Anthony Phillips - 1984 (1981) [ADVD 2016] (FLAC Stereo 24bit/48kHz)

Esoteric Recordings are proud to announce the release of a newly re-mixed and expanded edition of the classic instrumental album by GENESIS founder member Anthony Phillips, "1984". Released in 1981, the album was a radical departure from the more pastoral feel of Anthony's previous solo work, and saw him experiment with synthesisers to an extent he'd previously never done before, resulting in a keyboard dominated album. At the time of release, the album divided opinions among some Anthony Phillips fans, but the passage of time has seen the album re-evaluated and it is now held in high esteem by fans, critics and musicians, all of whom concur that “1984” now stands as a ground-breaking and influential work.

The problem with George Orwell's 1984 is that too many people want to stick their own oar into it. When David Bowie mooted transforming the novel into a musical in 1974, Orwell's widow Sonia Orwell famously asked, "Why would anyone want to set that to music?" – and Bowie ultimately agreed with her, rewiring his initial concept as the Diamond Dogs album, and emerging all the stronger for it.
Since then, other artists have been less sensitive. Rick Wakeman and the Eurythmics both famously made pig's breakfasts of the original concept, and one approaches Anthony Phillips' stab at the tale with understandable trepidation – an emotion that only renders the overall experience all the more thrilling. Musically, it is true, 1984 is very much a child of its sonic era, as the then-latest in keyboard technology trills and flourishes around Phillips' characteristic eye for experiment and esoterics. But a predominantly instrumental concept leaves little room for the embarrassing lyrical passages that other Orwellian overtures are prey to – indeed, without the giveaway title, little here even acknowledges any debt whatsoever to the erstwhile Eric Blair, allowing 1984 to stand instead as simply another excellent Anthony Phillips album, no more or less conceptual than any of its predecessors.

Tracklist:

01 - Prelude '84
02 - 1984 Part One
03 - 1984 Part Two
04 - Anthem 1984

Produced and Engineered by Anthony Phillips.
Re-Mixed by Andy Miles & Simon Heyworth.


Thanks to the Original customer!