Ozric Tentacles return with their new excursion into the worlds of the magical and brilliant with another aural treat in the form of ‘Lotus Unfolding’ out October 20^th via Kscope.

Lotus Unfolding is the new release from UK based instrumental intergalactic travellers Ozric Tentacles. Six new tunes have been added to the Ozric universe, conceived, written and recorded in their own ‘Blue Bubble’ studio in Fife.

The album was recorded, written and produced during 2022 – 2023 by Ed Wynne with a little sonic help from Silas. Mastered by Adam Goodlet and illustrated with some nicely detailed ethereal artwork by Steve McKeown and Sally Clark.

Lotus Unfolding is another sonically illustrated excursion through the musical realms the band have explored in their latest chapter. Album opener ‘Storm In A Teacup’ kicks the album off in spectacular style traversing the realms of time and space with flair and virtuosic poise. It’s followed by the groove driven ‘Deep Blue Shade’, whose melodies are vividly brought to life by trademark Ed Wynne exquisite guitar playing. This is swiftly accompanied by the serene title track - as close to a musical yoga session at the centre of the hippocampus you’ll ever experience. 

Ozric Tentacles’ aural synapses buzz throughout the album to channel the band’s limitless creativity, making Lotus Unfolding the perfect conduit of the spiritual and the physical. It’s an essential addition to the band’s catalogue.   

Ed Wynne comments:

The concept is, as usually wide & open to interpretation but basically is a sonically illustrated excursion through some of the musical realms we found ourselves in this time around. Designed to elevate and delight the senses, should that be required, because if the day feels like an unfolding lotus, it’s probably going to be a good one!

Lotus Unfolding line up consists of Ed Wynne (Guitars, Synth and Bass) and Silas Wynne (Modular Synth and Keyboards) . Alongside Ed and Silas is Brandi Wynne (bass), Saskia Maxwell (Flute), Tim Wallander (Drums) and Paul Hankin (Percussion).

Lotus Unfolding will be available on CD Digipak, Limited Marble LP with limited die cut sleeve, Blue LP also with limited die cut sleeve, Black LP and available digitally.

Alongside the announcement of the new album, the band will be heading out on tour for a co-headline run with fellow label mates Gong in November 2023 and picking up for the second run in 2024. The dates are as follows:

UK TOUR W/ GONG – NOVEMBER 2023

• 17^th  November – Oxford, O2 Academy2
• 18^th  November – London, O2 Forum with The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
• 19^th  November – Manchester, O2 Ritz
• 20^th  November – Sheffield, O2 Academy2
• 21^st  November – Colchester, Arts Centre
• 23^rd  November – Northampton, Roadmenders
• 24^th  November - Bristol, O2 Academy
• 25^th  November – Gloucester, Guildhall
• 26^th  November – Birmingham, O2 Academy2
• 28^th  November – Brighton, Chalk
• 29^th  November – Norwich, Epic Studios
• 30^th  November – Bournemouth, O2 Academy
• 1^st  December – From, Cheese & Grain
• 2^nd  December – Liverpool, O2 Academy

• UK TOUR W/ GONG– MARCH 2024

  • • 7^th March - Exeter, The Phoenix
    • 8^th March - Falmouth, Princess Pavilion
    • 9^th March - Lyme Regis, Marine Theatre
    • 10^th March - Cardiff, The Globe
    • 11^th March – Swansea, Patti Pavilion
    • 13^th March – Southampton, The 1865
    • 14^th March – Margate, Dreamland
    • 15^th March – Hull, The Welly
    • 16^th March – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
    • 17^th March – Stockton-on-Tees, Georgian Theatre
    • 18^th March – Lincoln, Engine Shed
    • 20^th March – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
    • 21^st March – Newcastle, University
    • 22^nd March – Glasgow, St. Luke’s
    • 23^rd March – Edinburgh, Summerhall

Ozric Tentacles are regarded as one of the most influential bands to emerge from the UK’s festival scene, formed during the solstice at Stonehenge Free Festival 1983 going on to become psychedelic staples at Glastonbury and other festivals. The creative vision of multi-instrumentalist Ed Wynne, the Ozrics’ uniquely trippy soundscapes connect fans of progressive rock, psychedelia and dance music culture. After a prolonged hiatus the band released the 2020 album Space For The Earth (Kscope).

Ed Wynne is particularly looking forward to the tour: “I recently toured with Silas Wynne as an Electronic version of the band, but the opportunity to put together a full live again band after such a long hiatus is both daunting and exhilarating. One thing’s for sure though, this tour will be an amazing experience to share with all our fans.”

GONG

From its beginnings in a French commune in 1967, through the Virgin Records years, mismanagement, court cases, break-ups and rejoinings, deaths and rebirths – there has always been a continuous thread of beautiful, dangerous and extraordinary music. GONG recently performed with the Steve Hillage Band (himself a former member of the 1970s GONG line-up) and released the critically acclaimed album The Universe Also Collapses (Kscope, 2019). Gong’s musically diverse world includes shades of psychedelia, space rock, jazz, avant-garde, krautrock and surreal soundscapes. Gong have recently released a stunning new live album Pulsing Signals (Kscope, 2022) drawn from their 2019 UK tour.

Says Gong’s Kavus Torabi: “Gong and Ozric Tentacles have a long history together, but this is our first fully fledged, psychedelic double-dip, joint headline tour. Ever since The Ed Wynne Band played with Gong on our 2019 tour, we all agreed what a wonderful partnership this would make. I'm so happy that this will see fruition in November 2022. You can expect an outpouring of radiance and joy from both bands, it can't come around soon enough.”

The first Ozric Tentacles full-band tour for 8 years and the very first time both bands have shared the bill on a UK tour.

Iconic British band Ozric Tentacles have announced ‘Travelling The Great Circle’, an expansive new earbook release, featuring remastered music from one of the bands most creatively thrilling and acclaimed periods.

Travelling The Great Circle brings together the first four official studio albums released by Ozric Tentacles, one of the most influential bands to emerge from the UK’s festival scene. The creative vision of multi-instrumentalist Ed Wynne; ‘Pungent Effulgent’, ‘Erpland’, ‘Strangeitude’ and ‘Jurassic Shift’ are widely regarded by fans and critics alike as among the most important albums within the Ozrics’ rich catalogue and beyond it within the pantheon of psychedelic rock music.

This new 8-Disc set showcases a band in the ascent and at their most inspired. Fans are invited to delve into the Ozrics world with a collection of rare content collected from band members old and new, personal artifacts from close associates of the band and new Erpmen drawn by Ed Wynne. The 80-page Earbook also features original liner notes by Dominic Blake, rare photographs as well as hard to find audio and visual material.

Following the initial period of DIY cassette releases, the band formed their own label ‘Dovetail Records’ in 1989 with the release of their first “Official” album ‘Pungent Effulgent’. The album release combined with a busy touring schedule in the UK helped them gain an even wider following and catch the attention of the national music press.

Albums ‘Strangeitude’ and ‘Jurassic Shift’ were received to critical acclaim and charted in the UK at numbers 70 and 11 respectively. Now, in 2021, Kscope is bringing together the first four studio albums for the first time in one package, along with a bonus disc of ‘Demos & Rarities’ hand-picked and remastered by Ed Wynne. 1991 live album ‘Live Underslunky’ is also included, which showcases the band in scintillating form. The Earbook is rounded off with a DVD featuring the band at the height of their powers, performing to a sold out crowd at Brixton’s Fridge in 1991 along with various TV appearances from the era.

One of the most influential bands to emerge from the UK’s festival scene, Ozric Tentacles formed during the solstice at Stonehenge Free Festival 1983 going on to become psychedelic staples at Glastonbury and other festivals.  The creative vision of multi-instrumentalist Ed Wynne, the Ozrics’ uniquely trippy soundscapes connect fans of progressive rock, psychedelia and dance music culture.  Space For The Earth represents the next harmonic step in the unfolding Ozric journey.    

Written, programmed, recorded and produced throughout 2019/20 by Ed Wynne in ‘Blue Bubble Studios’ by the sea, this exploratory and diverse musical adventure comprises seven tracks spanning 45 minutes. Wynne feels that lockdown in a strange kind of way provided space for the Earth to breathe for a while and for people to rediscover its resonant healing frequency.  "This is space music for people from the Earth to enjoy".

These recordings find Ozrics’ synth player Silas Neptune and drummer Balázs Szende join forces again with Wynne on the album which also features special guest appearances from former members synth player Joie Hinton, drummer Nick Van Gelder, flautist Champignon and percussionist Paul Hankin.  Psychedelic voyager Gracerooms also contributes additional synth layers.

The album ebbs and flows through blissed-out soundscapes featuring incendiary guitar solos, space grooves and ambient atmospheres.   

Initially released in 2020, Space For The Earth is now repackaged alongside a bonus disc featuring 30 minutes of new music spread across 6 parts. A chance to revisit this modern classic from the psych-legends. 

O-Card 2CD edition of this album is available in limited quantities via Kscope now.