Jon Anderson : Olias of Sunhillow - LP 180g Vinyl, Limited, Numbered, Remastered

Jon Anderson nearly drove himself mad while working on “Olias Of Sunhillow”. That’s not just a figure of speech: by his own account, the Yes singer pushed himself to his absolute limits while working on his first solo album, to the point where he began to question his creative decisions and his mental state. But Anderson’s labor of love ultimately culminated in a cosmic masterpiece that immediately became a beloved prog-psychedelic hybrid and is considered one of the most revered cult classics in rock history.

 Inspired by Vera Stanley Adler’s novel “The Initiation Of The World,” Anderson developed a story about four native tribes – Nagrunium, Asatranius, Oractaniom and Nordranious – each existing through a distinct musical consciousness, whose home planet Sunhillow is threatened by a volcanic eruption. Grand in scope, symphonic in scale, and epic in execution – Anderson went so far as to write four separate compositional motifs to represent each of the tribes, taught himself to play dozens of instruments; invented a language and unique voices for “Sound Out The Galleon,” used more than 100 tracks for the album’s production; and spent grueling days synchronizing everything during the mixing phase, which he finally succeeded in doing after falling asleep at the mixing console – “Olias Of Sunhillow” invites listeners to embark on a truly wondrous journey.

Lovingly remastered from the original tapes at MoFi’s California studio and pressed on 180-gram vinyl by Fidelity Record Pressing, this LP (33 RPM) presents this classic for the first time in audiophile reference quality: With spectacular spatial depth and meticulous attention to detail, this collectible reissue – marking the album’s 50th anniversary – celebrates the complexity of Anderson’s extravagant repertoire of ambient soundscapes and New Age synthesizers. His unmistakable vocals unfold against a black backdrop, allowing the listener to immerse themselves deeply in this captivating music. The numbered LP from MFSL, strictly limited to 2,000 copies, showcases the British legend’s wealth of exotic and familiar instruments – he famously played every single note on the album himself – in an even more impressive way! The super-deluxe packaging by Stoughton Printing is a faithful reproduction of the original gatefold cover with a fold-out inner sleeve and embossed surface.