Futurology (album)
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''Futurology'' is the twelfth studio album by
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
Manic Street Preachers Manic Street Preachers, also known simply as the Manics, are a Welsh Rock music, rock band formed in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Blackwood in 1986. The band consists of cousins James Dean Bradfield (lead vocals, lead guitar) and Sean Moore (musician ...
. It was released on 7 July 2014, through record label Columbia. The album features collaborations with Green Gartside,
Nina Hoss Nina Hoss (; born 7 July 1975) is a German stage and film actress. Early life Hoss was born in Stuttgart, West Germany. Her father, , was a German trade unionist and politician (member of the Bundestag with The Greens). Her mother, , was an ac ...
,
Georgia Ruth Georgia Ruth Williams (born 5 January 1988) is a Welsh singer-songwriter and harpist. She sings in both English and Welsh. Early life Williams was born in Llantwit Major in South Wales. At the age of four she moved with her family to Aberys ...
,
Cian Ciaran Cian Ciarán (born 16 June 1976) is a Welsh musician best known as the keyboard player in the band Super Furry Animals. In addition to keyboards, he plays guitar and drums and sings, and is a songwriter, composer and producer. Career Cian was b ...
and
Cate Le Bon Cate Le Bon (born Cate Timothy on 4 March 1983) is a Welsh musician and record producer. She sings in both English and Welsh. She has released six solo studio albums, three EPs and a number of singles. Le Bon has toured with artists such as St. ...
. Supported by two singles, " Walk Me to the Bridge" and the title track "
Futurology Futures studies, futures research, futurism or futurology is the systematic, interdisciplinary and holistic study of social and technological advancement, and other environmental trends, often for the purpose of exploring how people will li ...
", ''Futurology'' received acclaim from music critics, and was their highest-charting album since ''
Send Away the Tigers ''Send Away the Tigers'' is the eighth studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers, released on 7 May 2007 by record label Columbia. It reached number 2 on the UK Albums Chart. Background The album is named after a p ...
'', peaking and debuting at No. 2 on the
UK Album Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
.


Writing and recording

''Futurology'' was the Manics' second new album to be released in the space of a year, having been recorded alongside 2013's ''
Rewind the Film ''Rewind the Film'' is the eleventh studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was recorded in 2013 and released on 16 September 2013 by record label Columbia. The sound is very different from previous records and is ...
'', an album described by the group as being "gentle and delicate" in contrast to the icy, multi-layered and angular ''Futurology''. The album was recorded in Germany with Alex Silva, with whom the band worked on ''
The Holy Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a v ...
'' in 1994, and at Faster Studios, Wales. The album was described to be inspired by modern art and the sense of motion that the band experienced touring the heart of Europe in 2011 in support of '' National Treasures – The Complete Singles''. About the European inspiration that took over the band in the new record, singer and guitarist James Dean Bradfield stated that: "We started touring mainland Europe in late '91 so obviously we've seen Belfast change in front of our eyes, we've seen Berlin change unbelievably and parts of Belgium… every city in Britain we've seen change. I'd never been abroad before I was in a band, actually, I'd been abroad once, I'd been to Bristol." Bradfield also tackled the subject of the many guest that have appeared on the last two Manic Street Preachers records, ''
Rewind the Film ''Rewind the Film'' is the eleventh studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was recorded in 2013 and released on 16 September 2013 by record label Columbia. The sound is very different from previous records and is ...
'' and ''Futurology'': "I'm 12 albums in - I know my voice can only do certain things, and if I can't take other people singing on the track then I really have got a Napoleon complex. I'm short enough to have one…". Two songs from ''Futurology'' - "Europa Geht Durch Mich" and title track "
Futurology Futures studies, futures research, futurism or futurology is the systematic, interdisciplinary and holistic study of social and technological advancement, and other environmental trends, often for the purpose of exploring how people will li ...
" - were debuted on the first night of the 2014 UK Tour, at the First Direct Arena on 28 March 2014. A third one, "Let's Go to War", was first heard at the
Brixton Academy Brixton Academy (originally known as the Astoria Variety Cinema, previously known as Carling Academy Brixton, currently named O2 Academy Brixton as part of a sponsorship deal with the O2 brand) is a mid-sized concert venue located in South Wes ...
, and described by bassist
Nicky Wire Nicholas Allen Jones (born 20 January 1969), known as Nicky Wire, is a Welsh musician and songwriter, best known as lyricist, bassist and secondary vocalist of the Welsh alternative rock band, Manic Street Preachers. Prior to the group, Wire s ...
as a "nice marching song". The track " Walk Me to the Bridge", and its accompanying music video, was released on 28 April 2014. In May 2014, the band released the video for "Europa Geht Durch Mich". The second single from the album, "Futurology", was released 22 September 2014. The band themselves have stated that this album was very important for celebrating the 20th anniversary of their seminal album ''
The Holy Bible The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a v ...
'' because the band said that after releasing two critically acclaimed albums they now think it was the right time to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the album. In an interview with
Gigwise ''Gigwise'' is a British online music news site that features music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets and video content. Founded in June 2001, the site is based in London, England. History Gigwise was launched in 2001 ...
when asked what influence ''The Holy Bible'' had on ''Futurology'', frontman and singer
James Dean Bradfield James Dean Bradfield (born 21 February 1969) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. He is known for being the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. Biography Early life B ...
replied: "That we could still trade in a language that is still exclusively ours, that we could still want to write songs that other people are just never going to go near. I just don't think that anyone else would go near that subject matter. We never laid claim to being the most 'original' band, but I think we're unique in that sense." The Manic Street Preachers have also said that this album is the opposite of last year's ''
Rewind the Film ''Rewind the Film'' is the eleventh studio album by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was recorded in 2013 and released on 16 September 2013 by record label Columbia. The sound is very different from previous records and is ...
''; ''Futurology'', according to the band, is an album full of ideas and one of their most optimistic yet, as Wire said to the ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' magazine in an interview: "There's an overriding concept behind ''Futurology'' which is to express all the inspiration we get from travel, music and art – all those ideas, do that in a positive way. ''Rewind the Film'' was a harrowing 45-year-old looking in the mirror, lyrically. ''Futurology'' was very much an album of ideas. It's one of our most optimistic records, the idea that any kind of art can transport you to a different universe." The songs "Black Square" and "Mayakovsky" refer to ''
Black Square Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have ...
'' and
Vladimir Mayakovsky Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky (, ; rus, Влади́мир Влади́мирович Маяко́вский, , vlɐˈdʲimʲɪr vlɐˈdʲimʲɪrəvʲɪtɕ məjɪˈkofskʲɪj, Ru-Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky.ogg, links=y; – 14 Apr ...
respectively, and were inspired by the pre-
revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
avantgarde The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or 'vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical D ...
/ futuristic art community in Imperial Russia. The song "Between the Clock and the Bed" was inspired by the
Edvard Munch Edvard Munch ( , ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter. His best known work, ''The Scream'' (1893), has become one of Western art's most iconic images. His childhood was overshadowed by illness, bereavement and the dr ...
painting '' Self-Portrait. Between the Clock and the Bed.''


Release

''Futurology'' was released on 7 July 2014; it was released in standard and deluxe versions and also on vinyl. The standard edition contains all the thirteen tracks of the album, while the deluxe version contains all the demos from thirteen songs from the record, plus three new tracks: "Blistered Mirrors", "Empty Motorcade" and "The Last Time I Saw Paris", which most of the lyrics are in French. In Japan the band released bonus tracks, which includes "Antisocialmanifesto" and "Kodawari", live versions from the O2 Arena performance were also available, " Ocean Spray" and " You Love Us" were the two songs featured on the Japanese version. ''Futurology'' entered the
Official Record Store Chart The Official Record Store Chart is a weekly music chart based on physical sales of albums in almost 100 independent record stores in the United Kingdom, such as Rough Trade, Rounder Records, Jumbo and Sound It Out. It is compiled by the Off ...
at number 1, outselling
Ed Sheeran Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently r ...
's '' x'', and the official
UK Album Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
at number 2, the highest new entry on the chart, selling approximately 20,000 copies in its first week. The album remained in the Top 40 in the UK for 3 weeks, something that ''Rewind the Film'' didn't manage to do. The album reached number 8 in Ireland and also charted within the Top 40 in Finland, Germany, Greece, Czech Republic, Denmark and Japan. The album peaked and debuted at number 18 on the European Charts, for sales all over Europe, the album sold above 30.000 copies in the European mainland in the first week. Since it has been release the album has sold more than 50.000 copies in the UK. The band promoted the album with a tour around the UK and Europe from March to May 2014, they also made appearances in festivals like
T in the Park T in the Park festival was a major Scottish music festival that was held annually from 1994 to 2016. It was named after its main sponsor, Tennents. The event was held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire, until 1996. It then moved to the disused ...
in Scotland and
Glastonbury Festival Glastonbury Festival (formally Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts and known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place in Pilton, Somerset, England. In addition to contemp ...
in the summer.


Singles

Two singles were released from the album: " Walk Me to the Bridge" was the first released on 28 April, it leaked prior to its release. The subject of the lyrics were questioned whether they were about the former band member Richey or not, but Wire said that he wrote the song at a critical time, when he was tired of being in the band, and he wrote the lyrics thinking of that subject. The title track, "
Futurology Futures studies, futures research, futurism or futurology is the systematic, interdisciplinary and holistic study of social and technological advancement, and other environmental trends, often for the purpose of exploring how people will li ...
", was the second and final single released from the album on 22 September. The video debuted on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
on 10 August. The video was directed by the
British Academy of Film and Television Arts British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
winner
Kieran Evans Kieran John Evans (born 8 February 1969) is a Welsh film director and screenwriter whose work includes music videos, film and documentaries. His 2012 film '' Kelly + Victor'', produced by Janine Marmot, saw Evans awarded the BAFTA Award for Ou ...
, who worked with the band on videos from their previous effort ''Rewind the Film''.


Musical style

''Futurology'' has been described under genres such as
alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
,
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...
,
dance-rock Dance-rock is a dance-infused genre of rock music. It is a post-disco genre connected with pop rock and post-punk with fewer rhythm and blues influences. It originated in the early 1980s, following the decline in popularity of both punk and disco ...
, new wave and
krautrock Krautrock (also called , German for ) is a broad genre of experimental rock Experimental rock, also called avant-rock, is a subgenre of rock music that pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique or which experiments ...
. Nicky Wire described the sound of the album as "post-punk disco-rock". Canadian music publication ''
Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...
'' proclaimed ''Futurologys style a "radical vision", which encompassed a great collection of styles including the "Krautrock banger" "The Next Jet to Leave Moscow" and the " prog odyssey" "Mayakovsky".


Reception

Upon its release, ''Futurology'' received critical acclaim. At
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, which assigns a normalized rating to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 83 out of 100, based on 19 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
critic
Stephen Thomas Erlewine Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
wrote: "They're more infatuated with
Neu! Neu! (; German for "New!"; styled in block capitals) were a West German krautrock band formed in Düsseldorf in 1971 by Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother following their departure from Kraftwerk. The group's albums were produced by Conny Plank, w ...
and
Kraftwerk Kraftwerk (, "power station") is a German band formed in Düsseldorf in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider. Widely considered innovators and pioneers of electronic music, Kraftwerk were among the first successful acts to popularize the ...
or
Public Image Ltd Public Image Ltd (abbreviated and stylized as PiL) are an English post-punk band (and incorporated limited company) formed by singer John Lydon (previously known as the singer of Sex Pistols), guitarist Keith Levene, bassist Jah Wobble, and dr ...
, but these jagged, difficult sounds are filtered through the trio's now instinctual arena-filling gestures and that tension is what gives ''Futurology'' a resonant richness." Gareth James of '' Clash'' magazine described the album as "Manics doing what they do best, with added krautrock,
Georgia Ruth Georgia Ruth Williams (born 5 January 1988) is a Welsh singer-songwriter and harpist. She sings in both English and Welsh. Early life Williams was born in Llantwit Major in South Wales. At the age of four she moved with her family to Aberys ...
and Green Gartside." Andrew Trendell of
Gigwise ''Gigwise'' is a British online music news site that features music news, photos, album reviews, music festivals, concert tickets and video content. Founded in June 2001, the site is based in London, England. History Gigwise was launched in 2001 ...
wrote: "As a record that embraces the constant sense of movement and progress throughout Europe, it establishes the band themselves as artists in constant revolution." Alexis Petridis of ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' stated: "''Futurology'' never feels like a
pastiche A pastiche is a work of visual art, literature, theatre, music, or architecture that imitates the style or character of the work of one or more other artists. Unlike parody, pastiche pays homage to the work it imitates, rather than mocking it ...
, and sounds unmistakably like the Manic Street Preachers while sounding unlike any other album they've made." ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' critic Kevin Harley commented that "Elsewhere, the Manics' band identity proves robust enough to withstand the tweaking." Ben Hewitt of ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' stated that "the Manics prove they are still the enemies of greed, conformity and corruption." ''
The Telegraph ''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include: Australia * ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
'' declared: "...the dark pulse of that krautrock influence gives the songs a steely sleekness of purpose (and real cohesion), while the band layer a vigorous variety of sounds and tempos on top to keep things interesting."
PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
associate music editor John Garratt wrote that the album "can just about stand toe-to-toe with any of their past albums." Writing for
The Quietus ''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics. Content ''The Quiet ...
, Simon Price described the album as "bona fide, solid-as-granite masterpiece", stating: "''Futurology'' is more than just ''that'' version of the Manics, and one of ''those'' albums."
Sputnikmusic Sputnikmusic is an American music community website offering music criticism and music news alongside features commonly associated with wiki-style websites. The format of the website is unusual in that it includes both professional and amateur c ...
staff reviewer Joseph Viney stated that the album "wraps up the ideals of what has come before it, mixed it with their present experience and forged ahead with songs that demonstrate a group with a lot more life in them yet."
MusicOMH MusicOMH (stylized as musicOMH) is a London-based online music magazine which publishes independent reviews, features and interviews from across all genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B. History MusicOMH was founded and launched by ...
awarded the album four out of five stars, saying that " ..''Futurology'' is full of glam-pop hits that demonstrate the Preachers' ability to write good songs with a distinct sense of Britishness", finishing with: "''Futurology'' is a welcome return by Manic Street Preachers to the forefront of pop, featuring no lack of technical prowess or instrumental capabilities. Every track is quite full of life and holds no lack of energy that characterizes good, classic British rock 'n' roll. Despite past hardship, the future continues to be bright for these modern legends."


Accolades

''Futurology'' was a critical and commercial success, the album was presented with very positive reviews from music critics around the world and was well received by the fans. In the end of the year lists, the album achieved the following accolades: * ''NME'' magazine stated that ''Futurology'' was the 41st best album of 2014. * ''NME'' magazine also choose the title track "Futurology" as one of the best tracks of 2014. *
The Telegraph ''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include: Australia * ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
placed the album in number 38 in their list of 50 best albums of 2014. * ''
Mojo Mojo may refer to: * Mojo (African-American culture), a magical charm bag used in voodoo Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * MOJO HD, an American television network * ''Mojo'' (play), by Jez Butterworth, made into a 1997 film * ' ...
'' placed ''Futurology'' in number 20 in their 50 best albums of 2014. * XFM placed the album in number 11 in their end of the year list. *
The Quietus ''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics. Content ''The Quiet ...
placed ''Futurology'' in number 8 on their end of the year list for 2014. * '' Q'' placed the album in number 4 on their list of 50 best albums of 2014. Reflecting on the album XFM stated that ''Futurology'' was very different from their last year's effort: "After the acoustic experimentation of ''Rewind the Film'', here's classic rabble rousing Manics, with massive choruses", while ''Q'' said that the album was "Exhilaratingly dense with new sounds" and it had " deas and conflicting emotions..." On the other hand, talking about the title track, ''NME'' stated that: "The title track serves as a manifesto for all that follows: a declaration of positivity to tee-up the rest of the LP and a reminder that right can trump wrong in the end. There's a bubbling urgency and vibrancy and vitality here that was lacking from ''Rewind the Film'', and a chorus that's a mantra for belief in a greater good."


Track listing


Personnel

*
James Dean Bradfield James Dean Bradfield (born 21 February 1969) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. He is known for being the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. Biography Early life B ...
– lead vocals,
lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...
and
acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
,
drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
, bass,
keyboards Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Musi ...
,
percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
, vision *
Nicky Wire Nicholas Allen Jones (born 20 January 1969), known as Nicky Wire, is a Welsh musician and songwriter, best known as lyricist, bassist and secondary vocalist of the Welsh alternative rock band, Manic Street Preachers. Prior to the group, Wire s ...
bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
,
baritone guitar The baritone guitar is a guitar with a longer scale length, typically a larger body, and heavier internal bracing, so it can be tuned to a lower pitch. Gretsch, Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, ESP Guitars, PRS Guitars, Music Man, Danelectro, Schec ...
, electric & acoustic guitars,
omnichord The Omnichord is an electronic musical instrument introduced in 1981 by the Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation. It typically features a touch plate known as "Sonic Strings", preset rhythms, auto-bass line functionality, and buttons for ma ...
, vocals, drum programming,
percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
, noise * Sean Moore
drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
, soundscapes, machines,
guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
, sequencers,
percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
, tympani, technology * Loz Williams – production, keyboards *
Cian Ciaran Cian Ciarán (born 16 June 1976) is a Welsh musician best known as the keyboard player in the band Super Furry Animals. In addition to keyboards, he plays guitar and drums and sings, and is a songwriter, composer and producer. Career Cian was b ...
– keyboards on "Futurology" and "The Next Jet to Leave Moscow" *
Cate Le Bon Cate Le Bon (born Cate Timothy on 4 March 1983) is a Welsh musician and record producer. She sings in both English and Welsh. She has released six solo studio albums, three EPs and a number of singles. Le Bon has toured with artists such as St. ...
– backing vocals on "Let's Go to War" *
Gavin Fitzjohn Adequate Seven were a Welsh band who blended music styles such as hip hop, hardcore, punk, and funk. They formed in 2000 and split in December 2006. History Adequate Seven formed in November 2000 and played their first gig only four weeks la ...
– backing vocals on "Let's Go to War" *
H. Hawkline Huw Evans (born 15 March 1985), also known as H. Hawkline, is a Welsh singer-songwriter and radio and television presenter based in Cardiff. He also lived and worked in Los Angeles for several years. He performs in both English and Welsh languag ...
– backing vocals on "Let's Go to War" *
Nina Hoss Nina Hoss (; born 7 July 1975) is a German stage and film actress. Early life Hoss was born in Stuttgart, West Germany. Her father, , was a German trade unionist and politician (member of the Bundestag with The Greens). Her mother, , was an ac ...
– vocals on "Europa Geht Durch Mich" *
Georgia Ruth Georgia Ruth Williams (born 5 January 1988) is a Welsh singer-songwriter and harpist. She sings in both English and Welsh. Early life Williams was born in Llantwit Major in South Wales. At the age of four she moved with her family to Aberys ...
– lead vocals and
harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...
on "Divine Youth" * Green Gartside – Vocals on "Between the Clock and the Bed" * Nick Naysmith – keyboards on "The Next Jet to Leave Moscow" and "Divine Youth" * Rich Beak –
tambourine The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zills". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though ...
on "Divine Youth" * Berliner Kneipenchor – choral vocals on "Misguided Missile" * Tim Young – mastering


Charts


European Charts


References


External links

*
''Futurology''
(deluxe) at
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
(streamed copy where licensed) {{Authority control Manic Street Preachers albums 2014 albums Columbia Records albums Albums produced by Alex Silva Albums produced by Loz Williams