''Language'' is the debut studio album by British singer-songwriter and record producer
MNEK
Uzoechi Osisioma "Uzo" Emenike (born 9 November 1994), professionally known by his stage name MNEK (, ), is a British singer, songwriter and record producer. He has been nominated for a Grammy and a Brit Awards, Brit Award, and has received the ...
. It was released on 7 September 2018 through
Virgin EMI Records
Virgin EMI Records was a British record label owned by the Universal Music Group that was formed in 2013. In June 2020, the label was rebranded as EMI Records, and operates Virgin Records as an imprint of the new EMI Records.
History
Virgin ...
and became his second solo project, succeeding his debut extended play ''
Small Talk
Small talk is an informal type of discourse that does not cover any functional topics of conversation or any transactions that need to be addressed. In essence, it is polite and standard conversation about unimportant things.
The phenomenon ...
'', released in 2015. Singles from ''Language'' include "Tongue", "Colour", "Correct" and "Girlfriend". The album's release was followed by a UK tour in 2018 and an American leg in 2019.
''Language'' was received well by critics, with ''
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 ...
'' awarded ''Language'' four stars,
as did ''
The Line of Best Fit
''The Line of Best Fit'' is an independent online magazine based in London, concentrating on new music.
It publishes independent music reviews, features, interview, and media. Founded by Richard Thane in February 2007 and currently edited by P ...
''.
Accolades
Track listing
All credits taken from Qobuz
and the album liner notes.
Notes
*
signifies an additional producer.
*
signifies an original producer.
* "Gibberish (Interlude)" features un-credited vocals from Ryan Ashley.
*"Correct" features un-credited vocals from Ryan Ashley,
Tre Jean-Marie
Tre Jean-Marie (born 13 April 1993) is a British songwriter and record producer. His writing and production credits include AJ Tracey, Anne-Marie, Burna Boy, Craig David, Jacob Banks, Joy Crookes, Kaytranada, Labrinth, Little Mix, Mabel, Natha ...
and
Kate Stewart
Kate Stewart (born 16 January 1995), also formerly known as KStewart, is an English singer-songwriter. She featured on the vocal version of Oliver Heldens's "Koala", and her song "Ain't Nobody" charted at number 86 on the UK Singles Chart. On ...
.
* "Colour" samples lyrical content from the song "The Rainbow Song", originally written by Arthur Hamilton.
* "Body" partially samples the album's previous track "Colour", featuring
Hailee Steinfeld
Hailee Steinfeld (born December 11, 1996) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Hailee Steinfeld, various accolades, including a Peabody Award, and nominations for an Academy Award ...
.
* "Hearsay (Interlude)" features un-credited vocals from Barto.
* "Girlfriend" samples the song "
Ai No Corrida
''In the Realm of the Senses'' (french: link=no, L'Empire des sens, Japanese: , ''Ai no Korīda'', "Bullfight of Love") is a 1976 erotic art film written and directed by Nagisa Ōshima. It is a fictionalised and sexually explicit treatment of a ...
", originally performed and written by
Chaz Jankel
Charles Jeremy "Chaz" Jankel (born 16 April 1952) is an English musician. In a music career spanning more than 40 years, he came to prominence in the late 1970s as the guitarist and keyboardist of the rock band Ian Dury and the Blockheads. With ...
.
* "Paradise" samples the song "
Free
Free may refer to:
Concept
* Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything
* Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism
* Emancipate, to procur ...
", originally performed and written by
Ultra Naté
Ultra Naté Wyche (born March 20, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, DJ and promoter who has achieved success on the pop charts with songs such as " Free", "If You Could Read My Mind" (as part of Stars on 54), and "Autom ...
.
References
2018 debut albums
MNEK albums
Albums produced by MNEK
Albums produced by Tre Jean-Marie
{{2010s-R&B-album-stub