"Operation Blade (Bass in the Place)" (also titled "Operation Blade (Bass in the Place London)") is a hard techno song by Scottish electronic group Public Domain, written and produced by the group's three members: Mark Sherry, Alistair MacIsaac, and James Allan. It samples the remix of New Order's song "Confusion" by Pump Panel, which was featured in the 1998 superherohorror filmBlade, the source of the track's title.[2] "Operation Blade" is also based on the theme to the 1982 science-fiction filmBlade Runner.[3][4]
The song was released on 20 November 2000 as Public Domain's debut single. On 26 November, it debuted at number five on the UK Singles Chart and stayed at that position for another week. Throughout December 2000 and early 2001, the track charted in at least 10 other countries, peaking within the top 10 in Australia, Austria, Germany, and Norway. It was also critically successful, with British publication NME calling it "hardcore brilliance". In April 2001, it was included on Public Domain's only studio album, Hard Hop Superstars.[5]
Critical reception
British music journalism website NME called "Operation Blade" a "gleefully manic song" and described it as "no-frills hardcore brilliance".[6] Matthias Völlm of Swiss CHR radio station Radio 105 called the song "good" but doubted its airplay potential.[2]
^Operation Blade (Bass in the Place...) (UK CD single liner notes). Public Domain. Xtrahard. 2000. X2H1CDS.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Operation Blade (Bass in the Place London...) (European CD single liner notes). Public Domain. Xtrahard. 2001. XTR 670670.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Operation Blade (Bass in the Place London...) (Australian maxi-CD single liner notes). Public Domain. Xtrahard, Xtravaganza. 2001. 670670.2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Operation Blade (Bass in the Place...) (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Public Domain. Xtrahard. 2000. X2H112.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Operation Blade (Bass in the Place...) (UK cassette single sleeve). Public Domain. Xtrahard. 2000. X2H1CS.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Operation Blade 2006 (Bass in the Place London) (UK 12-inch single vinyl disc). Public Domain. Xtrahard. 2005. BLADE2006.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)