Beams (The Presets album)

Beams is the debut studio album by Australian electronic dance music duo The Presets, released in September 2005 by record label Modular.

Beams
Studio album by The Presets
Released	12 September 2005 (2005-09-12)
Genre	Dance[1]
Length	43:18
Label	Modular
The Presets chronology
Girl and the Sea (2004) Beams (2005) Apocalypso (2008)
Singles from Beams
"Are You the One?" Released: 24 October 2005 "Down Down Down" Released: 8 May 2006 "I Go Hard, I Go Home" Released: 6 November 2006

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Pitchfork	3.7/10[2]
PopMatters	7/10[3]
Rolling Stone	[4]

The album received mixed to positive reviews. AllMusic called the album an "uneasy yet unforgettable combination of '80s gaudy pop flair and dark, propulsive rave beats".[1] Pitchfork, on the other hand, gave it a low 3.7/10 rating, writing "the most frustrating thing about Beams is that Moyes and Hamilton both know better".[2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes, unless otherwise noted.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Steamworks"		4:36
2.	"Are You the One?"		3:24
3.	"Down Down Down"		3:17
4.	"Girl and the Sea"	Samuel Dixon, Hamilton, Moyes	4:46
5.	"Black Background"		1:39
6.	"Worms"		4:00
7.	"Kitty in the Middle"		2:42
8.	"Hill Stuck"		1:47
9.	"Girl (You Chew My Mind Up)"		3:52
10.	"I Go Hard, I Go Home"		5:04
11.	"Bad Up Your Betterness"	Hamilton, Daniel Johns, Moyes	4:11
12.	"Beams"	Hamilton, Daniel Johns, Moyes	3:42

Beams – iTunes release[5]

No.	Title	Length
13.	"Kitty in the Middle (Kitty Said)"	5:43
14.	"I Go Hard, I Go Home" (DJ Hell Remix)	9:11

Beams – 2 × 12" 45 RPM Vinyl release[6]

Side A

No.	Title	Length
1.	"I Go Hard, I Go Home"	5:04
2.	"Kitty In The Middle" (Trombone – Phil Stucky)	2:42

Side B

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Are You the One?"	3:24
2.	"Down Down Down"	3:17

Side C

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Girl and the Sea" (Bass, Guitar – Samuel Dixon, Vocals – Kendal Cuneo)	Samuel Dixon, Hamilton, Moyes	4:46
2.	"Black Background"		1:39

Side D

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Steamworks"		4:36
2.	"Bad Up Your Betterness"	Hamilton, Daniel Johns, Moyes	4:11

Charts

Chart (2008)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)	55[7]

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[8]	Gold	35,000^^
^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Personnel

The Presets

• Julian Hamilton – vocals, keyboards, mixing
• Kim Moyes – drums, keyboards, mixing

Additional musicians

• Felix Bloxsom – drums (tracks 1, 2, 4, 11)
• Phil Stucky – Trombone (tracks 2, 8, 12)
• Sam Dixon – bass & guitar (track 4)
• Kendal Cuneo – girl vocals (track 4)
• Veronique Serret – violin (track 12)
• Matthew Watson – violin (track 12)
• Zoe White – viola (track 12)
• Leah Zweck – viola (track 12)
• Rachael Maio – cello (track 12)
• Daniel Johns – acoustic guitar (track 12)
• Warwick Payne – guitar (track 12)

Technical

• ¥ Benjamin ~ DePriest
• Scott Horscroft – mixing
• Emerson Todd – mixing
• Mike Marsh – mastering
• Lyn Balzer – photography
• Anthony Perkins – photography
• Jonathan Zawada – art direction

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalogue
Australia	12 September 2005	Modular	CD, digital download	MODCD034

References

1. Leijon, Erik. "Beams – The Presets | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
2. Marc Hogan (20 June 2006). "The Presets: Beams". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 November 2011.
3. Dan Raper (17 April 2006). "The Presets: Beams". PopMatters. Retrieved 22 November 2011.
4. "[Beams review]". Rolling Stone.
5. "Beams". iTunes Store (Australia). Apple Inc. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
6. "Beams". Discogs. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
7. "The ARIA Report — Issue #946" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. 14 April 2008. p. 5. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
8. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 1 May 2015.

External links

• Beams at Discogs (list of releases)