Phantom Phorce

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title: "Phantom Phorce" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["super-furry-animals-albums", "2004-remix-albums", "albums-with-cover-art-by-pete-fowler"] topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_Phorce" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox album"]

FieldValue
namePhantom Phorce
typeRemix album
artistSuper Furry Animals
coverPhantom_Phorce_cover.jpg
released19 April 2004
length74:44
79:11 (with commentary)
labelPlacid Casual
prev_titleSlow Life
prev_year2004
next_titleSongbook: The Singles, Vol. 1
next_year2004
::

| name = Phantom Phorce | type = Remix album | artist = Super Furry Animals | cover = Phantom_Phorce_cover.jpg | alt = | released = 19 April 2004 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = | length = 74:44 79:11 (with commentary) | label = Placid Casual | producer = | prev_title = Slow Life | prev_year = 2004 | next_title = Songbook: The Singles, Vol. 1 | next_year = 2004

Phantom Phorce is a remix album of Super Furry Animals' 2003 record Phantom Power. The remixes had previously appeared on the DVD version of Phantom Power—they were re-released as Phantom Phorce on the band's own Placid Casual label as a way of ensuring the remixers would receive royalties for the tracks. The album features a commentary from the fictional 'Kurt Stern' who appears between songs to discuss the re-recording of Phantom Power under his guidance after being unhappy with the original. First editions of the album came packaged in a case that doubled as a paper model of a video game arcade cabinet, and included a bonus CD; the Slow Life EP. Critical reaction to Phantom Phorce was generally positive.

Origins, concept and music

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Super_Furry_Animals_Phantom_Phorce_Arcade_Cabinet.jpg" caption="Initial copies of ''Phantom Phorce'' came in packaging which could be folded into the shape of a [[video game arcade cabinet]]."] ::

Phantom Phorce features remixes previously available on the DVD version of Phantom Power. According to drummer Dafydd Ieuan the band didn't have the money to pay the artists involved for these remixes so, in order to provide them with royalties, promised to release an album featuring the tracks on their own label.

The record features remixes of every track from 2003's Phantom Power presented in sequence, along with extra versions of "Valet Parking" and "Hello Sunshine" which appear at the end of the album. The remixes vary from radical reworkings such as Killa Kella's beatbox treatment of "Golden Retriever" and Wauvenfold's "unrecognisable" version of "Sex, War and Robots", to the likes of Mario Caldato Jr's take on "Liberty Belle" and High Llamas' "Valet Parking" which are merely "spruced up".

The remixes are interspersed with anecdotes from 'Kurt Stern' (actually the band's road manager) who supposedly made the decision to make these remixes after being unhappy with the original Phantom Power. According to bassist Guto Pryce this "running commentary is tongue in cheek, it's our road manager pretending to be a producer, and he ends up sounding like a... twat!" These anecdotes give the actual release a different track listing from that which appears on the back of the album.

Release and reception

|rev1 = Exclaim! |rev1score = (favourable) |rev2 = The Guardian |rev2score = (favourable) |rev3 = musicOMH |rev3score = (favourable) |rev4 = NME |rev4score = (7/10) |rev5 = Pitchfork Media |rev5score = (7.0/10) |rev6 = PopMatters |rev6score = (favourable) |rev7 = Q |rev7score = |rev8 = The Times |rev8score = |rev9 = Uncut |rev9score = |rev10 = Western Mail |rev10score = (4/5)

Initial copies of the album came bundled with the Slow Life EP in packaging which could be folded into the shape of a video game arcade cabinet, or "personal console" as described on the instructions section of the sleeve. The CDs themselves were housed in individual sleeves designed to look like 3.5" floppy disks. Zeth Lundy, reviewing the album for PopMatters, commented that he constructed the arcade cabinet with "sheer geeky delight" while CokeMachineGlow called the packaging "nostalgic but infuriating". Phantom Phorce was also issued on gold-coloured vinyl.

Critical reaction to Phantom Phorce was generally positive with Uncut stating that the album features an "inspired overhaul" of tracks from Phantom Power, Some reviews pointed out that the album compares favourably with other remix albums with The Guardian calling Phantom Phorce "stimulating and often rather beautiful, bucking the trend set by most other self-indulgent and pointless remix albums" and the NME stating that "hearing a rock band get the remix treatment is usually a mildly diverting experience rather than a life-changing one. So it's an extremely pleasant surprise to be faced with a whole album of the buggers ... and be thoroughly entertained." Q stated that the commentary by 'Kurt Stern' was one of the best features of the album and The Times expressed surprise that these "'amusing interludes' between tracks are actually funny", however Pitchfork Media found that 'Stern' "gets in the way more than he helps" and claimed that, by the time the listener had heard the full album he or she would "likely consider redubbing it without ['Stern's'] contributions".

Track listing

| extra_column = Remixer(s) | all_writing = Super Furry Animals | title1 = Hello Sunshine | extra1 = Weevil | length1 = 4:22 | title2 = Liberty Belle | extra2 = Mario Caldato Jr. | length2 = 2:59 | title3 = Golden Retriever | extra3 = Killa Kela | length3 = 2:33 | title4 = Sex, War & Robots | extra4 = Wauvenfold | length4 = 3:23 | title5 = The Piccolo Snare | extra5 = Four Tet | length5 = 7:08 | title6 = Venus & Serena | extra6 = Massimo | length6 = 2:57 | title7 = Father Father | extra7 = Boom Bip | length7 = 4:54 | title8 = Bleed Forever | extra8 = Bravecaptain | length8 = 6:12 | title9 = Out of Control | extra9 = Zan Lyons | length9 = 4:56 | title10 = Cityscape Skybaby | extra10 = Minotaur Shock | length10 = 5:55 | title11 = Valet Parking | extra11 = High Llamas | length11 = 5:06 | title12 = The Undefeated | extra12 = Llwybr Llaethog | length12 = 3:43 | title13 = Slow Life | extra13 = Sir Doufous Styles | length13 = 5:06 | title14 = Valet Parking | extra14 = Force Unknown | length14 = 5:06 | title15 = Hello Sunshine | extra15 = Freiband | length15 = 10:31 | headline = Full track listing, including 'Kurt Stern' commentary | title1 = My name is Kurt Stern... | length1 = 0:32 | title2 = Hello Sunshine | note2 = Weevil remix | length2 = 4:22 | title3 = Liberty Belle | note3 = Mario Caldato Jr. remix | length3 = 2:59 | title4 = Well, the band said that they wanted to be challenged... | length4 = 0:09 | title5 = Golden Retriever | note5 = Killa Kela remix | length5 = 2:33 | title6 = Sex, War & Robots | note6 = Wauvenfold remix | length6 = 3:23 | title7 = It's a lovely little number here... | length7 = 0:17 | title8 = The Piccolo Snare | note8 = Four Tet remix | length8 = 7:08 | title9 = I think the band will have a tough time... | length9 = 0:06 | title10 = Venus & Serena | note10 = Massimo remix | length10 = 2:57 | title11 = I have to smile here... | length11 = 0:22 | title12 = Father Father | note12 = Boom Bip remix | length12 = 4:54 | title13 = Something truly odd... | length13 = 0:20 | title14 = Bleed Forever | note14 = bravecaptain remix | length14 = 6:12 | title15 = Lately a fire brigade of bands... | length15 = 0:44 | title16 = Out of Control | note16 = Zan Lyons remix | length16 = 4:56 | title17 = On such a lovely song as this one... | length17 = 0:24 | title18 = Cityscape Skybaby | note18 = Minotaur Shock remix | length18 = 5:55 | title19 = This is Daf's turn to get a bit loopy... | length19 = 0:24 | title20 = Valet Parking | note20 = High Llamas remix | length20 = 5:06 | title21 = And uh, coming up here you're gonna hear... | length21 = 0:20 | title22 = The Undefeated | note22 = Llwybr Llaethog remix | length22 = 3:43 | title23 = Slow Life | note23 = Sir Doufous Styles remix | length23 = 5:06 | title24 = OK this is rock star time... | length24 = 0:23 | title25 = Valet Parking | note25 = Force Unknown remix | length25 = 5:06 | title26 = This song worked equally well we discovered..." | length26 = 0:14 | title27 = Hello Sunshine | note27 = Freiband remix | length27 = 10:31 | title28 = It's always a battle collaborating with someone else... | length28 = 0:18

Personnel

The following people contributed to Phantom Phorce:

Band

Remixers

Additional musicians

  • Jonathan 'Catfish' Thomas – pedal steel guitar on tracks 4, 13
  • Kris Jenkins – percussion on tracks 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 15
  • Rachel Thomas – backing vocals on tracks 3, 4
  • Gary Alsebrook – trumpet on tracks 6, 7
  • Savio Pacini – trombone on tracks 6, 7
  • Rico Rodriguez – trombone on track 13
  • Eddie Thornton – trumpet on track 13
  • Ray Carless – saxophone on track 13
  • Marcus Holdway – cello on tracks 4, 7, 13, 14
  • Sally Herbert – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
  • Brian G. Wright – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
  • Gill Morley – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
  • Ellen Blair – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
  • Pete Fowler – Kaoss flanges on track 14
  • Neil McFarland – Kaoss flanges on track 14

Artwork

  • Pete Fowler – Illustration & design
  • John Mark James – Illustration & design

References

References

  1. (2004-04-01). "FURRY VISION!". [[NME]].
  2. Foster, Richard. (2005-10-10). "Incendiary interview Super Furry Animals". Incendiary Magazine.
  3. Miller, Derek. (2004-09-20). "Super Furry Animals: Phantom Phorce". [[Pitchfork Media]].
  4. Lundy, Zeth. (2004-07-06). "Phantom Phorce". [[PopMatters]].
  5. Stubbs, Dan. (May 2004). "Phantom Phorce". [[Q (magazine).
  6. (2004-10-20). "SUPER FURRY ANIMALS - PHANTOM PHORCE". [[Uncut (magazine).
  7. Lindsay, Cam. (October 2004). "Review: Super Furry Animals - ''Phantom Phorce''". Ian Danzig.
  8. Lundy, Zeth. (2004-07-06). "Phantom Phorce". [[PopMatters]].
  9. Sinacola, Dom. (2004-10-20). "Phantom Phorce/Slow Life EP". Cokemachineglow.
  10. (c. 2004). "Phantom Phorce". Discogs.
  11. Welsh, David. (2004-04-12). "Super Furry Animals - Phantom Phorce (Placid Casual)". musicOMH.
  12. Rees, Christopher. (2004-04-12). "Super Furry Animals, 'Phantom Phorce' (Placid Casual)". [[Western Mail (Wales).
  13. Empire, Kitty. (2004-04-11). "Super Furry Animals, Phantom Phorce". [[The Guardian]].
  14. Woodhouse, Alan. (2004-04-20). "Super Furry Animals: Phantom Phorce". [[NME]].
  15. Edwards, Mark. (2004-04-11). "Super Furry Animals: Phantom Phorce". [[The Times]].
  16. Yow, Jordie. (September 2004). "September 2004 reviews". [[CITR-FM#Discorder magazine.
  17. R, Dave. (2004-04-18). "Super Furry Animals - Phantom Phorce (Placid Casual)". Angry Ape.

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