Earthling showcases an electronicainfluenced sound partly inspired by the industrial and drum and bass culture in the UK of the 1990s
Poor old Earthling. Bowie’s 20th studio album has long been the butt of easy jokes and cynical sneers, even from some fans. Too straightforward for fans of 1. Outside’s oblique charms, too dancey for fans who wanted a return to guitar rock, Bowie’s drum ‘n’ bass album has never quite had the respect it deserves.
All of which is a shame, because Earthling is actually ace. Not a classic, perhaps, but still a good album with strong songs and the appealing sense that Bowie himself is having a whale of a time. After the morbid ingenuities of 1. Outside, it feels, in many ways, like a back-to-basics album, knocked out quickly to show off the band. At the same time, it’s not a step backwards - the sonic palette here is, if anything, even more adventurous than that of 1. Outside’s.