A beautiful follow up to Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield – even if the slow building success of that classic first album ended up literally bypassing the newer
Hergest Ridge on the charts at the time!
Hergest Ridge, like its famous predecessor, it's the album is of a piece, in 2 parts, and deeply layered blend of disparate instrumentation that works just beautifully. But
Hergest Ridge is a different feel, with more a pastoral, meditative experience – building slowing and achieving a kind of intensity more and more as it goes along, particularly in the second part. Innovative use of the studio abound, purportedly employing over a thousand electric guitar overdubs, but it all feels natural. This 2010 CD version includes new stereo mixes by Oldfield, plsu 2 short bonus tracks: the single b-side "In Dulci Jubio (For Maureen) plus "Spanish Tune" (previously unreleased 1974 promotional version) and a nice booklet of notes.
(Out of print 2010 Japanese SHMCD pressing, includes obi.)