| Into Battle with the Art of Noise | |
| Type: | ep |
| Artist: | Art of Noise |
| Cover: | Into battle with the.jpg |
| Border: | yes |
| Released: | [1] |
| Recorded: | February–August 1983[2] |
| Genre: | Electro, synthpop, art pop, sound collage |
| Length: | (original UK vinyl) |
| Producer: | Art of Noise |
| Next Title: | Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise? |
| Next Year: | 1984 |
Into Battle with the Art of Noise is a 1983 EP by the Art of Noise—its first release, and also the first release by ZTT Records. The record represented the first installment in ZTT's Incidental Series (catalogue number ZTIS 100).[1]
Into Battle constructed tracks using early sampling techniques centred on the Fairlight CMI workstation, which at the time was state-of-the-art technology. Two songs from the EP, "Beat Box" and "Moments in Love", were subsequently featured on the group's first LP, Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise?, in altered form.
In 1986, portions of Into Battle, Who's Afraid, and the "Moments in Love" 12-inch single were combined to form the Daft compilation.
In 2003, the original Into Battle EP was issued on CD for the first time in Germany, but the release included "Beat Box (Diversion One)", as on Who's Afraid, rather than the original EP mix.
Into Battle appeared in full on disc four of the 2006 Art of Noise box set And What Have You Done with My Body, God?, which was conceived, researched and compiled by Ian Peel. This set restored the original version of "Beat Box" and included the 5:10 edit of "Moments in Love" from the cassette issue of the EP, neither of which had been officially released on CD before.
In April 2011, ZTT released a deluxe edition of Into Battle, again compiled by Peel. In addition to a wide CD release, a limited edition of 500 copies on blue vinyl was released for Record Store Day.[3] This edition again featured the tracks of the original UK cassette and appended Worship, an early version of Who's Afraid with different track order, extra tracks and alternate mixes.
The artwork depicted on the original EP sleeve is based on that of The Dave Brubeck Quartet's "Time Further Out" (1961), and incorporates a section of the panel "The Knights of Christ" from Jan van Eyck's Ghent Altarpiece.
Writing retrospectively for Allmusic, Ned Raggett reviewed the EP positively, saying, "One listen to Into Battle With the Art of Noise and some of [the band's] influences in industrial, hip-hop, techno, and pop become clearer."
The EP's title and elements of its visual and musical style were parodied by the group Mainframe with their 1984 12-inch single, "Into Trouble with the Noise of Art".
Credits adapted from Into Battle with the Art of Noise liner notes.[4]
| Peak position | ||
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[5] | 21 |
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