AZD (album)

AZD (pronounced "Azid") is the fifth studio album by British electronic musician Actress (real name Darren Cunningham). It was released on 14 April 2017 on Ninja Tune Records.[13][14] Upon its announcement, the video for the lead single "X22RME" was released on Ninja Tune's YouTube channel.[15][16] AZD is Actress's fifth album. The preceding album, Ghettoville, had been suspected to have been his last.[17]

AZD
Studio album by Actress
Released	14 April 2017
Genre	Electronic experimental techno
Length	55:15
Label	Ninja Tune
Producer	Darren Cunningham
Actress chronology
Ghettoville (2014) AZD (2017) Karma & Desire (2020)

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.5/10[1]
Metacritic	81/100[2]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
The A.V. Club	A[4]
Financial Times	[5]
The Guardian	[6]
NME	[7]
The Observer	[8]
Pitchfork	7.9/10[9]
Q	[10]
Record Collector	[11]
Resident Advisor	4.2/5[12]

As an artist, Actress has always been considered vague in regards to the intentions behind his actions and albums. Christian Eede of The Quietus writes that while a common theme of Cunningham's albums reportedly experienced by listeners is death and a downbeat vibe, AZD shows Actress in a more humorous and open light.[17]

Cunningham tends to give vague titles to his music works to give his audience a glimpse of what the concept of the pieces are instead of fully revealing his thoughts on his songs.[17]

The album has a central concept of the sound associated with 'chrome'.[18] Chrome can represent futuristic ideals while also conveying coldness which in turn could represent human dissociation. Even with this, AZD is a big change in terms of energy from past albums. Its energy is described and felt as higher, as it is not as gloomy or dark as his others.[17]