Spyder’s Vinyl Showcase (With Added Toe)

[SpyderTracks]

A nice cheezy one for the collection.

Armada Music - Trance Legacy

Quite a playlist, but all radio edits, doesn't matter to me though, they are all classics and a lot of them near impossible to find on vinyl at a decent price.

It'll do, Pig, it'll do.

 

[SpyderTracks]

A really important one today. This was a present from my family, bless them for aiding my habit!

For me this is a really historically relevant collection. It's another Anthology boxset by Vinyl Me Please, I'm really getting sucked in to what they're doing. Amazing quality, but it's the genre's and collections that they concentrate on which really appeal to me. Limited to 1000 copies and numbered

The Story of Zamrock 2nd Edition

Told through 8 rare Zambian garage rock albums — curated by Now-Again Records, Strawberry Rain Music and VMP.

www.vinylmeplease.com

They actually did a mini documentary on how they created this collection here:

This is 8 of the most important releases from the Zambian Rock scene (Zamrock) of between around 1972 and 1978. They were a British colony, and heavily influenced at the time by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Cream for example. They got heavily into the scene although while retaining some african sounds like beats and recorded some incredible albums. Unfortunately due to hostile regime changes, most of these master tapes were burnt or destroyed.

This project has sourced most of these incredibly rare items from very good quality records (which now sell for thousands) and remastered onto this collection.

It's hard not to be a little gooey eyed with releases like this!

 

[SpyderTracks]

Really cool one today.

This is an Acoustic Sounds series pressing of Ella and Louis, in original Mono.

Supposed to sound amazing and good value too

Can't wait. I adore these two together

 

[SpyderTracks]

Another special one arrived from Germany.

This is referred to as the 3 Blind Mice Boxset, just redone by the Impex record label who are top notch.

It's Japanese Jazz and supposed to be quite superb, not my usual thing but I'm on a wonderful voyage of discovery atm

 

[SpyderTracks]

And another special one arrived which I wasn't expecting for another few days

Analogue Productions UHQR - Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

 

[SpyderTracks]

Another special one arrived from Germany.

This is referred to as the 3 Blind Mice Boxset, just redone by the Impex record label who are top notch.

It's Japanese Jazz and supposed to be quite superb, not my usual thing but I'm on a wonderful voyage of discovery atm

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Just played all 3 through. Wow! Very very cool, aside from an incredible pressing and mastering, some absolutely wonderful playing as well.

The last song on the 3rd record is "Angel Eyes" which was sung by Sting on the "Leaving Las Vegas" Soundtrack, one of the tracks that started me on my journey with loungeroom.

Such a beautiful track.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Paul Oakenfold - Shine On

 

[Tron1982]

oh, i know this one.
I remember the time i needed to found the song from the car chase one the first bourne movie

 

[SpyderTracks]

This one's quite cool, the old Lustral - Everytime from 1997
The Nalin & Kane and Red Jerry remixes, and a new D&B mix by Electron-C

 

[AgentCooper]

A really important one today. This was a present from my family, bless them for aiding my habit!

For me this is a really historically relevant collection. It's another Anthology boxset by Vinyl Me Please, I'm really getting sucked in to what they're doing. Amazing quality, but it's the genre's and collections that they concentrate on which really appeal to me. Limited to 1000 copies and numbered

The Story of Zamrock 2nd Edition

Told through 8 rare Zambian garage rock albums — curated by Now-Again Records, Strawberry Rain Music and VMP.

www.vinylmeplease.com

They actually did a mini documentary on how they created this collection here:

This is 8 of the most important releases from the Zambian Rock scene (Zamrock) of between around 1972 and 1978. They were a British colony, and heavily influenced at the time by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Cream for example. They got heavily into the scene although while retaining some african sounds like beats and recorded some incredible albums. Unfortunately due to hostile regime changes, most of these master tapes were burnt or destroyed.

This project has sourced most of these incredibly rare items from very good quality records (which now sell for thousands) and remastered onto this collection.

It's hard not to be a little gooey eyed with releases like this!

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I’ve only just caught up with thread and I’ve got to say WOW to this one. I love Zamrock, was introduced to it a few years ago and it became a bit of an obsession for a while. Colour me jealous, I am green with envy!

 

[SpyderTracks]

I’ve only just caught up with thread and I’ve got to say WOW to this one. I love Zamrock, was introduced to it a few years ago and it became a bit of an obsession for a while. Colour me jealous, I am green with envy!

It's a new one on me, but very clear where the influences came from and really cool stuff.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto - Insen

This is the second of 5 in the virus series quite unusual mix of electronica and grand piano. Was released a couple of weeks ago in Germany, but for some reason quite a big delay getting to UK

 

[SpyderTracks]

And another special one arrived which I wasn't expecting for another few days

Analogue Productions UHQR - Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

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I'm just playing this through for the second time.

It's quite frankly one of the most incredible records in my collection with regards to sound quality.

This was pressed by Analogue Productions, the owner of which is Chad Kassem. Chad is a complete perfectionist, and he actually bought all their production equipment from an older pressing company called "Classic Records" who were the cream of the crop for audiophile high grade pressings up until they closed around 2010.

Chad has really taken up the mantle and is really continuing Classic Records ethos beyond. He's a great guy, very transparent and incredibly passionate about music.

The original was actually recorded slow by 1 1/2% on side A, so there are no copies that use that original mastering that are correct speed and tone. To add insult, the original mastertapes were actually lost, possibly even recorded over, no ones sure. They had a backup 3 track master which is what was used on this.

Classic Records repressed this album around 1995, this record features the speed corrected version of side 1), produced from the original 3 track tape mixed “live” to two tracks, it was cut "live" so skipped a step where generational loss would normally occur. It was mastered by Bernie Grundman who is certainly one of the top 3 mastering engineers in the world

Chad acquired these same metals when he bought Classic Records kit and that's what he used to cut this record. The benefit that the UHQR presses have is the kind of vinyl material used, totally decarbonised which Chad claims reduces static charge, and therefor makes a far quieter background. I have 2 UHQR's and would agree with him, they're superb copies. They also state that the hand cutter used (which chad also bought off classic) was of far higher quality than the original and has contributed to the final sound being better than the Classic Records copies.

The general consensus is that this copy beats the original as it was cut live (plus to get a good original is going to cost you thousands of pounds these days), and every other copy including the Mobile Fidelity 45rpm (which was not pressed from these metals, and they artificially bumped the bass to the point is sounds boomey by a lot of estimations). But be aware that a portion of the early numbers in this edition (up to around 1200 out of 25,000) had flaws, a lot of static and pops and clicks. I think most of these were sent back to Acoustic Sounds for replacement and I doubt are still in the wild.

The argument is that there is not going to be another high quality pressing of this FROM ALL ANALOGUE ORIGINAL MASTERS. According to Mike Fremer, the original 3 track master tapes for this session have deteriorated beyond repair. These metals that Chad has used are now also 30 years old, and have been used a few times, they're probably ready for retirement also.

Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" Monophonic Reissue From Sony/Legacy: An Analog Planet Exclusive!

Over the past few Record Store Days Sony/Legacy has slowly been rolling out on 180g vinyl much of the Miles Davis catalog, mastered from original analog tapes. This coming Record Store Day, November 29th, the label will release on vinyl Miles and Monk at Newport, Jazz Track and Kind of Blue. At...

www.analogplanet.com

It's quite possible this is the best you'll ever hear this album (as an analogue recording, mastering and pressing), and it is quite incredible. As we progress, as original masters are more made from digital masters, it's always these pre 90's copies that are always going to be the truest version will be sourced from Analogue masters and through an analogue mastering and pressing chain.

I would say for any fan, just get a copy, totally ignore the price, have a look on discogs and see what other copies are going for these days, the Classic Records, Mofi 45rpm and the original.

They've sold out direct from Acoustic Sounds (the shop front of Analogue Productions) but you can find UK stockists with new copies still, although they are starting to become a little difficult to find at reasonable costs.

But if you can, and if it's worth it for your tastes, I really would get one sooner rather than later. It's quite an amazing copy of one of the best selling albums of all time by one of the most amazing Jazz artists of all time.

If you want, Discogs you can get a copy from USA for around £160 including shipping, but be aware, you may have to pay import charges on top of that. There are still some good stores in the UK selling them, the place I got mine is Brook Audio (no affiliation) and they still have a few copies at around £165 without shipping

Miles Davis – Kind of Blue UHQR – Analogue Productions 45 RPM Vinyl Box Set – Brook Audio

But at some point, all these 100% Analogue mastertapes are going to degrade to the point where they're no longer viable (even if they're never used) which is what has happened here, the original 3 track masters are no longer around, disintegrated to dust according to Mike Fremer. At that point, any copy made will be a detraction from the master, so we'll never again get as good a copy as have been able to with the original masters.

I think at some point, digital restoration for audio which is currently incredibly difficult for the technology we currently have is just not viable, but perhaps in the not so distant future, that will become more of a reality. But these all analogue copies I think will become the holy grail of any collector.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Heavenly Remixes 1

This is a lovely EP of remixes off the heavenly label who were big in the 90s and signed people like St Etienne, Manic Street Preachers and Beth Orton.

They've done a series of 4 of these.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Heavenly Remixes 1

This is a lovely EP of remixes off the heavenly label who were big in the 90s and signed people like St Etienne, Manic Street Preachers and Beth Orton.

They've done a series of 4 of these.

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Oh, and so so worth it just for this tune alone, what an absolute screamer! It's a real builder that comes together near the end.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Olan - Contra

New artist on the Anjunadeep label, really nice stuff, quite eclectic, some old acid breaks and beats mixed in. Loving it.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Oooooo, PlayDay is upon us

For today's offerings we have:

Kruder & Dorfmeister - The K&D Sessions 20TH Anniversary 5 disc boxset

Really excited for this, this was a staple back in the day, and apparently the quality of this set is incredible.

And then Michael Jacksons - 2016 Reissue of Off The Wall

Obviously hugely important album, I was looking at originals, but they're rising in price pretty rapidly, that's when I realised this was the latest reissue done and the one before that was 2009 and then 1993!!!, and this one is sold out on a lot of stores now. It's supposed to be an excellent reissue. I just assumed this would have had loads of reissues over the years.

But most people consider this his most important work, yes, over Thriller which was more commercially popular. This was also Quincy Jones first production partnership with MJ and what sent him into the stratosphere.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Another couple through from left top round to the right.

Was Not Was - Papa Was A Rolling Stone NM off discogs

Bill Evans - Trip '64 2021 Acoustic Sounds Series
Really looking forward to this, source by an amazing discogger

Armin Van Buuren - A State Of Trance Forever just released.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Another just arrived

Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto – Revep

The third in the Virus series

 

[SpyderTracks]

Some amazing records just through

Left to right

The Doors - Strange Days
This is the 2012 Analogue Productions 45rpm which is supposed to be very good, can't believe I managed to find one still sealed (from Analogue Seduction who sold me my amp!)

Various Artists - Legrand Jazz
This is the 2019 Impex 45rpm Limited to 3000 and individually numbered.
The more Impex records I pick up the more I'm realising they are amongst the top labels in the world, always stellar pressings and packaging.