Ozric Tentacles - Erpland (2 LP)
- LP
- 2 piece(s)
- 1990
- 12 tracks
- 1 uur, 13 min
- space rock
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4.8
Average of 7 reviews
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An album you'll never tire of, perfect for those lonely island days.
Superb quiet pressing, five stars across the board, just wish it had a gatefold sleeve for the double album
Erpland, in the eyes of most Ozric Tentacles fans, represents the pinnacle of the band's career, and I wholeheartedly agree. While they've released numerous albums showcasing their musical prowess and maintained a consistent style over the years, Erpland stands out for several reasons. Primarily, the tracks themselves are extraordinary. Some are energetic and wild, like the title track with its flute crescendo, others are ethereal and dreamy, such as one of my all-time favorites, Crackerblocks, and others are infused with an exotic spice, like A Gift Of Wings. There's even actual singing on Iscence. And, of course, there's Eternal Wheel. Initially appearing on the There Is Nothing cassette in an ambient drum'n'bass form, this version is utterly amazing, evolving through various forms over its eight and a half minutes. The album exudes a sense of focused intent unlike any other. The sheer variety of styles, including the experimentalism of their tapes, is breathtaking, and there's likely more—and more diverse—ethnic influences than in their other albums. The expansive nature of the album gives it a grandeur that the band hasn't matched since. To this day, it usually steals the show on stage.Then, there are the people; apart from the core members Ed, Joie, Merv, Roly, Jon, Paul, and Marcus, there are a few familiar faces: Tom Brooks, the synth player from the early to mid-80s, contributes 'reggae bubbles' (they're like normal bubbles but with dreadlocks). Steve Everett, who had worked with both the Ozrics and Merv in Wooden Baby and Eat Static, handles the sampling on Mysticum Arabicola and Valley Of A Thousand Thoughts. Even 'Generator' John Schuchard, the drummer on The Bits’ Wreltch and the Ozrics off-shoot The Ullulators (with Joie and Gavin among others), serves some tea and plays his tambourine. Most of the extended Ozrics family gathered here for one monumental occasion.And there’s the stunning cover art too. It complements the music perfectly and evokes wonderful mental images. The original gatefold features some cool live pictures of the band, a couple of which show them with painted faces! How free festival is that? And right in the middle, the obligatory mandala. As for production values, here's my take: some of the sounds used are indeed dated, but a) this adds to the album's charm and b) the overall effect of the music is, without a doubt, timeless. The band was on a roll: evolving from a free-form space jam band that would play anywhere, anytime, they had created both magnificent music and a label to release it through. They had experience with the studio they were using, having recorded Pungent Effulgent there a few months prior. Even the studio's location was ideal—situated in the fields of Wales, where plenty of fungi grew. Everything was set for a masterpiece. And Ozric Tentacles delivered their magnum opus.When you reach the peak of your craft, there's usually only one way to go from there. The next album, Strangeitude, was musically perhaps even more accomplished, but with only six tracks, it couldn't come close to the diversity and richness of Erpland. This diversity combined with the exquisite quality of the music makes Erpland the quintessential example of Ozricness. 10/10
Worlds apart from the 80s music scene (even the alternative stuff!), Ozric Tentacles kicked off the decade by reviving those epic, trippy jam sessions that painted England's underground festivals. In the indie music realm, psychedelic tunes were still kicking, but - stripped of their freedom, complexity, and spontaneity - they'd turned into mere experiments to spice up post-punk and new wave ideologies. Ozric Tentacles' love letter to the hallucinogenic sounds of 70s progressive space rock is boundless and ever-moving, truly. After years of self-made audio cassettes, 'Erpland' marks the band's full artistic bloom, their ironic and humorous instrumental music, unburdened by any intellectual pretensions. Like a drifting bubble, 'Erpland' sails through the psych cosmos, encountering Gong's madness, Hawkwind's excesses, and Tangerine Dream's electronic musings. A perfect ode to the hippie spirit.
Great pressing. Silent. Beautiful mastering, although it's quite squashed (as was the fashion in '90). Good bass at the kick drum side and clarity for the cymbals and high-hats. I'm curious why Ed didn't use a live drummer for some tracks. The Throbbe, for instance. Still, a fantastic album. Strange to recall I caught their gig at The Printer's Pie in Exeter around that era!
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| Date | Lowest price | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2025 | $38.97 | €41.98 |
| Apr 30, 2025 | $47.99 | €47.99 |
| Jun 28, 2025 | $47.99 | €47.99 |