Length 57:13 Release date 12 August 2003 Genre Electronica | Producer Terry Hall
Mushtaq Label Honest Jon's | |
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Released 12 August 2003 (2003-08-12) Artists Terry Hall, Mushtaq Omar Uddin Similar Terry Hall albums, Other albums | ||
The Hour of Two Lights is a one-off collaborative album between British solo-artist Terry Hall - formerly of the 2 Tone and ska revival band The Specials - with Mushtaq a member of British-based multi-ethnic hip-hop–ethno-techno–world fusion music group Fun-Da-Mental.
Contents
Composition and release
The album was written and produced by the duo, with the exception of "Ten Eleven" which was written with Oujdi and Hall's regular collaborator and label-boss of Honest Jon's; Damon Albarn. Receiving good reviews the album was released on CD and double-LP by Albarn's Honest Jon's label in Europe (distributed by EMI) and the US (distributed by Astralwerks) in August 2003.
To date it is Hall's most recent release of new material, having since rejoined The Specials as a regular member for live performances.
Critical response
Robin Denselow of The Guardian rated it 4/5 and said of The Hour of Two Lights, "Two of the pioneers of multicultural British pop are back with a daring, thoughtful set..." Ollie Davies of BBC Music said, "It's a political and musical recording of racial minorities and cultures by two of today's pioneers of modern popular music." Sean Westergaard of AllMusic rated One and One Is One 3/5 and thought "Terry Hall took quite a chance on this one, doing something unlike anything in his catalog and pulling it off without a hitch. Well done."
Jeff Brown of CMJ New Music Monthly called it "...a fantastic mélange of East and West, traditional and modernmusic." Uncut rated it 4/5 and called it "...a fantastic record of banging global grooves..." PopMatters of Will Harris thought "The Hour of Two Lights can expand one's musical horizons considerably."
Track listing
All lyrics written by Terry Hall and Mushtaq except where indicated; all music composed by Terry Hall and Mushtaq except where indicated.
Songs
1Grow5:07
2A Gathering Storm4:24
3Ten Eleven5:14