Record label 4AD is following up their repressing from last year of the Cocteau Twins’ albums Blue Bell Knoll and Heaven or Las Vegas. On July 17th, they are releasing the combined vinyl of the EPs of Tiny Dynamine / Echoes In A Shallow Bay and the long sought after and of print early-80s compilation, The Pink Opaque.
The legendary Scottish band did not originally intend to release the songs that are featured on Tiny Dynamine and Echoes in a Shallow Bay, as they were initially recorded to test a new studio’s production capacities. The material, however, was found to be strong enough to warrant release as two seperate EPs rather than be used for the band’s fourth album—which would instead be the more ambient soundscapes featured on Victorialand.
Here is the Official Press Release from 4Ad:
With a history of releasing singles between albums, the two EPs of Tiny Dynamine and Echoes In A Shallow Bay were originally released two weeks apart back in November 1985. Seen as companion pieces, they acted as a precursor to their fourth studio album, Victorialand. 30 years later, they’re now being married together on to one piece of vinyl, completed with reformatted artwork.
A year later The Pink Opaque was compiled to bring together the best of the Cocteau Twins’ early works to become the band’s first official release in the US. Already a cult band on college radio, some classics like ‘Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops’ and ‘Aikea-Guinea’ were given new mixes for this release, while it’s noted for also featuring ‘Millimillenary’, the first run out for incoming band member Simon Raymonde. To this day, it remains a great entry point to a wonderful band.
Using new masters created from high definition files transferred from the original analogue tapes, both these albums will receive 180g vinyl pressings this July. HD audio downloads of both albums will be made available through specialist retailers at the same time.
You can pre-order The Pink Opaque from the 4AD Store (US and ROW) here, and from Rough Trade (EU) here.
You can pre-order Tiny Dynamine / Echoes In A Shallow Bay from the 4AD Store (US and ROW) here, and from Rough Trade (EU) here.
