Shifted Phases - The Cosmic Memoirs Of The Late Great Rupert J. Rosinthrope (Tresor reissue)

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In early 2023, Tresor Records will reissue the sole output from Shifted Phases entitled The Cosmic Memoirs Of The Late Great Rupert J. Rosinthrope. Initially released in 2002, soon after James Stinson passed away, this LP plays a mysterious and compelling role in the Drexciya journey. While other records of Drexciya and related projects have received numerous reprints and editions, The Cosmic Memoirs... has remained out of print since its release. This rarity leaves it more open to interpretation with its place in the Drexciyan storm series, as it became increasingly hard to find and underexplored.

Track titles Solar Wind, White Dwarf, and Lonely Journey of the Comet Bopp reveal a focus on cosmic realms, suggesting a link with the Drexciya LP Grava 4 that moves from the underwater to the galactic. As it launches with mechanical blows on a precise orbit, each repetition entrenches the gravitational pull in the galaxy of Shifted Phases. In many places, it sounds like the readout of frequencies harvested from outer space, pockmarked with packet loss from the millions of kilometres distance travelled.

The music is hard to contain, intuitively restless in motion through its unfolding universe and achingly resonant. It shapeshifts across affectedly melodic sequences such as in Lonely Journey..., to the sparse, hard-hitting timbres found in Alien Vessel Distress Call and the mangled reverse vocals in The Freak Show, somewhat reminiscent of another Drexciya side-project, Glass Domain. The mythology of Drexciya is evident in how keenly James Stinson and Gerald Donald created their imaginary worlds. In Crossing Of The Sun-Ra Nebula, there is an undisputable reference to another Afro-futurist who delved deep into a galaxy of their own making.

This reissue does not merely close the loop on Tresor's reissue series of the Drexciya catalogue but brings Shifted Phases to fresh ears more than other records. Accompanied by newly commissioned artwork from Matthew Angelo Harrison, the 3xLP vinyl reissue also features the tracks Crossing Of The Sun-Ra Nebula and Alien Vessel Distress Call, which were previously only on the original CD release. 

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Reissue of Stinson's 20-year old solo album w/ new artwork + extra tracks from the CD version. Highly recommended.

About time ! 

Storm #6  

  On 1/19/2023 at 1:35 PM, dcom said:

+ extra tracks from the CD version

Gotta hand it to the designer: That's the ugliest artwork I've seen in my entire life. Unable to buy. 

What's the chance they cock this one up again and print Song of the Green Whale instead of Flux?

  On 1/20/2023 at 9:21 AM, psn said:

Gotta hand it to the designer: That's the ugliest artwork I've seen in my entire life. Unable to buy. 

Can't say I agree with that. It looks fine to me. Maybe I don't really like the font, but that may refer to the fonts used on some of the original Drexciya records. Not the same, but certainly similar.

All Tresor's Drexciya/related reissues are designed by the same shop.

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Artwork by Studio Matthew Angelo Harrison
Graphic Design by Yannick Nuss
Photography by Corinne Vermeulen

yeah artwork on this entire reissue series is abysmal

  On 1/20/2023 at 1:50 PM, species8472 said:

yeah artwork on this entire reissue series is abysmal

I get what they're trying to do, I just wished they'd kept the original artwork, and dunno, maybe put these new interpretations on the back cover or inner sleeve or summat.

Seriously y would you fuck with this?

  On 1/20/2023 at 9:21 AM, psn said:

Gotta hand it to the designer: That's the ugliest artwork I've seen in my entire life. Unable to buy. 

If you check out the one they did for Harnessed the Storm, you might change your mind

  On 1/20/2023 at 9:43 AM, t yst r said:

What's the chance they cock this one up again and print Song of the Green Whale instead of Flux?

ohhhh, that's not intentional....

Hearing Flux for the 1st time now lol, great track needless to say.

The Drexciya universe re-imagined as a gentrified, monochrome Dave McKean wannabe cyber goth kid home assignment.

  On 1/20/2023 at 4:28 PM, psn said:

The Drexciya universe re-imagined as a gentrified, monochrome Dave McKean wannabe cyber goth kid home assignment.

Neptune's Lair Luxury Condominiums starting at $525,000

  On 1/20/2023 at 3:30 PM, th555 said:

Flux

I can see what Tresor are trying to do regarding the artwork, they want it all standardised, theyre using a black detroit artist, and maybe it even suits the tone of the music better

But those original records are so iconic they shouldnt have been replaced. Even the boilerplate-ass red Shifted Phases cover.

Also, Clone have just announced a repress of Abstract Thought's Hypothetical Situations (with the original artwork)