Pink Floyd's Animals 2018 Remix by James Guthrie Finally Arriving on 180g LP September 16; Deluxe Gatefold Multidisc Version Set for October 7

Have you heard the news? Just like the headline says, Pink Floyd's Animals 2018 Remix by James Guthrie is finally arriving on September 16 on 180g LP via Pink Floyd Records/Sony Music. A Deluxe Gatefold Multidisc Version containing 1LP/1CD/1DVD/1BD will then follow on October 7.

The facts are these: Pink Floyd's 10th studio album, January 1977's Animals, has been remixed for the first time by the band's longtime producer/engineer James Guthrie for the edition that's been officially titled Animals 2018 Remix. The album was remastered for vinyl by Guthrie, Joel Plante, and Bernie Grundman.

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In addition to the 180g black vinyl gatefold version, Animals 2018 Remix will also be made available as a standalone CD, Blu-ray, and SACD. The multidisc Deluxe Gatefold version includes an LP, CD, DVD, and Blu-ray, as well as a 32-page booklet. The Blu-ray and DVD both include the 2018 remix in stereo and in 5.1 (both by James Guthrie), as well as the original 1977 stereo mix. The 32-page booklet features rarely seen, behind the scenes photos of the album sleeve shoot along with live images and other Floydian memorabilia. The album artwork has been reimagined for this release, as you can see all throughout this story.

Speaking of said Animals artwork, you'll recall the original cover shot shows an inflatable pig (now known as Algie) floating between two chimneys of the Battersea Power Station in London as conceived by bassist/vocalist Roger Waters, and designed by longtime Floyd collaborator, the late, great Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis Studios.

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For this new release, the artwork has been redesigned for the modern era by Storm’s Hipgnosis partner Aubrey “Po” Powell. Taking new shots of the building as it appeared during its recent conversion work, Po experimented with new angles to produce some striking new takes on the classic original. As Po put it in the official press release from the Pink Floyd PR team, “With the original 1977 album cover being such an iconic piece of standalone art, I had the chance to update it, which was a rather daunting task, but Hipgnosis took the opportunity to re-photograph the image to reflect a changing world, and by using modern digital colouring [British spelling very much intended –MM] techniques I kept Pink Floyd’s rather bleak message of moral decay using the Orwellian themes of animals, [and] the pig ‘Algie,’ faithful to the message of the album.”

Acoustic Sounds major domo Chad Kassem told me directly yesterday (i.e., on July 7) that, quote, ”Animals is big news, as it shot up to our top seller the moment it was released on our web site.).” Considering how much I love the way Pink Floyd's catalog releases, not to mention Roger Waters September 1992 solo album Amused to Death, have sounded on their vinyl reissue editions in recent years (and not just because I got to watch Floyd's The Endless River firsthand as it was being pressed back in 2014), I expect, well truly outstanding things from this Animals 2018 Remix edition, and I will personally be reviewing it here on Analog Planet upon release.

Share your thoughts about the original Animals 1977 edition and the forthcoming Animals 2018 Remix version in the Comments section below, won't you? You know that I care what happens to you. . .

Music Direct Buy It Now

PINK FLOYD: ANIMALS 2018 REMIX
180g LP (Pink Floyd Records/Sony Music)

Side A
1. Pigs on the Wing (Part One)
2. Dogs

Side B
1. Pigs (Three Different Ones)
2. Sheep
3. Pigs on the Wing (Part Two)

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COMMENTS
Static's picture

Finally getting around to releasing this remix! I have to admit that I did not think it would come out so soon. After reading about the problems inter band. No matter it is coming. Hopefully they have gotten the kinks out of the new remasters. I currently compare the newest cd remaster and the 24/192 download and the 2016 vinyl press. I also have the 1991 cd release and the 1977 Japanese pressing 25AP-340 for future comparison. All the releases have good and bad points. The new vinyl/download and cd all share an expansive new soundstage and a clean sound. Fantastic quality. But with all good comes bad. The 1991 and Japanese pressings differ greatly. Gone is the extreme soundstage and cleanliness. Instead you get the rawness of the band. In the case of the vinyl..it is like they are in the room with you. David's guitar is scorching on the cd and Japanese vinyl. Roger and David's vocals are powerful and you can actually hear all the effects on tone on Roger Water's bass guitar. Also you can actually hear the words on the "prayer" section of Sheep. On my new versions you can barely hear it (in comparison) and the bass guitar is mixed so low in the mix that it is almost wiped out. So I own both and enjoy both for different reasons. Again this an opinion from a long time fan. Hopefully they have created a new mix that will bring back the raw energy- bass guitar clarity-vocal rawness - and effects clarity while keeping the new versions sweeping sound stage and keyboard washes in intact. IMO it is important that they have somehow brought all these critical combinations together in a cohesive package. The worst thing they could do is to mix it like a "modern" recording. I cant wait to see.

dial's picture

No outtakes, video or live shows ?!

Mike Mettler's picture
I'm cool with the Animals 2018 Remix release as is, especially since we finally get to experience Guthrie's 5.1 version. Don't forget, Pink Floyd does not have a tradition of adding bonus material to any of their straight album remixes/reissues per se. Most album-related bonus material is destined for their bigger box sets to start, then they periodically (re)issue them separately (see how they've done so in recent years with Momentary Lapse Remixed & Updated, Live at Knebworth, et al).

Since we already have The Early Years and The Later Years box sets, The Middle Years seems almost inevitable for the Dark Side, Wish, and Animals periods inclusive. As we know, and as many of us already have via "other options," there are certainly a number of good live recordings from the Animals touring era and working demos/outtakes accordingly.

arcman67's picture

I'll get the super Deluxe version so I can have the Hi Rez versions as well as the LP

Steelhead's picture

Well this title should have no problem with racking up some impressive sales.

I pulled my original pressing out last night and guess the last time I spun it was 2013 as that was when it was labeled with the Mofi Enzyme, Record cleaner rinse, SOTA lpc vac cleaner and LAST record treatment.

The vinyl was flimsy but it played beautifully with dead silent backgrounds and no hash, pops, or ticks.

Glad for the publicity to have me pull this and listen. I do need to listen to Floyd other than the obligatory Dark Side.

If you don't have this one definitely buy it.

Happy Spinning.

Analogue+Fan's picture

I think they're on the wrong website, and this maybe should have been posted on Stereophile.

garrard701's picture

This is my favorite PF album, so I was hoping to see an Immersion edition (as we did for the albums surrounding it: DSOTM, WYWH, The Wall). A new stereo remix is nice, but the original mix still sounds excellent to me. The two main "bonus tracks" I was hoping for were the studio takes of "Raving and Drooling" and "You’ve Got To Be Crazy"... but there's already live versions (from Wembley 1974) on the WYWH Immersion. I have heard rumors of an unreleased quad mix, but the new 5.1 should be fine. And there's plenty of live tapes -- often fan made -- of the Animals tour. So it would have been great to get official releases of those. Still, I'm happy for just any new product that will provide better fidelity; it just seems like a missed opportunity. Especially since this was the missing piece in their reissue discography: Early Years and Later Years cover the periods outside the "golden era," which is covered by the Immersion boxes... except in the case of "Animals."

Mike Mettler's picture
I too would love to see an Immersion edition of Animals, but that's probably a pipe (tailgunners) dream at this point. Why? Because the three Immersion editions you note -- and I have and love all three of 'em myself! -- came out when the Floyd catalog was under the Capitol/UMe umbrella.

After the catalog went over to the Sony Music universe, the Early/Later Years boxes essentially superseded the Immersion series. Let's just hope for a Middle Years box set to come, as I alluded to in another, previous comment. Knowing how the Floyd reissue machine operates, it seems practically inevitable, one would think...

MrRom92's picture

Not really sure what the point of remixing this one would be.

42N8's picture

…still holding out for coasters, marbles and tchotchkes. :)

Seriously, the deluxe set looks to be pretty much what’s needed. The LP may be over the top, but the BluRay has all the musical goodies and the DVD/CD provide backward compatibility. The booklet will be interesting. Have the SACD and deluxe set on order, but based on the 2018 reissue vs the ‘77 UK first issue, I’m hoping this set leans toward the raw sound Static described.

And yes, the What Do You Want From Me lyric is the wrong album…guess I’ll have to work on points for style.

Mike Mettler's picture
...quite a lot about the Animals 2018 Remix on vinyl, early Pink Floyd albums in mono, the new 2022 PF recording "Hey Hey Rise Up!" and more in our exclusive interview, which is now posted here. Check it out...
lennyw's picture

As this is analogue planet, I was hoping there'd be some info about the remixing and provenance of the LP. Are we talking AAA or ADA? For me, once there's a D in there, I'm sticking with D (ie ADD). No point in going back to A imho.

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