Twelves (Dinked Archive Edition #24)

First time vinyl pressing of these remastered 12”/EP tracks.  Originally released in the 80s / 1990, on the  Chapter 22 / Head / Situation 2 labels.  

16 Dreams 12” (Head)  released 1986

Spinning  7” /12” (Head)  released 1987

Collision  7”/12” (Chapter 22) released 1988

Black Sun  12” (Chapter 22) released 1988

Arc-Lite  7”/12”/CD5  (Situation 2)  released  1989

Primsma Uber Europa  12” (Beggars) released 1991  (Live Promo only)

Formed in South London in the mid-1980s by Robert Hampson, Loop blazed a trail with their potent mix of motorik beats and heavy guitar riffs, recording a trio of brilliant albums that set the indie charts alight before imploding in 1990 after the release of album number three, A Gilded Eternity. As critics enthused at the time, Loop were the sound of Suicide jamming with the Stooges aboard a spaceship built by Hawkwind and piloted by CAN. They were post-psychedelic, pre-shoegaze figureheads in a world of anodyne pop jangle and baggy rhythms, and even their closest contemporaries like Spacemen 3 and My Bloody Valentine didn’t plough such a distinctive furrow as theirs.  

“Twelves” details:

Remastered from the original tapes by Kevin Metcalf and then  reissued for the first time in 2009 as part of the WORLD IN YOUR EYES 3CD set on Reactor. Now re-mastered for vinyl and re-cut to lacquers by Shawn Joseph  /Optimum Mastering and issued as TWELVES. (ref: the 3 x 7” set SEVENS released 2020)

Each side of this 3LP set has one of the 12”s in full,  16 Dreams / Spinning / Collision / Black Sun / Arc-Lite..as well as the promo only LIVE 12”  Prisma Uber Europa.  The 12” cover of each LP has the relevant  sleeve on each side to recreate the original sleeve image, and each 12” side will have labels as close to the original designs as possible. 

Hear Loop expand their sound from the Stooges / Velvets / garage pyschout  of “16 Dreams”, into the “Spinning” era and then develop their motorik fuzzed-out nihilistic pummel through the “Collision” and “Black Sun” EPs to finish this set with the “Arc-Lite” side, possibly Loop at their most visceral.   Unable to be pigeon holed  like  most bands of this time, their live shows also wiped the floor with everyone as evidenced on the “Prisma Uber Europa” 12”.  

Not reissued on vinyl when first remastered,  now its time.  PLAY LOUD 

The 2009 3CD version will also be reissued too…All the band's 12-inches and compilation tracks in chronological order, with some demo tracks along the way, featuring tracks from the very first Loop demo, "16 Dreams" single, "Spinning", "Collision", "Black Sun" and "Arclite" as well as the Nick Drake tribute on Imaginary, the Neil Young tribute Comp on No. 6 Records, the "promo" Live 12", and even the Godflesh cover version from their split on Clawfist.

Loop reformed in 2013 to headline /curate one of the last ATP Festivals,  following the great response to the remastered reissues of2008/2009.   Hampson then re-grouped wit ha new LOOP Lineup and  recorded a  new LOOP  EP  “Array”  in 2015.  

In 2022 LOOP released a widely acclaimed new album “Sonancy” on Cooking Vinyl.  

Side A    16 Dreams 

16 Dreams

Head On

Burning World

Side B   Spinning

Spinning (Parts 1&2)

Brittle Head Girl

Deep Hit

Side C Collision

Collision

Crawling Heart

Thief Of Fire (Written-By – The Pop Group)

Thief (Motherfucker)  (Written-By – The Pop Group)

Side D   Black Sun

Black Sun

Circle Grave

Mother Sky  (Written-By – Can)

Side E   Arc-Lite

Arc-Lite (Sonar)

Arc-Lite (Radar)

Sunburst

Arc-Lite (Radiated)

Side F  Prisma Uber Europa

Afterglow (Live)

Got To Get It Over (Live)

Burning World (Live)