Back catalogue: Progressive Rock

Review: Prolific Pink Floyd record producer and engineer James Guthrie once again has his 2018 remix album for the band's 'Animals' reissued, this time on limited LP wax. A five-piece meditation on Floyd's penchant for animalism, Guthrie's reinterpretation yanks the Orwellian structure and themes of the original album and hurls them back into an electronic prog rock prayer, with many of the new versions impressively breaching 10 minutes. In true Floyd fashion, this is window-closed, record-sleeves-on-the-floor, bong-hitting stuff, but with an extra Guthriean darkness lended to it. Clock the pig oinks littering the mix too.

Review: The Blu-Ray version of the 2018 remix of Pink Floyd's Animals breathes new life into a classic album, addressing previous issues with the original mix and delivering a significantly improved sonic experience. This reimagined version allows the details to emerge more clearly, giving each instrument ample room to shine. For listeners familiar with earlier editions, it's akin to a revelation, as if something previously clogged in their ears has suddenly cleared. While Animals was released during the heyday of punk rock, its sarcastic and ironic social commentary aligns more with punk's ethos than with traditional progressive rock. However, musically, the album remains a pinnacle of Pink Floyd's progressive sound. David Gilmour's guitar work is particularly notable, with standout moments like the mesmerizing solo on 'Dogs.' Compared to Pink Floyd's other iconic albums like The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, Animals holds its own, if not surpassing them in some respects. The album's complexity reveals itself with each listen, rewarding attentive audiences with its intricate compositions and thematic depth.

Region code: ABC (universal)