Release Your Soul

Forced downtime is sometimes a cool thing. At the minute I've got a pretty nasty chest infection which has rendered me pretty much useless; so it's given me a quick minute to do a post here. 

This is a record that I've owned for probably around a year, maybe a little more. However, I've only just got around to writing about it. I can still recall all the details around it though; and over a year on this album still rages super hard. 

As some of you reading might know, this is a record release copy of Soul Structure by Higher Power. There were 35 up for grabs on the night and they all went. I couldn't attend the show, but thankfully a friend managed to get me a copy and brought it all the way back home to me when she was back visiting from University. 

I ended up with number 27/35. The record release cover is a quarter fold type deal across the back of the jacket. The quarter fold is screened and hand numbered, with the artwork tackled by Jimmy Wizard who sings in Higher Power. He also played bass in Fade; and makes tattoos at a great studio in Leeds called Sacred Electric. The design for the release cover was used on a hoodie that was also available on the night. Around December/ January time they threw some leftovers of that hoodie on their big cartel and I picked up one of those too. 

The variant used for the night was from the Flatspot Records 1st press: 375 Transparent Red & Orange W/ Black Splatter. Seems a little odd that they used this press and not the UK press; but I have no complaints because it works with the cover art really well and sounds great. The Orange isn't super obvious unless you hold the record up to the light.

As opposed to an insert there's a pretty nice four page booklet in the sleeve of this. I'm not sure if the UK Pressing has the same thing. 

Inside the booklet are all the lyrics and a couple of photos, and overall it's a greatly packaged LP. It also sounds fantastic; I'm sure there aren't many people into the UKHC scene that haven't heard of them. But if you haven't i'd urge you to check it out; kinda old school borderline crossover sound that makes me think a little of Leeway or Merauder. Regardless, it hits heavy and still gets a pretty regular spin from me. I still need to grab the Space to Breathe 7'', or the Control Records 12'' promo.

This record release copy still isn't listed on Discogs. I'd love to add it, but that process seems like more of a hassle than it's really worth right?

Cheers!