Publication: Sunday Age [UK]
Date: December 1, 1996
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Title: Sunday Age Review
Reviewed By: Brian Courts

3 1/2 // 4 (3 and one half out of four)

The Artist Formerly Known as Prince continues to occupy a unique pedestal in modern pop. 'Emancipation', his confident joyfully bitter-sweet and irreverent three-CD set, is an extraordinary example of what makes his music so valuable. It crosses all the conventional borders of funky dance, rap, techno, and rock, producing a sound that defies categorising and yet is always instantly recognisable. In its totality 'Emancipation' is close to overpowering, but pick at the gems and you uncover the genius. It's passionate, risk-taking and big on musical theatrics. The Artist bounces to falsetto and then down, his vocal tricks taking in street-sour jive one moment and romantic teasing the next. This generous collection, which celebrates his new recording deal as much as anything, holds 36 tracks, among then a catchy new single 'Betcha By Golly Wow!', the actually listenable rap number 'Da, Da, Da' and, for me, two irresistible, must-play-again tracks, 'White Mansion' and 'La, La, La Means I Love U'. As with so much of Prince's early work, this is one you will keep coming back to.