Stacked Up is the debut album by UK rap-rock band Senser.[1][2] It was released in the UK on 2 May 1994 and entered the national charts at No.4.[3]
| Stacked Up | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 2 May 1994 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Label | Ultimate | |||
| Producer | Haggis | |||
| Senser chronology | ||||
| ||||
It features an eclectic, incendiary cross over of hip hop, rock and psychedelia.
Background
editSenser was formed in the late eighties, originally with Kerstin Haigh on lead vocals and, from 1991, Heitham Al-Sayed as the drummer. Al-Sayed moved onto vocal duties when the band covered Public Enemy's "She Watch Channel Zero?!", from that groups influential It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back album.[4]
The band's first two singles, "The Key", released in September 1993, and "Switch", released in March 1994, made the UK Singles Chart Top 50, and garnered rave reviews from both dance and indie reviewers.[3][4]
The political background in Britain, and the impending passing of the Criminal Justice Act into statute paved the way for a series of politically influenced artists such as the Levellers, the Prodigy, Dreadzone, and Pop Will Eat Itself, and Senser fit into that group with a blend of aggressive hip-hop, thrash metal and psychedelic ambience.[5][6]
Buoyed by the success of their singles and live performances, Senser released Stacked Up on 2 May 1994.
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
The Guardian wrote that the album "is an aggressive, schizophrenic beast, ranging from the lazy acid dub of 'The Key' to the thrash-metal overdrive of 'Eject'."[8] The Record opined that Senser "weld thrash, metal, and hip-hop into an ungainly, unlikeable contraption."[9]
Track listing
editAll songs written by Senser unless otherwise indicated
- "States of Mind" – 5:10
- "The Key" – 5:22
- "Switch" – 4:33
- "Age of Panic" – 4:08
- "What's Going On" – 5:07
- "One Touch One Bounce" – 3:24
- "Stubborn" – 5:46
- "Door Game" – 6:39
- "Peanut Head" – 5:40
- "Peace" (Senser, Tim Morton) – 5:50
- "Eject" – 5:19
- "No Comply" – 2:37
- "Worth" – 3:04
Personnel
edit- Alan 'Haggis/Hagos' Haggarty — programming, production, mixing
- Heitham Al-Sayed — vocals
- Kerstin Haigh — vocals
- Nick Michaelson — guitar
- James Barrett — bass
- John Morgan — Drums
- Andy "Awe" Clinton — DJ
Singles
edit| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "The Key" | UK Top 40 | 47[10] |
| 1994 | "Switch" | UK Top 40 | 39[11] |
| 1994 | "Age of Panic" | UK Top 40 | 52[12] |
Chart performance
editStacked Up was released in the UK on 2 May 1994. In its first week it entered the UK Album Chart at number 4. It gradually dropped down the charts and was last seen at number 64 on 7 September, a total of five weeks altogether.[3] Stacked Up achieved sales in excess of 400,000 copies.
References
edit- ^ Sinclair, David (12 March 1994). "Pop Albums: Records". Features. The Times.
- ^ Bennun, David (23 April 1994). "Love 'em or Heitham — Stacked Up by Senser". Melody Maker. Vol. 71, no. 16. p. 30.
- ^ a b c "SENSER full Official Chart History". The Official Charts Company. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Senser". NME. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
- ^ Birchmeier, Jason. Biography of Senser at AllMusic. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
- ^ "Senser live review". BBC Birmingham. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
- ^ Gioffre, Daniel. Review of Stacked Up at AllMusic
- ^ Taylor, Sam (10 April 1994). "A rap of our own: Sam Taylor finds signs in four new albums of a distinctive, indigenous rap scene in Britain". Review. The Guardian.
- ^ Weiler, Derek (22 September 1994). "Stacked Up". The Record. p. D8.
- ^ "Senser – "The Key"". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ^ "Senser – "Switch"". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ^ "Senser – "Age of Panic"". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 May 2012.