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What Happened
Studio album by Emeralds
Released	January 19, 2009
Recorded	2007–2008
Studio	Home studio
Length	57:20
Label	No Fun Productions Editions Mego (2010 reissue)
Emeralds chronology
Solar Bridge (2008) What Happened (2009) The Overlook (2009)

What Happened is a studio album by the American drone trio Emeralds. The album was released through No Fun Productions on January 19, 2009.

Recording and music

The album's tracks were recorded between 2007 and 2008. All tracks were recorded in Cleveland, Ohio, except for "Up in the Air", which was recorded in Delaware, Ohio.

Critics have described the album as drone and harsh ambient, with influence from krautrock, electroacoustic music, and minimalism. The album uses a sounds rooted in electronic music of the 1970s and 80s. There is a focus on melody instead of excessive experimentation.

Release

The album was released as a limited edition CD via No Fun Productions on January 19, 2009. In October 2010, it was reissued by Editions Mego as a double LP record, due to the success of 2010's Does It Look Like I'm Here?.

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
PopMatters	7 / 10
Tiny Mix Tapes

The album was given an honorable mention by Pitchfork for its list of "The Top 50 Albums of 2009". Writing for the site, Philip Sherburne said the album sounded like "nothing else" with a "sound that's always in motion and impossible to pin down". Jspicer of Tiny Mix Tapes gave a favorable review, praising the album's composition and the band's "desire for a new direction".

Track listing

1. "Alive in the Sea of Information" – 8:01
2. "Damaged Kids" – 15:01
3. "Up in the Air" – 04:02
4. "Living Room" – 16:43
5. "Disappearing Ink" – 13:31

Personnel

Adapted from the album's liner notes, which do not list specific instruments.

• Mark McGuire – music
• John Elliot – music
• Steve Hauschildt – music
• Emeralds – artwork
• James Plotkin – mastering

References

1. ^ "What Happened, by Emeralds". Bandcamp (liner notes). Retrieved December 25, 2024.
2. ^ Pitchfork staff (December 16, 2009). "Albums of the Year: Honorable Mention". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
3. ^ Jspicer. "Music Review: Emeralds - What Happened". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
4. ^ Hughes, Josiah (September 28, 2010). "Emeralds' What Happened Gets Vinyl Reissue via Editions Mego". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
5. ^ Couture, François. "What Happened - Emeralds". AllMusic. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
6. Carson, Craig (April 20, 2009). "Emeralds: What Happened". PopMatters. Retrieved December 25, 2024.

• Ambient albums by American artists
• 2009 albums
• Drone music albums by American artists