Mass Manipulation
{{use mdy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Mass Manipulation
| type = Studio Album
| artist = Rezz
| cover = REZZ - Mass Manpulation.jpg
| border = yes
| alt = Mass Manipulation
| released = August 4, 2017
| recorded = 2016–2017
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = Electronic
| length = 27:38
| label = Mau5trap
| producer = Isabelle Rezazadeh
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Certain Kind of Magic
| next_year = 2018
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Mass Manipulation
| type = Studio Album
| single1 = Relax
| single1date = July 7, 2017
| single2 = Diluted Brains
| single2date = July 14, 2017
| single3 = Premonition
| single3date = July 21, 2017
| single4 = Drugs!
| single4date = July 28, 2017
}}
}}
Mass Manipulation is the debut studio album by Canadian electronic music producer Rezz. It was released on August 4, 2017, through Canadian record label Mau5trap. The album was released with four singles, a music video, and a world tour and gathered generally positive reviews. The album peaked at number 16 on the US Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart on release. In 2018, Mass Manipulation won Electronic Album of the Year at the Juno Awards.
The album plays off of the idea of how heavily people consume through the media, curating how people think and dictating how people are supposed to live and behave. Its style has been described by online critics as inspired by science fiction and as the album's genre as 'industrial bass', 'dark house', and 'alien bass'. To promote the release of the album four singles were each released a week apart and an eponymous comic book was published a month after the release of the album.
Background and release
Rezz said that the inspiration for the album was "the current state of society and how easily some can be manipulated". When asked about her influences, she stated:
{{cquote|"We consume heavily through the media, which, in turn, tries to curate our thoughts and dictate how we as humans are supposed to live and behave. This album plays off this idea and invites people to become hypnotized, allowing their brains to be manipulated by my music in the hope they might see things through a new perspective (perhaps an outer world viewpoint). One where everyone is free from the unrealistic expectations planet earth has drawn for them. A world of acceptance and hypnosis."
| author = Rezz talking about the influences on her production of the album{{cite web|url=https://www.axs.com/uk/rezz-announces-mass-manipulation-world-tour-120791|title=REZZ announces Mass Manipulation world tour|work=AXS|accessdate=17 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817205848/https://www.axs.com/uk/rezz-announces-mass-manipulation-world-tour-120791|archive-date=August 17, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}
}}
To promote Mass Manipulation, the album's four singles were released on the Friday of each week preceding its release.{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/rezz-mau5trap-mass-manipulation-album/|title=The Canadian producer's long-awaited record comes out August 4 on deadmau5's label|last=Iadarola|first=Alexander|date=July 5, 2017|website=Thump (Vice)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817163111/https://thump.vice.com/en_ca/article/xwzdyw/rezz-mau5trap-mass-manipulation-album|archive-date=August 17, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=August 17, 2017|df=mdy-all}} Its lead single, "Relax", was released on July 7, 2017,{{Cite news|url=https://nesthq.com/rezz-relax|title=Rezz Shares The First Track "Relax" Off Her Forthcoming Debut Album 'Mass Manipulation' - NEST HQ|last=Hankins|first=Moll|date=July 7, 2017|work=Nest HQ|access-date=August 19, 2018|language=en-US}} "Diluted Brains" on July 14,{{Cite news|url=https://www.youredm.com/2017/07/13/rezz-releases-second-single-diluted-brains-debut-album/|title=PREMIERE: The 2nd Single From REZZ's Debut Album Is Finally Out|last=Meadow|first=Matthew|date=July 13, 2017|work=Your EDM|access-date=August 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020083348/http://www.youredm.com/2017/07/13/rezz-releases-second-single-diluted-brains-debut-album/|archive-date=October 20, 2017|url-status=live|language=en-US|df=mdy-all}} "Premonition" on July 21,{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/7980815/rezz-premonition-video-mass-manipulation-comic-book|title=REZZ Unveils 60-Page 'Mass Manipulation' Comic Book & Hypnotizing Animated Video For 'Premonition'|last=Bein|first=Kat|date=September 27, 2017|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929232700/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/7980815/rezz-premonition-video-mass-manipulation-comic-book|archive-date=September 29, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}} and "Drugs!" on July 28.{{Cite news|url=https://www.edmtunes.com/2017/07/rezz-x-13-drugs/|title=Rezz x 13 - DRUGS! - EDMTunes|last=Harcourt|first=Ryan|date=July 28, 2017|work=EDMTunes|access-date=August 19, 2018|language=en-US}} On August 4, 2017, the album was released exclusively as a digital download on international digital stores through Mau5trap.{{cite web|url=https://www.edmsauce.com/2017/08/04/rezz-debuts-album-mass-manipulation-mau5trap/|title=An In-Depth Break Down Of Rezz's 'Mass Manipulation'|last=Babaoglu|first=Jim|date=August 4, 2017|website=EDM Sauce|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818004720/https://www.edmsauce.com/2017/08/04/rezz-debuts-album-mass-manipulation-mau5trap/|archive-date=August 18, 2017|url-status=live|accessdate=August 17, 2017|df=mdy-all}}
After the album's official release, Rezz began her Mass Manipulation World Tour on September 2, 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.edmsauce.com/2017/07/11/rezz-manipulation-world-tour-dates/|title=REZZ Announces Mass Manipulation World Tour Dates and Locations|last=Jacobs|first=Stevo|date=July 11, 2017|work=EDM Sauce|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817204217/https://www.edmsauce.com/2017/07/11/rezz-manipulation-world-tour-dates/|archive-date=August 17, 2017|url-status=live|accessdate=August 17, 2017|df=mdy-all}} The tour began in The United States before heading into Asia, heading back into The United States before heading to Europe on November 22, with the tour concluding in Australia on January 4, 2018. It received support from various artists including BlackGummy, Bleep Bloop, Crywolf, Drezo, Dr. Fresch, Electric Mantis, Eprom, Haywyre, K?d, Mad Zach, No Mana, The M Machine, and Zeke Beats.
{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/7857932/rezz-relax-new-song|title=REZZ Hypnotizes on 'Relax,' Announces Star-Studded Mass Manipulation Tour With The M Machine, Crywolf, No Mana, and More|last=Bein|first=Kat|date=July 7, 2017|magazine=Billboard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115125205/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/7857932/rezz-relax-new-song|archive-date=November 15, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=February 24, 2019|df=mdy-all}}
To further promote the album's release, music videos for the first and third singles, "Relax" and "Premonition", were released on July 7 and 21, respectively, through Rezz's YouTube channel.
{{Cite web|url=https://mixmag.net/read/video-premiere-rezzs-haunting-debut-album-single-relax-video-blog|title=Video Premiere: Rezz's haunting debut album single 'Relax'|last=Jow|first=Sydney Megan|date=July 7, 2017|website=Mixmag|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181007185525/https://mixmag.net/read/video-premiere-rezzs-haunting-debut-album-single-relax-video-blog|archive-date=October 7, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=February 24, 2019|df=mdy-all}}
{{Cite news|url=https://www.youredm.com/2017/09/27/rezz-just-unleashed-premonition-music-video-preface-psychedelic-comic-book/|title=Rezz Shows Us What Neptune Is Like In Psychedelic Music Video|last=Powell|first=Karlie|date=September 27, 2017|work=Your EDM|access-date=August 19, 2018|language=en-US}} In September 2017, Rezz unveiled a 60-page comic book with the same name as the album and illustrated by Luis Colindres, who had previously animated the music video for "Premonition" and who had previously designed cover art for Rezz. The comic book follows Rezz as she arrives on Earth from Neptune, hypnotizing the people of Earth with her music.
Critical reception
{{Listen
|pos=right
|filename=Rezz_Relax.mp3
|title=Rezz – "Relax"
|description=Various terms such as 'industrial bass', 'dark house' and 'alien bass' have been used to describe Rezz's subgenre of focus.}}
Mass Manipulation was well received by most critics. Writing for Billboard, Bryan Dellosa described the album as a sickly sci-fi journey and as an aural exploration, writing that there is "an ever-present sense of something sinister, like some monster lurking just on the periphery of your vision."{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/7889929/rezz-mass-manipulation|title=REZZ' 'Mass Manipulation' Is a Sinister World of Sci-Fi Sounds: Listen|last=Bein|first=Kat|date=August 4, 2017|magazine=Billboard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807045517/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/7889929/rezz-mass-manipulation|archive-date=August 7, 2017|url-status=live|accessdate=August 17, 2017|df=mdy-all}} Reid Golden of Noiseporn wrote that Rezz had procured a sound that hadn't been exercised by anyone else, calling Rezz's signature song structure genius and saying that "there's a reason it worked so well for her."{{cite web|url=http://www.noiseprn.com/2017/08/07/rezz-releases-debut-album/|title=REZZ Releases Unholy Beast of a Debut Album, 'Mass Manipulation'|last=Golden|first=Reid|date=August 7, 2017|website=Noiseporn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817162226/http://www.noiseprn.com/2017/08/07/rezz-releases-debut-album/|archive-date=August 17, 2017|url-status=live|accessdate=August 17, 2017|df=mdy-all}} EDM Identity's Tim Goth noted that although many of the tracks sounded similar and none of the tracks stood out, he felt that the album flowed together well and was easy to listen to repeatedly.{{Cite news|url=https://edmidentity.com/2017/08/13/album-review-rezz-mass-manipulation/|title=Album Review {{!}}{{!}} REZZ - Mass Manipulation|last=Goth|first=Tim|date=August 13, 2017|work=EDM Identity|access-date=August 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924105607/https://edmidentity.com/2017/08/13/album-review-rezz-mass-manipulation/|archive-date=September 24, 2017|url-status=live|language=en-US|df=mdy-all}} Writing for We Rave You, Andy Hackbarth praised the album, calling it a "pure masterpiece" and writing that the album exemplifies her "techno and bass blends that few artists can match."
{{Cite web|url=https://weraveyou.com/2017/08/rezz-mass-manipulation/|title=deadmau5's protégé REZZ drops epic debut album "Mass Manipulation" [Full Review]|date=August 5, 2017|website=We Rave You|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911225255/http://weraveyou.com/2017/08/rezz-mass-manipulation/|archive-date=September 11, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=December 23, 2018|df=mdy-all}}
Nest HQ{{'}}s Molly Hankins noted that the album had an overall feeling of "something ominous lurking around every corner", writing that the album had revealed the "full capacity and scope" of Rezz's style.{{Cite news|url=https://nesthq.com/rezz-album-mass-manipulation|title=REZZ's Fantastically Spooky Debut Album 'Mass Manipulation' Is Out Now - NEST HQ|last=Hankins|first=Molly|date=August 4, 2017|work=Nest HQ|access-date=August 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806080513/http://nesthq.com/rezz-album-mass-manipulation|archive-date=August 6, 2017|url-status=live|language=en-US|df=mdy-all}} Will McCarthy of Dancing Astronaut wrote that the album had put forth her "innate, authentic sound with greater strength and clarity than ever before in her career."{{Cite news|url=https://dancingastronaut.com/2017/08/rezz-flouts-convention-asserts-musical-dominance-mass-manipulation-interview-album-review/|title=REZZ flouts convention and asserts her musical dominance in 'Mass Manipulation' [Interview + Album Review] - Dancing Astronaut|last=McCarthy|first=Will|date=August 4, 2017|work=Dancing Astronaut|access-date=August 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208020802/http://dancingastronaut.com/2017/08/rezz-flouts-convention-asserts-musical-dominance-mass-manipulation-interview-album-review/|archive-date=February 8, 2018|url-status=live|language=en-US|df=mdy-all}}
Billboard placed the song "Drugs!" as the 38th best Dance/Electronic Songs of 2017.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/8070603/best-dance-electronic-songs-2017|title=Billboard's 50 Best Dance/Electronic Songs of 2017: Critics' Picks|date=December 15, 2017|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 26, 2019}} Dancing Astronaut listed Rezz's Mass Manipulation Tour as one of the top five electronic music tours of 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://dancingastronaut.com/2017/12/dancing-astronaut-unveils-top-five-tours-2017-1/|title=Dancing Astronaut celebrates the top five tours of 2017|date=December 27, 2017|website=Dancing Astronaut|language=en-US|access-date=February 26, 2019}} On February 7, 2018, The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences announced the nominees for its 46th annual edition of the Juno Awards, among which it, was announced that Mass Manipulation was nominated for "Electronic Album of the Year".
{{Cite web|url=https://dancingastronaut.com/2018/02/nominations-2018-juno-awards/|title=Here are the dance nominations for the 2018 JUNO Awards|last=Fleisher|first=Grace|date=February 7, 2018|website=Dancing Astronaut|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110184317/https://dancingastronaut.com/2018/02/nominations-2018-juno-awards/|archive-date=January 10, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=January 10, 2019|df=mdy-all}}
On March 25, it was announced that Rezz had beat out Blue Hawaii, CRi, Dabin and Kid Koala to win the award.
{{Cite web|url=https://www.youredm.com/2018/03/26/rezz-nabs-her-first-ever-juno-award-for-electronic-album-of-the-year/|title=REZZ Just Won A Huge Award for Best Electronic Album of 2017|last=Yau|first=Jeffrey|date=March 26, 2018|website=Your EDM|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110234826/https://www.youredm.com/2018/03/26/rezz-nabs-her-first-ever-juno-award-for-electronic-album-of-the-year/|archive-date=January 10, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=January 10, 2019|df=mdy-all}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| title1 = Relax
| length1 = 3:34
| title2 = Diluted Brains
| length2 = 4:07
| title3 = Premonition
| note3 = with knodis
| length3 = 4:34
| title4 = Drugs!
| note4 = with 13
| length4 = 3:17
| title5 = Livid
| length5 = 3:12
| title6 = Green Gusher
| length6 = 2:57
| title7 = Synesthesia
| length7 = 3:09
| title8 = Ascension
| note8 = with Kotek
| length8 = 3:28
| total_length= 27:38
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2017)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)
{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rezz|title=Rezz - Chart History|magazine=Billboard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818120742/https://www.billboard.com/music/rezz|archive-date=August 18, 2018|url-status=live|access-date=February 24, 2019|df=mdy-all}} | 16 |
| scope="row"| US Top Heatseekers (Billboard)
| 14 |
| scope="row"| US Independent Albums (Billboard)
| 30 |
Awards
| class="wikitable unsortable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Organization ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Result ! scope="col"| {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| scope="row" rowspan="1"| 2018
| Electronic Album of the Year | {{Won}} {{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2018/03/26/shawn-mendes-and-gord-downie-top-the-2018-juno-award-winners-list/|title=Shawn Mendes And Gord Downie Top The 2018 Juno Award Winners List|last=McIntyre|first=Hugh|date=March 26, 2018|website=Forbes|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190110234923/https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2018/03/26/shawn-mendes-and-gord-downie-top-the-2018-juno-award-winners-list/|archive-date=January 10, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=January 1, 2019|df=mdy-all}} |
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" | |||
| Country | Date | Format | Label
!{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|---|---|---|
| scope="row" rowspan=3| Worldwide
| {{Start date|2017|08|04}} || Digital download || rowspan=3| Mau5trap | |||
| {{Start date|2017|10|07}} | Vinyl | ||
| {{Start date|2017|12|8}} | CD |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Rezz}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Albums produced by Rezz