Electric Universe (album)

Electric Universe is the thirteenth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in November 1983 on Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 8 on the US Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and No. 40 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Electric Universe also reached No. 17 on the Swedish Pop Albums chart, No. 18 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart, No. 20 on the Japanese Pop Albums chart and No. 22 on both the Dutch Pop Albums and Swiss Pop Albums charts.

Overview
Electric Universe was produced by Maurice White for Kalimba Productions.
With the album came a unique new wave and synth-pop sound for the band.

Artists such as David Foster, Martin Page, Michel Colombier and Pamela Hutchinson and Wanda Vaughn of The Emotions featured upon the album. The album was also reissued in 2015 with six bonus tracks and two demos.

As well, Electric Universe was featured in an August 2016 episode of Mass Appeal's YouTube series Rhythm Roulette.

Singles
The lead single, "Magnetic" peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and No. 36 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. "Touch" reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart and No. 36 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs chart.

Critical reception

Harry Sumrall of the San Jose Mercury News said "Electric Universe is from first note to last an engaging record." Gary Graff of the Detroit Free Press exclaimed: "Plug in the planets! This is the best disc this outfit has put together in quite some time." Connie Johnson of the Los Angeles Times proclaimed that "the album focuses on dance and romance as opposed to the more serious ideals of cosmic bliss and brotherhood that this eight-member aggregation usually espouses. EWF is still master of the contemporary big-band style: busy but not bloated. The overall feel is jubilant and the Emotions-like harmonies on the bouncy "Moonwalk" are mildly affecting." Lennox Samuels of The Dallas Morning News declared that Electric Universe "shows the bands resilience. Unlike the previous offering Powerlight this LP should please fans." Samuels added "Although most of the cuts here are characterized by mellow overtures, midway through the disc, colourful kalimba choruses and airy harmonies capture the high spirits of this nine member aggregation". While calling the album a "letdown" Robert Christgau of The Village Voice gave a B graded review.  Roger Catlin of the Omaha World Herald, in a four out of five star review, declared "Synthesizers and new technology get a workout here, but there is still fine vocalizing at the core - but also too many ballads". With a three out of five stars review Matty Karas of Rolling Stone described Electric Universe as being full of "sensuous, and at times, rock oriented dance material". Pam Lambert of The Wall Street Journal exclaimed "After more than a decade together, Earth, Wind and Fire continue to chart new ground". She added, "In Maurice's otherwordly universe of synthesized sound, individual instruments like guitars and keyboards are drowned into the overall sonic mix. But, by way of compensation, this does focus attention on the group's trademark,their multitextured vocals."

Phyl Garland of Stereo Review wrote "Although 'Electric Universe' does not scintillate with Earth, Wind & Fire's usual brilliance, it's skilfully crafted and worth a listen". Garland noted EW&F's performance was "not among their best", but still called the album a "very good recording". Rick Shefchik of Knight Ridder, in a 7/10 review stated "Fearing more of Maurice White's cosmic pablum, I was glad to notice the shift to concrete r&b on Side One, while the band retains its breathy mix of horns and voices". Shefchik added "White relinquished his songwriting role on the first three songs, and even the ones he did write seem to benefit from a less starry-eyed perspective. Unless, of course, you count Electric Nation and Spirit of a New World."  Prentis Rogers of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution wrote: "In fact, the entire album holds up well lyrically and musically with a noticeable but not overpowering rock flavour. It may not signal a return to the group's standard of staying a note or two ahead of its contemporaries, but this is EWF's best album in recent years." 

Don McLeese of the Chicago Sun Times also gave Electric Universe an honourable mention in his list of the top ten albums of 1983.

Track listing

Credits
Backing vocals - Beloyd Taylor, Pamela Hutchinson & Wanda Vaughn
Bass Guitar - Verdine White
Drums, percussion - Fred White
Engineer [Assistant] – Barbara Rooney, Murray Dvorkin
Engineer, Mixed By – Mick Guzauski
Rhythm Guitar - Roland Bautista
Keyboards - Brian Fairweather, David Foster, Larry Dunn, Martin Page, Michel Colombier, Robbie Buchanan, Wayne Vaughn
Lead & backing vocals - Philip Bailey
Lead & backing vocals, drums, kalimba - Maurice White
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Mixed By – George Massenburg
Percussion - Ralph Johnson
Piano - Larry Dunn
Saxophone - Andrew Woolfolk
Simmons drums - John Gilston

Reissue
Coordinator [Artist/Musician Interview] – Randy Mahon
Coordinator [Reissue] – Jeff James
Coordinator [Release] – Craig Turnbull
Design [Package Design] – Roger Williams
Liner Notes, Research – Alex Henderson
Mastered By – Sean Brennan 
Production Manager [Reissue] – Matt Murphy
Reissue Producer – Tony Culvert

Charts

Sales

References

1983 albums
Earth, Wind & Fire albums
Albums produced by Maurice White
New wave albums by American artists
Synth-pop albums by American artists
Columbia Records albums