Ultramarine

Every Man & Woman is a Star Ultramarine

Darla is proud to bring you this absolutely essential, classic, electronic pop record. In 1991 electronic duo Ultramarine recorded their landmark laid-back album "Every Man and Woman is a Star", released in this form by Rough Trade in 1992 to great acclaim and eulogized by Simon Reynolds in his book Energy Flash: "All sun-ripened, meandering lassitude and undulant dub-sway tempos like acid-house suffused with the folky-jazzy ambience of the Canterbury scene." As well as the sublime single cuts Stella and Saratoga, the album offers a mesh of acoustic textures underpinned by a sometimes dubby, sometimes upfront beat. It's a lavish mix of light yet infectious rhythms and mellow vibes, recalling lazy afternoons and bright summer seascapes. Largely instrumental, the album also features lyric snatches from Kevin Ayers and Robert Wyatt, while on Stella the found voice speaks to the "deepest part of the soul." "It isn't really techno music," confesses Ian. "We use the shape and form of dance music but use different acoustic sounds. It's the sort of stuff which seeps into you." (NME, 6/91). Ultramarine formed around the Essex-raised duo of Paul Hammond and Ian Cooper in 1989, releasing the album Folk before recording the ground breaking EM&WIAS in 1991. Subsequent albums have included United Kingdoms (1993), Bel Air (1995) and a User's Guide (1998). for this issue EM&WIAS has been remastered and features the original Rough Trade issue artwork. Reviews: "Everything about this LP shines brightly, colorfully - a kick in the balls for clubland snobs" (NME, 12/91); "First class laze-out music" (Q, 12/91;"Their masterpiece: electronic folk music; acoustic techno; the most complete electro album ever - pick your own description" (NME, 7/93); "It's daring open-mindedness produces a genuinely thrilling end result" (Melody Maker, 12/91); "Quite simply some of the most beautiful, ambient music ever heard" (The Big Issue, 3/92); "You can put it on, go away, come back in a couple of years and it'll still be there"