummer is on it rather than Ramsay and that there are two basses: electric by Richard Harrison and the acoustic by Ui's Wilbo. Of course it's hard to notice at first, but pay attention to the textures and you can tell that it's kind of enhanced!

Here's a live video from 1996. A lousy quality but nonetheless a must have and different enough from both studio versions.

Re: You used to call me sadness

Great footage, thanks!
And yes, I am sure too that the AT version was recorded first.