Those lovely chaps over at Norman Records are set to release the second in the ongoing series of epic45 album vinyl reissues in early January 2013. The 8 track Drakelow gets the reissue treatment this time, with a new remaster specifically for this release. This will come in two different editions – 100 copy run on heavyweight black vinyl and a 300 copy run on heavyweight grey coloured vinyl. Both versions will be housed in a full colour, spined card sleeve which includes photographs taken from a recent revisiting of the area surrounding Drakelow tunnels in Worcestershire, England – the original source of inspiration for this release.
Click here or the cover above to pre-order Drakelow for £9.99 – expected to ship 4th January 2013.
For those unfamilar with this release, here is a brief synopsis by Scott Sinfield, founder of Make Mine Music, written around the time of its original release in 2006.
” Drakelow is the new 26-minute EP by epic45. Written in response to a visit that two of the band undertook to an abandoned underground military complex, the sound captures perfectly the spirit and atmosphere of the surroundings that inspired it. “Drakelow” evokes a dark, brooding menace as deep drones and cavernous reverberations engulf the listener. The music is by turns dense and claustrophobic, nostalgic and full of longing. Best played at night, in the dark, on headphones, the EP is profoundly and deeply affecting. If you’re after musical comparisons, there are certain similarities with the ‘isolationist’ school of ambient or the alien soundscapes of Biosphere and Fennesz. This is not purely mood music, however, as tracks like “English Clock Systems” and “They Cut into the Hill” ably demonstrate, epic45 can weave sublime melodies. What is clear is that epic45 have excelled themselves and pushed their music into new and unexpected territories. These days, too few bands are prepared to take risks. Epic45 are clearly one of those that do, and when such experiments yield results like “Drakelow”, we should be all the more thankful for it.”