Over the years Cabaret Voltaire's music continued to evolve, from its experimental, Velvet Underground-inspired beginnings in the mid 1970s to the pop-oriented dance music in the early 1990s. Each consequent phase saw the band pushing the boundaries of its time, proving highly influential for the many electronic artists that followed in its footsteps. The band pioneered many techniques that for years fuelled industrial music and consequent electronic genres such as house and techno. Among these were the cut-up techniques of William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin, using snippets of spoken word (pre-dating sampling), and incorporating experimental video in their live shows (pre-dating VJ-ing).
The band first came to public attention in the late 1970s, during the era of post-punk and industrial music, with their debut album Mix-Up (1979) and the EP Nag Nag Nag with its seminal noise-punk title track. They honed their style with the follow-up albums Voice of America (1980) and Red Mecca (1981).
The early 1980s was an important transitional phase for the band, as it shifted towards more structured dance music. In late 1981, halfway during the recording of the album 2X45 (released in 1982), Watson left the group, which continued as a duo until their (de facto) disbandment in 1994.
In 1983, with the album The Crackdown, the Cabs switched labels from Rough Trade to Virgin and started using increasingly more digital technology. A prime example is their industrial funk dance floor hit Sensoria from 1984, which got picked up by MTV and saw the band starting to infiltrate the mainstream.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s Cabaret Voltaire continued their trajectory towards dance pop incorporating house and techno styles, with many tracks like Easy Life and later Colours fusing hooks with all the excitement of the then burgeoning rave scene in the UK.
By 1994, on the duo's last album The Conversation, Mallinder's input had become insignificant and he left the band after its release. From then on until his death in 2021, Kirk had sole legal ownership of the Cabaret Voltaire name. His view was that, as Watson and Mallinder had both left the band, he was left to carry it on. He used the name for remix projects of Kora and The Tivoli in 2010, and for the albums Shadow Of Fear (2020), Dekadrone (2021) and BN9Drone (2021).
Kirk had a staggering amount of solo outings under various names. His Sweet Exorcist collaboration with DJ Parrot opened the doors for Warp Records in their "bleep" days, was the harbinger for the sonic experimentation of Aphex Twin, Autechre, The Black Dog, and more. Other solo projects of Kirk were Sandoz, Biochemical Dread, Bit Crackle, Blacworld, Chemical Agent, Cold Warrior and Dark Magus, to name but a few.
Mallinder has since been involved in various projects, such as Ku-Ling Bros., Sassi & Loco, Hey, Rube! and most recently Wrangler.
As well as working on his own aural experiments, Watson now works as a critically-acclaimed sound recordist, developing some innovative techniques for Natural History radio and TV, such as the BBC's Galapagos series in 2006.
Sensoria
Cabaret Voltaire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Visions coming, one, two, three.
Trickle up, trickle down.
Wearily, we come unwound.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
In hard times, hard thrills.
Reaching for the chosen pills.
Tell you that you're deep in sin.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
In hard times, hard thrills.
Reaching for the chosen pills.
Dragnets will pull you in.
Tell you that you're deep in sin.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
Once you were a lonely playboy.
Heading for a simple joy.
Trickles up, trickles down.
Frankly, I don't give a damn.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
In hard times, hard thrills.
Reaching for the chosen pills.
Dragnets will pull you in.
Tell you that you're deep in sin.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
Her new father, where and when?
Reaching for a giddy end.
Like a girl on a rainy day.
Have the needs to keep it sane.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
Senses reaching fever pitch.
Reaching for a giddy end.
Like a girl on a rainy day.
Have the needs to keep it sane.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
His head is not his memory.
Visions coming, one, two, three.
Trickle up, trickle down.
Wearily, we come unwound.
In hard times, hard thrills.
Reaching for the chosen pills.
Dragnets will pull you in.
Tell you that you're deep in sin.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
Have the needs to keep them sane.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
The lyrics of Cabaret Voltaire's Sensoria could be interpreted in several ways, depending on the listener's perspective. One possible interpretation is that the song talks about the overwhelming sensory input we receive in modern life, which can sometimes lead us to self-destructive behavior. The first few lines suggest that his head is not his memory, which could mean that the singer is overwhelmed by the many stimuli he receives and cannot process them effectively. The repeated line "sensoria" could be seen as a reference to the sensory overload that is being experienced.
The following lines mention "hard times, hard thrills," suggesting that the person is looking for excitement and stimulation to distract themselves from the challenges of life. However, this search for thrills leads them to "chosen pills," which could be interpreted as a reference to drug use or addiction. The line "dragnets will pull you in" suggests that this behavior can lead to being caught up in the legal system, further complicating the person's life.
The final stanza introduces a new character, a "new father" who is reaching for a "giddy end." It is unclear who this person is or how they are related to the singer, but the line "like a girl on a rainy day" suggests that they are searching for something to alleviate their boredom or loneliness. Overall, the song seems to be a commentary on the excesses and distractions of modern life, and how they can lead us astray if we are not careful.
Line by Line Meaning
His head is not his memory.
The singer's identity has been separated from his recollections.
Visions coming, one, two, three.
Hallucinations are arriving in a sequence.
Trickle up, trickle down.
Changes happen through progressive steps.
Wearily, we come unwound.
Exhaustion leads to disintegration.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
The feeling of being overwhelmed and overstimulated.
In hard times, hard thrills.
Difficult situations lead to seeking out extreme experiences.
Reaching for the chosen pills.
A desire to escape using drugs.
Dragnets will pull you in.
The authorities will ensnare you.
Tell you that you're deep in sin.
They'll accuse you of wrongdoing.
Once you were a lonely playboy.
The artist used to be a social outcast.
Heading for a simple joy.
They were looking for basic pleasures in life.
Frankly, I don't give a damn.
I don't care anymore.
Her new father, where and when?
The singer is questioning their origins.
Like a girl on a rainy day.
Feeling vulnerable and exposed.
Have the needs to keep it sane.
People require stability to maintain their mental health.
Senses reaching fever pitch.
The sensations are becoming more intense.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
The overwhelming and overstimulating feeling intensifies.
Have the needs to keep them sane.
Stability is once again a necessity.
Sensoria, sensoria, sensoria, sensoria.
The overwhelming and overstimulating feeling remains.
Lyrics © Mute Song Limited
Written by: RICHARD HAROLD KIRK, STEPHEN WILLIAM MALLINDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Hobley II
😮 WOW 😮!
Haven’t heard that in probably over a decade,still sounding as groundbreaking as it did when it originally came out(in the 80s,innit)?
Not only is it industrial,it’s also proto hip-hop as well,since most electronic outfits didn’t get credit as being hip-hop pioneers as well:
KRAFTWERK
EINSTURZENDE NEUBATEN
GARY NUMAN
YMO
RESIDENTS
MINISTRY
ETC.,ETC.,ETC.
RIDE-ON
ROCK-ON
RIGHT-ON
HEAD-ON
\m/
dunixgutriechen
I am 42 years now ! That was (still is) absolutely my music !!! Go Cab`s....Cabs are fab`s !!!
dunixgutriechen
@Michael Paul 53
Michael Paul
Now you are 52
bury the elite
R.I.P. Richard H. Kirk. Thankyou to you & Stephen Mallinder (who BTW, moved to Perth, Western Australia in 1995) for all the brilliant tunes. There never has been, and never will be, another band like Cabaret Voltaire...
Velanche Stewart
I first saw this video on "Goodnight, L.A.," a late Friday/early Saturday video show from KABC in Los Angeles back in the 1980s. I swear that it aired the best of the most wickedly bizarre videos just like this one. It was better than MTV, and dare I say better than even "120 Minutes." The song, and this video, really holds up all these years later. Thanks for posting it!
alphaville99
I agree ....still on my iPod playlist
11orbs
Industrial is an amazing genre in all of its forms, whether it be this, NIN, Throbbing Gristle, or Combichrist. Just appreciate the music.
NoelArtMedia
Its easy to see why this video is in The Museum of Modern Art. The editing is incredible. Cabaret Voltaire & director Peter Care were a match made in heaven.
Nick Seward
@andrei tarkovsky try doing it in 1984 before your phone in drone tech was even a thought!
andrei tarkovsky
dolly shot? could be done with a drone today?