Eric Chapus aka Endorphin blew away the critics with this, his 1998 debut album. Released only a month after he was signed with Sony, Embrace sold well in excess of 15,000 copies, and was a landmark in the field of Australian electronic music. Soon after the release of this album Endorphin was able to secure himself a support spot on the Massive Attack Australian tour.
Embrace includes the track 'Relapse', which lead to him being discovered by Triple J's Unearthed initiative. Relapse incorporates a menagerie of sounds, combining trip-hop beats, piano, and aboriginal sounds to create an ambient feel, and truly unique piece of music. The most popular song on this album would have to be the now internationally recognized 'Satie 1', which was sampled on volume 6 in the series of Cafe del Mar compilations.
Embrace is an album of enchantment, set to an urban beat. It entrances from beginning to end, taking the listener on a magical ride to the nether worlds and back again.
Embrace - Sony, 1998