Mike Oldfield is celebrating the 35th anniversary of his 1990 album Amarok with a special double-LP reissue. This new edition features half-speed remastering by renowned engineer Miles Showell. Amarok, released in May 1990 by Virgin Records, is Oldfield’s thirteenth studio album and is known for its unique format as a single sixty-minute track of continuous music.
For this anniversary edition, the composition has been divided into four fifteen-minute segments to improve audio quality. This is a change from the original release, which was split into two halves on a single LP. The new version also boasts enhanced sound thanks to the half-speed mastering process.
Oldfield played nearly all the instruments on the album, including some quirky items like “long thin metallic hanging tubes,” a nod to his famous 1973 album Tubular Bells. The instruments on Amarok range from traditional guitars and keyboards to unconventional items like shoes, spoons, and even a vacuum cleaner.
Oldfield originally intended Amarok as an “angry protest album” against Virgin Records, which he felt was not supportive of his work. He structured the album to be challenging for the label to market, avoiding radio-friendly sections. Most of the recording took place in his home studio, with Tubular Bells engineer Tom Newman as co-producer.
While Amarok didn’t chart highly, it did reach the top 50 in several European countries. Oldfield refused to rename it Tubular Bells II, keeping the title Amarok, inspired by Gaelic words for “morning” or “happy.”
You can order the half-speed mastered version of Mike Oldfield’s Amarok now!
