Seefeel - Rupt and Flex + St/Fr/Sp + Succour/ Ch-Vox re-releases

  On 4/7/2021 at 7:50 PM, sweepstakes said:

I agree but "nice to hear" = the backstory is being documented somewhere? Or... as in it would be nice to hear this backstory? Cos I don't see it anywhere

Below is Ch Vox Redux press release; I dont think theres a longer story per-se, but this is new info on how that album came about and why it was on Rephlex

Seefeel’s third studio album was recorded for Richard D James and Grant Wilson-Claridge’s Rephlex label, as as a return favour for two remixes Aphex Twin (a huge fan of the group) did in their Too Pure period. This is the first time it has been available on vinyl since 1996 and adds an extra LP of bonus material, mastered from original DAT transfers by Stefan Betke aka Pole. Comes housed in a new gatefold sleeve by the Designers Republic.

“Mark Clifford and his mates have moved through labels like Astralwerks and Warp before landing at the front door of the Richard James label Rephlex, and along the way they have scattered some wonderful pearls. For (CH-VOX), it's an especially lush match of aesthetics -- sort of a condensed version of the Aphex Twin landmark record, Selected Ambient Works II. Picking up at the tail end of Seefeel's last album, Succour, we once again hear "Utreat," a dark meditation of phrases that makes Darren Seymour's bass sound like an electric piano, or is it Clifford's electric piano that sounds like a bass? Sarah Peacock's dreamy vocals hover almost out of earshot, and possibly her guitar is plugged in somewhere, too.

It's difficult to say with many of their songs what instrument we're hearing, since treatments and effects play such a major role in production. The song "E-HIX2" breathes like a cluster of bleak skyscrapers with an extremely ambient take on feedback, and the title cut, "CH-VOX," is stark, patient, and ominous -- an abandoned submarine frozen in ice. "Hive" (with wonderful vocal loop effects) has Clifford revisiting his somewhat limited palette of percussion -- a piece that teeters between beauty and agitation, and an unfortunate weak spot for the album. The album closes with "Net," which is nothing short of masterpiece -- a journey, a drive through wet streets at midnight, and a finale so captivating you'll want to hear it twice -- somewhat postponing the disappointment that the album is only 33 minutes long.”
- Keir Langley, All Music 

  On 4/7/2021 at 9:06 PM, markedone said:

Below is Ch Vox Redux press release; I dont think theres a longer story per-se, but this is new info on how that album came about and why it was on Rephlex

Seefeel’s third studio album was recorded for Richard D James and Grant Wilson-Claridge’s Rephlex label, as as a return favour for two remixes Aphex Twin (a huge fan of the group) did in their Too Pure period. This is the first time it has been available on vinyl since 1996 and adds an extra LP of bonus material, mastered from original DAT transfers by Stefan Betke aka Pole. Comes housed in a new gatefold sleeve by the Designers Republic.

“Mark Clifford and his mates have moved through labels like Astralwerks and Warp before landing at the front door of the Richard James label Rephlex, and along the way they have scattered some wonderful pearls. For (CH-VOX), it's an especially lush match of aesthetics -- sort of a condensed version of the Aphex Twin landmark record, Selected Ambient Works II. Picking up at the tail end of Seefeel's last album, Succour, we once again hear "Utreat," a dark meditation of phrases that makes Darren Seymour's bass sound like an electric piano, or is it Clifford's electric piano that sounds like a bass? Sarah Peacock's dreamy vocals hover almost out of earshot, and possibly her guitar is plugged in somewhere, too.

It's difficult to say with many of their songs what instrument we're hearing, since treatments and effects play such a major role in production. The song "E-HIX2" breathes like a cluster of bleak skyscrapers with an extremely ambient take on feedback, and the title cut, "CH-VOX," is stark, patient, and ominous -- an abandoned submarine frozen in ice. "Hive" (with wonderful vocal loop effects) has Clifford revisiting his somewhat limited palette of percussion -- a piece that teeters between beauty and agitation, and an unfortunate weak spot for the album. The album closes with "Net," which is nothing short of masterpiece -- a journey, a drive through wet streets at midnight, and a finale so captivating you'll want to hear it twice -- somewhat postponing the disappointment that the album is only 33 minutes long.”
- Keir Langley, All Music 

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Excellent write up. Not cringeworthy pretentious claptrap like some press releases.

I'm really conflicted on this, I've got all of the original releases on vinyl and CD (or digital) - but the tDR designs are very, VERY enticing and I do love records as physical objects. Well over 100 € w/ postage with a probability of VAT + customs on top due to the Brexit bollocks. The digitals are 1/10th the price of the vinyls - painful decision. One or the other, I will get them, Seefeel is among my longest-time favourites, especially (Ch-Vox) and Succour, not forgetting the awesome Disjecta releases - or Woodenspoon's Souff Souff.

  On 4/8/2021 at 8:22 PM, dcom said:

not forgetting the awesome Disjecta releases - or Woodenspoon's Souff Souff.

*Jots it down. I'll have to check those out

Re: the Ch Vox press release, i find it odd that the writer is critical enough to call Hive a weak spot on the album, when that is my favorite track from that one 

Disjecta. Marvellous.

Yeah, love both Disjecta albums. If you like Succor era stuff, these would be right up your alley.

Already own most of this (existing stuff) on digital, and whilst that CD set looks so tantalising, the GBP exchange rate is a killer. Might have to cave digital, mainly because Succour is one of my fave albums and my existing copy is very old now.

The Scalas could also do with a reissue, they’ve been disappearing from some music streaming stores recently.

New vid for unreleased track ‘Burned’ was uploaded today:

There's also a 4 track EP on Spotify called "Reduct" with some of the unreleased material : As One, Burned, Evio and Starethrough (Transition Mix).

Dig

Received a notification from FedEx that the package will be delivered tomorrow (I ended up splurging for the full vinyl + t-shirt set). Excited.

Really looking forward to this one and even though I already have the originals on wax, I'll definitely get the represses as they have a whole new album of material on them and so far it sounds good.

Between this and the coil reissues I'm set for happy turntable times

Full downloads available.

Not Planet Earths biggest Seefeel fan but I’m very intrigued by these releases and look forward to giving them a spin.

Got the original CDs but now re-discovering this magical band via the boxset, great stuff !! 

Top review on pitchfork, well deserved : 

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/seefeel-rupt-and-flex-1994-96/

Great set... but a couple of mastering faults on Succour (both CD and download/streaming)...

ive just gone in a fixed in audacity, relatively easily done but still... shouldn't really have too - from discogs-

"There's a mastering fault on Disc 1 - a 2 second gap between "Rupt" and "Vex" that misses the actual index point between the two tracks and shouldn't be there. ...and another glitch on Disc 2. "Monastic" has a gap about 55 seconds in. *sigh*"

Yeah the glitch in Monastic has been pressed on the vinyl too, shame it's one of the best new tracks too.

Otherwise these releases are sounding pretty good, was never expecting Succour to get a deluxe reissue treatment due to it's initial poor reception, but it's always been a 10/10 album for me.

  On 5/15/2021 at 10:28 AM, khov said:

Top review on pitchfork, well deserved : 

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/seefeel-rupt-and-flex-1994-96/

Well deserved! It had been too long since new Seefeel released. Crazy to think that it has been 10 years since their ST album. These new tracks are amazing and the reissues are welcome.

Finally, of course customs snagged the package and I had to clear it, delaying delivery over the weekend, but here it is.

  On 5/17/2021 at 8:21 AM, danshoebridge said:

Yeah the glitch in Monastic has been pressed on the vinyl too, shame it's one of the best new tracks too.

  On 5/16/2021 at 12:03 PM, smokebelch said:

Great set... but a couple of mastering faults on Succour (both CD and download/streaming)...

ive just gone in a fixed in audacity, relatively easily done but still... shouldn't really have too - from discogs-

"There's a mastering fault on Disc 1 - a 2 second gap between "Rupt" and "Vex" that misses the actual index point between the two tracks and shouldn't be there. ...and another glitch on Disc 2. "Monastic" has a gap about 55 seconds in. *sigh*"

 

Just received email:

Both glitches have also been pressed on the vinyl and it is a bit jarring. Not a deal breaker but would be nice to have a proper copy.

  On 5/20/2021 at 1:49 PM, hayhook said:

Just received email:

"We are aware of this, yes. I have been speaking to the production team at Warp today and they are hoping to get these issues resolved asap in terms of replacing discs (including for those who have already purchased) and updating the digital downloads.discs where necessary.

Best wishes,

Mark"

Wow, great news if true! Wasn’t expecting this, certainly not the disc replacement angle. Kudos to blerp