Far From the Maddening Crowds

Chicane | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 17, 1998)
• Original Release Date: February 17, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Edel America
• ASIN: B000005OMZ
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,478 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #12 in Music > Indie Music > Dance & DJ > Trance

Track Listings

1. Early

2. Already There

3. Offshore (Original)

4. Lost You Somewhere

5. From Blue To Green

6. Sunstroke (Disco Citizens)

7. Leaving Town

8. Red Skies

9. Sunstroke (Original)

10. Offshore '97

11. The Drive Home

Editorial Reviews

The British trance star's 1997 debut album is an impressive tour-de-force of contemporary dance styles. The album follows the loose concept of being a soundtrack for an average day. It's appropriately cinematic, offering a variety of moods, tempos & sound --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Music, December 11, 2001

By 

"charlie055" (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Far From the Maddening Crowds (Audio CD)

If you are reading this review, I recommend that you just go ahead and buy the CD (if it is available). You won't regret it.

Of all the CDs I own, in the huge variety of genre I listen to... this is definitely in my top 10 favorites. Chicane is an absolutely amazing musician. He creates an unmatched sound by blending trance and electronic sounds with sort of a euphoric, relaxing vibe. The closest musician I could compare him to is Paul van Dyk. Perhaps the best way to describe the sound of Chicane's music is "ambient trance".

Very few of Chicane's songs have words in them. Amazingly enough though, the sound of each of his songs perfectly fits its title. Chicane has a way of creating a mental picture in the mind of the listener through music. Track 8 on this CD for example is called "Red Skies". While listening to the song you can almost picture a sun setting on the horizon. Chicane is a unique artist who almost paints an environment with sound.

"Far from the Madenning Crowds" opens with a soft ambient sounding track called "Early", which makes a smooth transition into "Already There" - another ambient track with a nice string solo going on. The next track, called "Offshore", is the one that you might say put Chicane on the map. This track, and "Saltwater" (found on his next album called "Behind the Sun") are probably his two most famous songs. Track 6 ("Sunstroke - Disco Citizens remix) is one of my favorite tracks on the CD. Unlike most of the other tracks, it dips into more of a thumping club techno vibe... but only so slighlty as to maintain the overall relaxing sound of the album. The next track is called "Leaving Town". While it has kind of a sad, depressing sound to it, this is still another one of my favorite tracks. "Red Skies" is another beautifully euphoric track. "Sunstroke" follows it. This track is a nice little "happy track"... a woman chanting in the background over light beats and soothing chords from a piano in the foreground. Track 10 holds the remix to "Offshore". While I prefer the original track, this is still a nice one. It's different though in the fact that it is one of Chicane's few songs with vocals. The album ends with "The Drive Home", another one of my favorites.

I believe that almost anyone could appreciate the music of Chicane. My father listens to nothing but classical music, yet was intruiged by the sounds of Chicane one night when he heard me listening to it. Most hardcore ravers I'm sure could appreciate Chicane as well. It's a nice CD to throw on for the ride home at 8am. I often use this CD to fall asleep to. Sometimes when I've had a bad day at work I'll listen to it on the way home to put me in a better mood.

In conclusion, if you can manage to get your hands on this CD, I strongly recommend buying it. You will not be dissapointed.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still far from this maddening planet, August 18, 2003

By 

Eric Gelders (@ Home) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Far From the Maddening Crowds (Audio CD)

I wrote a review on this one in 1999; four yrs. later this album has not lost any of its deepness, tranquility, energy or excelent vibe! It's becoming a trance/ambient classic. By now I listened to Paul van Dyk, BT and Tiesto (similar styles, but less relaxing), but Nick (Bracegirdle) still IS the Master.

If you like 'Behind the sun' as well, try to get your hands on the Chicane live set 'Live at the Palladium 2000' in Cologne, Germany (TranceAddict.com) Not available at CD (searching the net will help, though...), unfortunately. A terrific one hour blend from both albums: So full of energy and emotion, I felt tears the first time I listened to it.

The best relaxing/uplifting remedy I've ever found!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Serendipity on a CD, now possible thanks to Chicane, August 3, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Far From the Maddening Crowds (Audio CD)

I love this album. Anything else I could say about it would be just icing on the cake. So pardon me for a moment while I get the bowl of icing, because this is one cake that deserves it.

When you listen to the radio these days, you hear a lot of music that sounds the same as everything else. Most of it seems to come off an assembly line, lacking originality, creativity, or even a hint of freshness. If that's alright with you, then don't bother with this CD, because ambient house has never sounded so rich, luscious and layered as has the freshman effort from Nick Bracegirdle, better known as Chicane.

If ever a CD has been aptly named, it's this one. The eleven tracks blend seamlessly together, making you feel as if you're being transported away from the maddening crowds of daily life into a more relaxed place.

So far, four of the tracks have been spun off as singles. The first, "Offhsore," appears twice on the CD; once in it's original form and ag! ain in a remix complete with vocals. The second, "Sunstroke," also appears twice; once in a remix by the Disco Citizens (who, it turns out is Barcegirdle's remixing moniker), and again in it's original incarnation as a drum-and-bass type track. Most recently released is "Red Skies," and finally, my favorite single, "Lost You Somewhere." As I understand it, these have all been Circuit Party favorites, getting play primarily with the other "early morning" music.

However, my favoirte track is the last, called "The Drive Home." So well done is this song that when listening to it, you honestly feel the end to the journey of the previous ten tracks, you cna even hear the road under the wheels through the music.

"Far From the Maddening Crowds" is one of those serendipitous finds. If you've never listened to any ambient music before, take a gamble on this CD. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.