Hailed as one of the 50 Best Ambient Albums Of All Time by Pitchfork, ‘Vernal Equinox’ was the first commercially released work by Jon Hassell, originally put out by Lovely Music in 1977. It is also the debut of a pioneering new form of music that would become known as ‘fourth world’: a subtle blend of field recordings, electric jazz, ambience and global music influences. Hassell’s trademark FX-soaked trumpet is carefully embellished by a studio ensemble including the master Brazilian percussionist Naná Vasconcelos and David Rosenboom on synth. The result is a quiet, meditative and highly original work of outstanding beauty. Fully remastered from the original tapes and available on vinyl for the first time in 42 years and on CD for the first time in 30 years. Sleevenotes by Jon Hassell and Brian Eno. Back in record shops around the day of the 2020 vernal equinox. “A perfectly realised manifesto” - The Vinyl Factory “Hassell’s most elegant melodicism blossoms forth here. Decades after its release, ‘Vernal Equinox’ still provides an enchanting and entirely contemporary listening experience.” - All Music

Had this record on repeat recently in these uncertain times. An ambient classic. A soothing bed of gurgling trumpet, talking drum and drones, that feels like something you've heard before but can't quite place your finger on it.

By Aidan