Gentle Giant / Octopus CD+Blu-ray

UK prog rockers Gentle Giant‘s fourth album, Octopus has been remixed (in part) by Steven Wilson for an expanded CD+Blu-ray audio reissue.

The new edition of the 1972 album sees Wilson remix five of the eight tracks for stereo and 5.1 surround sound (this is due to missing multi-tracks). The remaining three tracks (Advent of Panurge, Raconteur Troubadour and The Boys in the Band) are the original stereo remixes on the CD and on the blu-ray have been processed through Penteo upmix software for 5.1 surround sound. Steven did this for Broken on Tears For Fears‘ Songs From The Big Chair, if you remember.

Both discs also include a bonus track of a 16 minute live version of Extracts from Octopus, again newly mixed into stereo and 5.1 surround sound.

As well as the album tracks in 96/24 Stereo LPCM & DTS 5.1 Master Audio, the blu-ray element of this set contains a flat transfer of the original 1972 mix, and instrumental versions of the five stereo remixes, all in high resolution.

This Octopus reissue comes as a six panel digi-pack with 16 page booklet, including new sketches from original front cover creator Roger Dean and is being put out on the band’s own label, Alucard. A single CD edition is also available.

Octopus CD+Blu-ray is released on 30th October 2015.

Octopus CD+Blu-ray

• • Burning Shed Pre-order: Octopus CD+Blu-ray

• • Headphone Dust (SW store): Octopus CD+Blu-ray

Both discs include (stereo only on CD, stereo and 5.1 on blu-ray):

• • Advent of Panurge *
• • Raconteur Troubadour *
• • Cry For Everyone
• • Knots
• • The Boys in the Band *
• • A Dog’s Life
• • Think of Me With Kindness
• • River

Bonus Track:

• Extracts from Octopus (live in Paris)

* due to missing multi track tapes these titles are the original stereo mixes, and have been processed through Penteo upmix software for 5.1 surround sound