The High Llamas’ classic 90s output comes back to life on vinyl for the first time in over twenty years: 1992's Santa Barbara, 1994's Gideon Gaye, 1996's Hawaii, 1998's Cold And Bouncy and the pairing remix album Lollo Rosso, and 1999's Snowbug. The vibrant and colorful sweep of this remarkable six-album arc shines in new pressings of the original masters, releasing November 22 — including the first-ever vinyl pressing for their debut album, Santa Barbara.
The High Llamas were founded by Sean O'Hagan, Jon Fell, Marcus Holdaway and Rob Allum, as Sean was emerging from a high-flying eight year run with Microdisney. After debuting as a tart and sweet guitar-pop act with a reasonably definable bent on Santa Barbara, Sean fell in with Stereolab; his adventures in their art-band collective, playing space-age batchelor pad music, profoundly influenced the delightful extremities that were to come. Shifting to a piano-based sound and obsessively chasing retro aspects of 60s and 70s production to dizzying new heights, The High Llamas put a marvelously austere frame around O’Hagan’s already-filmic song constructions to create their second album, Gideon Gaye — the sound of which gobsmacked grunge-soaked listeners with its new twist on classic art-pop design elements.
Energized by the breakthroughs of Gideon Gaye, The High Llamas went all-in, producing two widescreen epics for the 90s: Hawaii in 1996, and Cold And Bouncy in 1998. Hawaii charted an alternative path to and through America, discovering fresh iterations of exotica, soundtrack expressionism and jazz while forming a singular conception of neo-Americana in its exquisite sweep. One year later, Cold And Bouncy delivered again, organically incorporating the glitch, dub and electronic inspirations burbling up from the underground into the Llamas signature sound. Its subsequent remix album Lollo Rosso featured marvelously creative EDM remakes from some of the best powerbook players of the day: Mouse On Mars, Jim O’Rourke, Kid Loco, Schneider TM, Stock, Hausen & Walkman, Cornelius and The High Llamas themselves. Then, after the high times and critical-mass arrangements of the previous two records, 1999's Snowbug exuded a breezy, spare, morning-after vibe — an underrated gem edified by all manner of world-folk and classic Brazilian pop. And with that, the 90s were over... but The High Llamas were only getting started.
Delve into the ocean of sounds that The High Llamas sailed on their first voyages on November 22, when these six titles (available now for pre-order) are finally back in print! | 
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