WHILE many bands are going digital, either releasing CDs or just uploading their songs online, one of Singapore’s premier bands, The Observatory, has gone the opposite direction and decided to do things the old school way with a limited release of their current album, Dark Folke, on vinyl.
love
Yes, just like those albums your parents used to listen to.
There are only 250 copies of this double LP in the world, and while this may make a nice Christmas present for music lovers – although since it’s officially only being released on Dec 25, it’ll be a little late – the question remains: Just why would The Observatory do something like this?
We got the band – Leslie Low (guitars, vocals), Dharma (guitars), Vivian Wang (keyboards), Evan Tan (programming), Victor Low (guitars) – to explain.
love
Seriously, why put out a vinyl version of Dark Folke?
Dharma: Having been brought up listening to vinyl in the ‘80s, I’ve always wondered how The Obs would sound like on vinyl. That along with the hope of seeing Justin Bartlett’s artwork in ‘vinyl scales’ felt like a good enough reason to go for vinyl.
Vivian: It’s probably an insane thing to do. But we’ve always wanted to put our albums out on vinyl. Part of it has to do with the vinyl culture out there which is still pretty healthy. The other part is how a physical record smells! There isn’t another feeling quite like it in this world. The act of opening a gatefold sleeve, smelling the cardboard, seeing the artwork for the first time like looking at a nice big centrefold, that familiar sound as you tenderly slide the LP out of its sleeve, next snapping it onto your turntable, turning on the rotation button, and that final static plop of the stylus as it makes contact with the record heralding the start of something special, you sigh… and the magic begins.
Justin Barlett’s art gets a bigger canvas
Evan: Justin Bartlett designed the art for Dark Folke with the LP version in mind. That’s why we released the CD version in a square format, to make it adaptable for an LP version. The main art for Dark Folke looks much nicer on the gatefold.
Leslie: With the LP, we had Rashad Becker master and cut the album to vinyl, a process which taught us a lot about not chasing the loudness war.
So what do you expect out of it?
Victor: It’s something more for us really and for pockets of people out there who still appreciate and listen to vinyl.
Dharma: if we wanted to earn money we wouldn’t be playing music, well at least not the kind of music we are doing. I guess the thrill is, to see how good (or bad) we sound on vinyl and immersing in that feeling knowing that there is only 250pcs of this worldwide.
None more black: The Dark Folke cover – something Spinal Tap should have thought of
Vivian: We want people who love the sacred ritual of listening to music to want this wholeheartedly!love To drool over it now and years later, when they’re cleaning out their closets, to recall all the wonderful memories of the time they bought this LP.
Are you concerned about the loss of sound quality on vinyl?
Victor: For the Dark Folke mixes, we actually dumped the mix onto tape to get some tape saturation before dumping it back to the computer for mastering. And the approach in recording the instruments was very analog as well, passing our signals through a lot of vintage analogue equipment. For vinyl the overall texture changes a little but I think it’s for the better.
Vivian: Actually, we’re not audiophiles. This is just something for our fans… and a new experience for us. What the LP may lack in digital clarity, it makes up for in terms of how you may experience it. It’s a more physical experience.
So what are your plans for 2010?
Dharma: To start work on some new material.
Vivian: We have been invited to Germany and Switzerland to present Invisible Room, something we presented at this year’s Singapore Arts Festival. Hopefully, we’ll also land some gigs there.
Leslie: We’ll start on a new album.
love
The Dark Folke cometh soon: If you look closely, they’re actually smiling (pic by Nigel Hogan)
Dark Folke is available exclusively at Gramophone Capitol and Cathay and by direct mail order to info@theobservatory.com.sg. More details at: www.theobservatory.com.sg and www.facebook.com/theobservatory
More...
Yes, just like those albums your parents used to listen to.
There are only 250 copies of this double LP in the world, and while this may make a nice Christmas present for music lovers – although since it’s officially only being released on Dec 25, it’ll be a little late – the question remains: Just why would The Observatory do something like this?
We got the band – Leslie Low (guitars, vocals), Dharma (guitars), Vivian Wang (keyboards), Evan Tan (programming), Victor Low (guitars) – to explain.
love
Seriously, why put out a vinyl version of Dark Folke?
Dharma: Having been brought up listening to vinyl in the ‘80s, I’ve always wondered how The Obs would sound like on vinyl. That along with the hope of seeing Justin Bartlett’s artwork in ‘vinyl scales’ felt like a good enough reason to go for vinyl.
Vivian: It’s probably an insane thing to do. But we’ve always wanted to put our albums out on vinyl. Part of it has to do with the vinyl culture out there which is still pretty healthy. The other part is how a physical record smells! There isn’t another feeling quite like it in this world. The act of opening a gatefold sleeve, smelling the cardboard, seeing the artwork for the first time like looking at a nice big centrefold, that familiar sound as you tenderly slide the LP out of its sleeve, next snapping it onto your turntable, turning on the rotation button, and that final static plop of the stylus as it makes contact with the record heralding the start of something special, you sigh… and the magic begins.
Evan: Justin Bartlett designed the art for Dark Folke with the LP version in mind. That’s why we released the CD version in a square format, to make it adaptable for an LP version. The main art for Dark Folke looks much nicer on the gatefold.
Leslie: With the LP, we had Rashad Becker master and cut the album to vinyl, a process which taught us a lot about not chasing the loudness war.
So what do you expect out of it?
Victor: It’s something more for us really and for pockets of people out there who still appreciate and listen to vinyl.
Dharma: if we wanted to earn money we wouldn’t be playing music, well at least not the kind of music we are doing. I guess the thrill is, to see how good (or bad) we sound on vinyl and immersing in that feeling knowing that there is only 250pcs of this worldwide.
Vivian: We want people who love the sacred ritual of listening to music to want this wholeheartedly!love To drool over it now and years later, when they’re cleaning out their closets, to recall all the wonderful memories of the time they bought this LP.
Are you concerned about the loss of sound quality on vinyl?
Victor: For the Dark Folke mixes, we actually dumped the mix onto tape to get some tape saturation before dumping it back to the computer for mastering. And the approach in recording the instruments was very analog as well, passing our signals through a lot of vintage analogue equipment. For vinyl the overall texture changes a little but I think it’s for the better.
Vivian: Actually, we’re not audiophiles. This is just something for our fans… and a new experience for us. What the LP may lack in digital clarity, it makes up for in terms of how you may experience it. It’s a more physical experience.
So what are your plans for 2010?
Dharma: To start work on some new material.
Vivian: We have been invited to Germany and Switzerland to present Invisible Room, something we presented at this year’s Singapore Arts Festival. Hopefully, we’ll also land some gigs there.
Leslie: We’ll start on a new album.
love
Dark Folke is available exclusively at Gramophone Capitol and Cathay and by direct mail order to info@theobservatory.com.sg. More details at: www.theobservatory.com.sg and www.facebook.com/theobservatory
More...
