COLOURBOX: in conjunction with fine arts photographer, Wolfgang Tillmans

22nd April 2017

Title: Music of the Band (1982-1987)

Label: 4AD

If you had a casual relationship with the legendary early days of the 4AD label, you may have missed one of the label’s earliest singings, Colourbox. A band that took sampling seriously, a comparative rarity at that time. The music combined soul-like R&B-esque presentation as well as slices of dub and industrial creations. Their achievements would peak with their work on the ‘M/A/R/R/S’ classic track Pump Up the Volume which keyed into the then underground dance movement.

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To coincide with fine art photographer and Turner prize winner, Wolfgang Tillmans’ first major exhibition at the Tate Modern in London, this double album celebration of Colourbox, has been released as a limited edition.

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The 16 tracks that span the four vinyl sides were actually chosen by Tillman, who was an early fan of the group.

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This release stems from an earlier project from Tillmans that took place in 2014. The original idea was to play the songs on a loop at a conceptual playback listening space at Tillmans’ Berlin gallery, Between Bridges.

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The original Between Bridges Colourbox display

That featured both lyrics and samples on the walls and where copies of the v23-designed records sat alongside original session ½” and ¼” tape reels.

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The original Between Bridges Colourbox display

A limited number of CDs featuring those exhibition tracks were made available at this 2014 exhibition.

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The CD issue from the Between Bridges event – compiled by Tillmans

Tillmans recently commented that, “The band worked in a seeming contrast of pure artistic research in the studio and an anti-intellectual stance towards the outside world.”

Wolfgang Tillmans

This new vinyl edition, which is a work of analogue art in itself, incorporates a new variation of the Tillmans-designed CD sleeve. Nicely mastered, the compilation includes the 7” versions of Baby I Love You So and The Moon is Blue. In addition, a 24bit/96kHz hi-res version is available.

This edition can only be purchased via 4ad.com or London’s Tate Modern.