Above as Below

Released in 2012, Above as Below is the fifth studio album by the London-based duo Cult With No Name (Erik Stein and Jon Fugler). This record is widely considered their most ambitious and realized work, functioning as a diverse song-cycle that bridges the gap between post-punk electronic experimentation and traditional chanson. The album is notable for its high-profile collaborations, featuring Kelli Ali (Sneaker Pimps), John Ellis (The Stranglers), and members of the seminal avant-garde group Tuxedomoon. Sonically, it moves fluidly between pure synth-pop, trip-hop, and piano-led ballads, all anchored by Stein's distinctive baritone croon. Lyrically, the album is dense and often provocative, touching on themes ranging from the mundane frustrations of bureaucracy to heavy historical subjects like holocaust revisionism. The visual presentation, designed by Jonathan Barnbrook, reinforces the album's status as a high-art artifact. It stands as a pinnacle of the 'post-punk electronic balladeer' style they have spent years refining.