''7G'' is the debut studio album by English music producer, singer and
PC Music
PC Music is a record label and art collective based in London and run by producer A. G. Cook. It was founded in 2013, making its music available on SoundCloud that year. Artists on its roster have included Hannah Diamond, GFOTY, Danny L Harle ...
label head
A. G. Cook. It was released through PC Music on 12 August 2020.
The album is 49 tracks long and split into seven discs, each disc being instrument-specific. ''7G'' was not supported by any singles, but a seven-minute long mix previewing one song from each disc for approximately one minute each. In addition to new material, it includes covers of
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
,
Blur,
Charli XCX
Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born 2 August 1992), known professionally as Charli XCX, is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery ...
,
the Strokes
The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of lead singer and songwriter Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Mor ...
,
the Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins (also referred to as simply Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Ch ...
, and more.
Primarily an
experimental electronic,
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' ( ...
, and
hyperpop
Hyperpop is a loosely-defined music movement and microgenre that predominantly originated in the United Kingdom during the early-to-mid 2010s. It is characterized by a maximalist or exaggerated take on popular music, and artists within the genr ...
album, ''7G'' features elements of many genres including
trance
Trance is a state of semi-consciousness in which a person is not self-aware and is either altogether unresponsive to external stimuli (but nevertheless capable of pursuing and realizing an aim) or is selectively responsive in following the dir ...
,
techno
Techno is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally music production, produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central Drum beat, rhythm is typ ...
,
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, whi ...
,
metal
A metal (from ancient Greek, Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, e ...
,
grunge rock
Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...
,
punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
,
IDM,
2-step
Two-step or two step may refer to:
Dance
*Two-step (dance move), a dance move used in a wide range of dancing genres
* Country-western two-step, also known as the Texas Two-step
* Nightclub Two Step, also known as the California Two-step
*2-step ...
,
drill 'n' bass
Drill 'n' bass is a subgenre of drum and bass which developed in the mid-1990s as IDM artists began experimenting with elements of breakbeat, jungle, and drum and bass music. Artists utilized powerful audio software programs and deployed frenzie ...
, and
progressive electronic
Progressive music is music that attempts to expand existing stylistic boundaries associated with specific genres of music. The word comes from the basic concept of "progress", which refers to advancements through accumulation, and is often dep ...
.
Cook released his second studio album ''
Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
'' on 18 September 2020, only five weeks later. ''
Apple vs. 7G'', a remix album consisting of songs from both ''Apple'' and ''7G'', was released on 28 May 2021.
Background and recording
Cook first began teasing ''7G''s release in September 2018 via Instagram. In March 2020, Cook took to Instagram again to give an update on his record.
In May 2020, Cook performed as part of American songwriter and producer
Porter Robinson's virtual musical festival Secret Sky, where he debuted new material.
Of the background and recording of ''7G'', and its successor, ''
Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
'', Cook spoke with
The Recording Academy
The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy A ...
in September 2020, stating:
Release and promotion
Cook announced the 7-disc record on 31 July 2020, along with its cover art, designed by Supermodel, release date, and track list that featured 49 tracks. Instead of a lead single, Cook released a seven-minute mix, previewing one-minute snippets of "Acid Angel", "Gold Leaf", "Illuminated Biker Gang", "Anything Could Happen", "Behind Glass", "Hold On" and "Show Me What".
A digital preorder on Bandcamp was also made available, where upon purchase buyers were gifted with a Deluxe Box Set, including "a definitive source of ''7G'' information & artwork, a labyrinth of images, text, sound & MIDI and a 30-minute audio file", as well as the aforementioned seven-minute mix.
On 6 August, a ''7G'' live event, titled 7 by 7, was hosted on
Zoom
Zoom may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Zoom (software), videoconferencing application
* Page zooming, the ability to magnify or shrink a portion of a page on a computer display
* Zooming user interface, a graphical interface allowing for image ...
. The live event featured sets from GRRL, Thy Slaughter (Cook and
easyFun
Finn Keane, known professionally as Easyfun (stylised in all caps and formerly as easyFun), is a British songwriter and record producer. He is known for his work with Charli XCX; he has songwriting and production credits on her mixtapes ''Number ...
), Cook,
No Rome
Guendoline Rome Viray Gomez (born August 30, 1997), better known by his stage name No Rome, is a London-based Filipino musician. Gomez grew up in Manila before settling in London. He is currently signed to Dirty Hit, the same label as collaborato ...
, Baseck,
Hayden Dunham
Hayden Frances Dunham (born June 16, 1988) is a performance artist, designer, singer, songwriter and DJ. They grew up in Austin, Texas and attended the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU.
They are best known for their work as QT (a ...
&
Alex Somers
Alex Somers (born March 7, 1984) is an American visual artist and musician from Baltimore, Maryland, who attended Berklee College of Music and Listaháskóli Íslands. Somers lives and works in Los Angeles. Previously he ran a recording studi ...
and
Cecile Believe
Cecile Believe (formerly known as Mozart's Sister) is a solo project by Montreal-based Canadian musician Caila Thompson-Hannant.
Biography
Thompson-Hannant's musical beginnings are much accredited to the electropop introduced to her by her uncle ...
&
Caroline Polachek
Caroline Elizabeth Polachek (born June 20, 1985) is an American singer, producer and songwriter. Raised in Connecticut, Polachek co-founded the indie pop band Chairlift while studying at the University of Colorado. The duo emerged from the late- ...
. The event was later uploaded to PC Music's official YouTube channel.
On 11 August, a ''7G'' listening was broadcast on Zoom, followed by an afterparty live event, featuring sets from Balming Tiger,
Charli XCX
Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born 2 August 1992), known professionally as Charli XCX, is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery ...
, DJ Warlord,
Hannah Diamond
Hannah Amond (born 20 June 1991), known professionally as Hannah Diamond, is an English singer, songwriter, photographer, and visual artist. She has recorded on A.G. Cook's PC Music label since 2013, beginning with her debut single " Pink and B ...
,
Flume
A flume is a human-made channel for water, in the form of an open declined gravity chute whose walls are raised above the surrounding terrain, in contrast to a trench or ditch. Flumes are not to be confused with aqueducts, which are built to t ...
,
Namasenda
Naomi Namasenda (born 14 November 1993), known mononymously as Namasenda, is a Swedish singer and songwriter from Stockholm. She is most well known for releases on British pop and electronic label, PC Music.
Graduation and music career
Namas ...
and
SOPHIE.
On ''7G''s release day, Cook released a visual for the final track on the album, "Alright", directed by Aaron Chan.
On 26 August, Cook released the video to the final track on disc 1, "Silver", directed by Cook himself and Aaron Chan.
On 14 September, Cook released the video to the "Live at Appleville" version of the first track on the final disc, "Today", directed by Rick Farin & Claire Cochran. The video was premiered at the virtual live event Cook hosted via
Twitch
Twitch may refer to:
Biology
* Muscle contraction
** Convulsion, rapid and repeated muscle contraction and relaxation
** Fasciculation, a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction
** Myoclonic twitch, a jerk usually caused by sudden muscle co ...
, Appleville, the day prior.
A physical CD boxset was announced for release in October 2021.
Track listing
All tracks written and produced by A. G. Cook, except where noted.
Notes
* signifies additional producer
* "Acid Angel" contains a sample of "Concrete Angel", performed by
Hannah Diamond
Hannah Amond (born 20 June 1991), known professionally as Hannah Diamond, is an English singer, songwriter, photographer, and visual artist. She has recorded on A.G. Cook's PC Music label since 2013, beginning with her debut single " Pink and B ...
, written by
Gareth Emery
Gareth Thomas Rhys Emery (born 18 July 1980) is a British trance producer and DJ. He is best known for his three studio albums: '' Northern Lights'', ''Drive'' and '' 100 Reasons to Live'', and winning the prestigious A State of Trance Tune o ...
and
Christina Novelli
Christina Novelli (born 27 November 1986) is an English DJ, vocalist and songwriter who resides in London. She is the daughter of Jean-Christophe Novelli, a French celebrity chef.
Career Early career
At the age of 17, influenced by the music ...
.
* "Beetlebum" is a cover of "
Beetlebum
"Beetlebum" is a song by English alternative rock band Blur. It was released on 20 January 1997 as the lead single from the band's eponymous fifth album, '' Blur'' (1997). Written about Blur frontman Damon Albarn's experiences with heroin, the ...
", performed by
Blur.
* "DJ Every Night" is a rework of "Every Night", performed by Hannah Diamond.
* "The Best Day" is a cover of "
The Best Day", performed by
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
.
* "Official" is a cover of "Official", performed by
Charli XCX
Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born 2 August 1992), known professionally as Charli XCX, is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery ...
.
* "The End Has No End" is a cover of "The End Has No End", performed by
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of lead singer and songwriter Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio More ...
.
* "No Yeah" interpolates the lyrics of "Oh Yeah", the lead single (released only a week after the release of ''7G'') from Cook's second album ''
Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...
''.
* "Today" is a cover of "
Today
Today (archaically to-day) may refer to:
* Day of the present, the time that is perceived directly, often called ''now''
* Current era, present
* The current calendar date
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Today'' (1930 film), a 1930 A ...
", performed by
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins (also referred to as simply Smashing Pumpkins) are an American alternative rock band from Chicago. Formed in 1988 by frontman and guitarist Billy Corgan, bassist D'arcy Wretzky, guitarist James Iha and drummer Jimmy Chamb ...
.
* "Chandelier" is a cover of "
Chandelier
A chandelier (; also known as girandole, candelabra lamp, or least commonly suspended lights) is a branched ornamental light fixture designed to be mounted on ceilings or walls. Chandeliers are often ornate, and normally use incandescent li ...
", performed by
Sia
Sia Kate Isobelle Furler ( ; born 18 December 1975) is an Australian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Adelaide, she started her career as a singer in the acid jazz band Crisp in the mid-1990s. In 1997, when Crisp disbanded, she rel ...
.
* "Idyll" is a cover of "IDL", performed by Life Sim.
* "Crimson and Clover" is a cover of "
Crimson and Clover
"Crimson and Clover" is a 1968 song by American rock band Tommy James and the Shondells. Written by the duo of Tommy James and drummer Peter Lucia Jr., it was intended as a change in direction of the group's sound and composition.
"Crimson and ...
", performed by
Tommy James & The Shondells
Tommy James and the Shondells are an American pop rock/ psychedelic rock band, formed in Niles, Michigan, in 1964. They had two No. 1 singles in the U.S. – " Hanky Panky" (July 1966, their only RIAA Certified Gold record) and " Crimson and C ...
.
Personnel
Credits are adapted from an image found within the deluxe box set purchase.
Musicians
*A. G. Cook – production, drums, guitar,
supersaw, piano,
nord, voice, vocals
*
Alaska Reid
Sophia Alaska Reid (born 1996), known professionally as Alaska Reid, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She is known for her electronic and country-tinged indie rock sound and narrative-driven lyrical content. She is also known for h ...
– voice
("Green Beauty"), vocals
("Crimson and Clover")
*
Alex Somers
Alex Somers (born March 7, 1984) is an American visual artist and musician from Baltimore, Maryland, who attended Berklee College of Music and Listaháskóli Íslands. Somers lives and works in Los Angeles. Previously he ran a recording studi ...
– additional production
("Somers Tape")
*Baseck – additional production
("Polyphloisboisterous")
*
Caroline Polachek
Caroline Elizabeth Polachek (born June 20, 1985) is an American singer, producer and songwriter. Raised in Connecticut, Polachek co-founded the indie pop band Chairlift while studying at the University of Colorado. The duo emerged from the late- ...
– vocals
("Chandelier", "Idyll", "Alright"), additional production
("Idyll")
*
Cecile Believe
Cecile Believe (formerly known as Mozart's Sister) is a solo project by Montreal-based Canadian musician Caila Thompson-Hannant.
Biography
Thompson-Hannant's musical beginnings are much accredited to the electropop introduced to her by her uncle ...
– featured vocals
("Show Me What")
*
Hannah Diamond
Hannah Amond (born 20 June 1991), known professionally as Hannah Diamond, is an English singer, songwriter, photographer, and visual artist. She has recorded on A.G. Cook's PC Music label since 2013, beginning with her debut single " Pink and B ...
– vocals
("Acid Angel", "DJ Every Night", "Alright")
*
HYD – voice
("No Yeah", "Alright")
*
Matt Rad
Matthew Radosevich, also known as Matt Rad, is an American record producer, songwriter, and musician. He has worked with artists such as One Direction, Niall Horan, Martin Garrix, Demi Lovato, Little Mix, Guy Sebastian, Lupe Fiasco, Walk th ...
– additional production
("Alright")
*Sounds Like a U Problem – voice
("2021")
*Timothy Luke – vocals
("Crimson")
*
Tommy Cash
Tommy Cash (born April 5, 1940) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. His elder brother was Johnny Cash.
Biography
Cash was born in Dyess, Arkansas, United States, the youngest of four sons and three daughters of Ray and Carrie (R ...
– vocals
("Alright")
Technical
All tracks mixed and mastered by A. G. Cook, except "Alright", mixed and mastered by Geoff Swan.
Remix album
References
{{Authority control
2020 debut albums
A. G. Cook albums
Albums produced by A. G. Cook
Albums produced by Caroline Polachek
PC Music albums
Electropop albums