CD Reissue News - Japanese mini-LP section

CD Reissue News

2005 CD Reissue News Archive

This section contains the latest announcements for Japanese mini-LPs. Not every title is mentioned here - but those in the progressive/psych rock arena will be listed (or will try anyway).

(12/26/06) Well, as you can see, I never seem to be able to keep up much with the Japanese mini-LPs. There's a new web page dedicated to the scene that I recommend all of you go to instead: Japanese mini-LP site This site is more comprehensive, and my consolidation seems redundant. I'm glad this Japanese mini-LP site exists!

(7/22/06) Selected Japanese mini-LPs of interest:

For July release:

Air Mail's July releases are amongst the best in a long time for the label. Look for Julian's Treatment "A Time Before This.." with the original Youngblood cover. The follow-up Julian Jay Savarin "Waiters on the Dance" which has a stunning cover (and stunning music)! Elias Hulk "Unchained" with the monster cover (fortunately not the boring See For Miles band pic cover). And, to a lesser extent on the excitement scale, Salamander's "The Ten Commandments".

Captain Trip continues to bring classic spacerock and electronic music to the mini format. This month it's 2 rare Heldon concerts "Live Electronique Guerilla (1975/76)" and "Well And Alive In France: Live In Nancy 1979". We've heard the first one years ago when it was still a bootleg, so hopefully these are with much improved sound.

Victor will tackle most of the Passport discography. Passport were probably the best (and certainly most popular) of the more mainstream jazz fusion bands coming out of Germany (keyword (Embryo fans): mainstream).

Universal, under their POCE series, will release a large batch of UK late psych / early progressive rock albums. Highlights include Man's "2 OZ's of Plastic with a Hole in the Middle", Icarus' "The Marvel World of Icarus" and two mid-period Gravy Train albums.

For June release:

Sky Station is back, this time with a 1970s Japanese group that's been OOP almost since the dawn of the CD age: Space Circus. "Fantastic Arrival" is one of the better Mahavishnu inspired albums one can hear.

WHD Entertainment, the label responsible for the latest repress of King Crimson mini's has announced they will take on the Nektar catalog. The early ones, in particular, make a nice choice based on packaging alone (of course the music is great too!)

Air Mail has another large batch of mini's coming out, the highlight being Samurai's sole 1971 album (the UK group), which is basically the 4th album from The Web. Also look for Caravan's barely good "Blind Dog at St. Dunstans" album. The other albums we're either unfamiliar with, or out of the scope of this list.

For May release:

Sky Station continues its new series with Pageant (a more symphonic band that recalls other uniquely Japanese groups like Providence and Teru's Symphonia)

Universal will take on the two albums by Andwella as well as Colloseum II's "War Dance" and "Electric Savage". Also look for a batch of Barclay James Harvest albums.

Toshiba/Virgin will release all 3 UK albums.

For April release:

Sky Station is the name of a new Japanese mini-LP label dedicated to releasing only Japanese progressive artists. Their first 2 batches include the entire catalogs of Ars Nova (female trio heavily influenced by ELP and the 1970s Italian keyboard bands) as well as the discography of Outer Limits (one of the more sophisticated of the 1980s Japanese prog scene).

Sony will issue a 10 CD box set by Santana, with the triple live "Lotus" being the centerpiece. Advance word says the packing of the "Lotus" album is one of the most elaborate ever done for a mini-LP reissue.

Captain Trip will reissue a 7 CD set of rare Conrad Schnitzler / Kluster albums. Titles include: "Klopfzeichen", "Schwartz", "Rot", "Blau", "Grun", "Gelb" and "Easter Egg"

Air Mail has announced a British psych set, that includes the outstanding Pussy "Plays" album as well as the rare Bobak, Jons and Malone "Motherlight" record.

For March release:

BMG will release 4 Vangelis titles which include "Heaven and Hell", "Albedo 0.39", "Spiral", and "Beaubourg".

Toshiba/EMI will release the Soft Machine "Floating World Live" archive release in mini-LP format. We just announced the CD last week in the regular news.

Arcangelo will put out on mini the last studio National Health album 'DS Al Coda" as well as John Perry's "Sunset Wading" album.

P-Vine will wrap up their Can series with 5 more titles starting with "Flow Motion" and ending with "Rite Time".

For February release:

Arcangelo will do a mini-LP version of the This Heat album that was just reissued on These Records.

Strange Days (Universal) will re-release the first 3 Jonesy titles. Also look for the first 2 Peter Bardens albums to get the mini treatment.

Airmail has done a 3 titles set for the pop psych group Blossom Toes.

Victor Records will issue a 4 CD set by Steve Hackett, featuring all of his classic progressive rock albums starting with "Voyage of the Acolyte".

For January release:

Victor Entertainment will be reissuing the Gong Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy as well as the first 3 albums by The Nice.

Universal will be reissuing a 10 CD "British Legends" set. Highlights include the original gimmix cover of the first Soft Machine, Beggars Opera's debut "Act One" and Gentle Giant's "Acquiring the Taste" and "Three Friends".

Arcangelo will be reissuing all 4 studio titles from Henry Cow, while Strange Days will tackle the outing with Slapp Happy.

And speaking of Strange Days, they will also be issuing the 3 Arthur Brown Kingdom Come albums in mini format.

The Moody Blues will release a 7 CD box set (presuming first 7).

Arcangelo will be reissuing (again) the Comus "First Utterance". This version appears to be the replica of the Get Back LP reissue, which also contained a rare 7 inch (thus will include a 3" disc). This promises to be an upgrade on the Teichiku mini LP of same. Also in this series will be included the first ever reissue of the Dawn label horn rocker Trifle "First Meeting". Trader Horne and McLaughlin and Surman's "Where Fortune Smiles" make up the rest of this Dawn series.

Jon Hiseman fans can look forward to Arcangelo's 5 mini-LP set of Tempest and Colosseum II.

Please see the 2005 News Archive for previous announcements.