China Records releases the Art of Noise album Below The Waste, the group’s final album of new material for a decade. Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens feature on the single “Yebo!” 
This final burst of new music in the 1980s from Art of Noise continues to reinforce the notion that there is no such thing as a typical Art of Noise album. It also makes it real clear that, at least as of ’89, the group’s cohesiveness was no more. Anne Dudley claims the spotlight for herself a number of times on this album with beautiful orchestral interludes that, while they are wonderful to listen to, are not what the Art of Noise is about. Also featured heavily on this album are Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens, a South African vocal group whose singing and chanting liven up a number of tracks, my favorite being “Chain Gang”, a poundingly heavy track of thunder, and the very strange but fun “Yebo!” A good album in the final analysis, but also final proof that you can never judge the Art of Noise by any one of their albums, let alone any one song by itself.
- Dan Dare (5:50)
- Yebo! (6:02)
- Catwalk (5:30)
- Promenade 1 (0:38)
- Dilemma (3:04)
- Island (5:50)
- Chain Gang (3:06)
- Promenade 2 (0:40)
- Back to Back (3:50)
- Flashback (1:50)
- Spit (3:30)
- Robinson Crusoe (3:47)
- James Bond Theme (5:30)
- Finale (2:40)
Released by: China Records
Release date: 1989
Total running time: 52:45
1994 music review by Earl Green