King Crimson Islands (Dolby Atmos Remixes, Surround Remixes and Elemental Mixes) CD / Blu-ray

FORMAT:
1CD & 1Blu-Ray
Blu-Ray disc includes: -
All new 2026 mixes in Dolby
Atmos, DTS-HD MA Surround
(5.1) & 24/96 Hi-Res stereo.
All new 2026 Elemental mixes
in 24/96 Hi-Res stereo.
The Complete Recording
Sessions in 24/96 Hi-Res
stereo.
Live at Summit Studios in
Quadraphonic sound.
The 30 th anniversary master in
24/96 Hi-Res stereo
CD includes: -
New 2026 Steven Wilson
stereo mixes plus a selection
from the Elemental Mixes.
Barcode: 0633367 79922 7

• The complete recording sessions of Islands on 1 CD/1Blu-ray edition
•  Blu-ray features all new mixes of the album in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 DTS-HD MA
• 24/96 Surround & 24/96 Hi-Res Stereo by Steven Wilson
• All new Elemental Mixes of the entire album in 24/96 Hi-Res Stereo by David
  Singleton
• Blu-ray also features the 30 th anniversary remaster in 24/96
• Plus the complete recording sessions from September 1971 in 24/96 and Live at
  Summit Studios from March 1972 in Quadraphonic Sound
• Presented in a replica mini-vinyl style packaging with booklet including photos
  and sleevenotes from King Crimson biographer Sid Smith
• CD includes the 2026 Steven Wilson stereo album mix and a selection of Elemental Mixes

Robert Fripp: Guitar, Mellotron, Peter’s Pedal Harmonium & Sundry

Implements

Mel Collins: Flute, Bass Flute, Saxes & Vocals
Boz Burrell: Bass Guitar, Lead Vocals & Choreography
Ian Wallace: Drums, Percussion & Vocals
Peter Sinfield: Words, Sounds & Vision
King Crimson’s fourth album, 1971’s “Islands” was, for many years, somewhat
underappreciated in Crimson history; regarded simply as one of those albums between
undisputed classics “In the Court of the Crimson King” and “Larks’ Tongues in Aspic”. In more
recent times, the album has been reassessed, a process that began with the 2010 new
stereo and 5.1 mixes undertaken by Steven Wilson and Robert Fripp and continued with the
inclusions of ‘The Letters’ and ‘Sailor’s Tale’ and the title track in the 2014-2021 line-up’s live
sets. This shift in attitude towards the album from listeners old and new alike, was confirmed
when the 27 disc “Sailors’ Tales” boxed set, which featured extensive live recordings by the
“Islands” line-up, became one of the fastest selling of the celebrated King Crimson boxed set
series – a fitting testament to King Crimson’s second, albeit short-lived, live band.
So, with all of that taken into account, what’s left to be said or heard about the period?
Well, rather a lot as it turns out, as a fully utilised Blu-Ray disc and accompanying CD details:
Steven Wilson has returned to the album for a transformative Dolby Atmos mix. This work
also led to new stereo and 5.1 mixes being prepared. Steven is regarded as the pre-eminent
Dolby Atmos mix engineer for classic albums and his long-standing association with, and
understanding of, the King Crimson catalogue, makes his work with the band especially
sought by fans.
King Crimson producer/manager David Singleton has produced a set of Elemental mixes,
finding and mixing alternate takes and recordings that result in a curious “What if…?” an
approach to the material which has also proved extremely popular in recent years on the King
Crimson Blu-Ray releases and as standalone vinyl sets.
David and DGM in-house sound engineer Alex R. Mundy have also prepared a full set of
recording session mixes for the album, with all presented in hi-res stereo.
Two previously released inclusions complete the presentation, the quadraphonic mix of the
band’s live set at Summit Studios from 1972 – taken from the long-deleted “Sailors’ Tales” set
and, as is always the case with such releases, the original album mix is included in 24/96 hi-
res stereo.
The CD presents the complete album newly mixed by Steven Wilson and a selection of David
Singleton’s Elemental mixes.
“Islands” was the sole studio album by the Fripp, Collins, Burrell and Wallace line-up and the
last to feature Peter Sinfield as a full creative partner. It was the record that closed one
chapter of King Crimson history while quietly sketching the next. Historically, it captured the
band in a brief but amazingly fertile formation, with material developed under touring pressure
and recorded between live dates. Musically, it is where the group’s early sound was stretched
to its limit and began to fracture into something tougher, stranger and more open-ended.
While the album contains widely varying types of material across its six pieces - hints of the
future present on material such as ‘Sailor’s Tale’ with Fripp’s sharp guitar work and Collins’
searing saxophone sit comfortably alongside the purely orchestral ‘Prelude: Song of the Gulls’
– “Islands” has a cohesive story to tell as a collection of music and a reflection of King

Crimson at that particular moment in time, a story that can be heard, most completely, in this
release.

KCXP5014 Islands
Disc 1 CD
2026 mixes - Produced and Mixed by Steven Wilson
1. Formentera Lady
2. Sailor’s Tale
3. The Letters
4. Ladies of the Road
5. Prelude: Song of the Gulls
6. Islands
2026 Elemental Mix - Produced and Mixed by David Singleton
7. Formentera Lady
8. Sailor’s Tale
9. Ladies of the Road
10. Islands

Disc 2 Blu-Ray
I 2026 Dolby Atmos, DTS HD-MA 5.1 Surround & 24/96 Stereo
1. Formentera Lady
2. Sailor’s Tale
3. The Letters
4. Ladies of the Road
5. Prelude: Song of the Gulls
6. Islands
II 2026 Instrumental, 24/96 Stereo
1. Formentera Lady
2. The Letters
3. Ladies of the Road
4. Islands
III 2026 Elemental Mixes, 24/96 Stereo
1. Formentera Lady
2. Sailor’s Tale
3. The Letters
4. Ladies of the Road
5. Islands
6. Prelude: Song of the Gulls
IV Complete Recording Sessions, 24/96 Stereo
Islands Studios
July 22 nd , 1971 Ladies of The Road Early Uptempo Takes 1 & 2
Command Studios
Aug 2 nd , 1971 Ladies of The Road Takes 1 to 5
A Peacemaking Stint Unrolls Takes 1 to 3

Aug 25 th , 1971 Checking Levels
Ladies of The Road Take 1
Band Jam
Ladies of The Road Takes 2 to 4

Aug 26 th , 1971 Band Jam 2

Ladies of The Road Takes One to Five
Ladies of The Road Backing and Overdubs
Ladies of The Road Vocals and Overdubs

Sept 1 st , 1971 Ian Drum Check

The Letters Section One First Two Verses
The Letters Section Two Riff
The Letters Section Three Solo Takes 1 and 2
The Letters Section Four Last Two Verses
The Letters Intro Overdubs
The Letters Riff Overdubs
The Letters Vocals and Piano Last 2 Verses
The Letters Backing and Flute Last 2 Verses
Sept 8 th , 1971 Formentera Lady First Two Verses Takes 1 to 5
Formentera Lady Backing and Overdubs
Formentera Lady Vocals and Overdubs

Sept 9 th , 1971 Band Blow

Sailor's Tale Bass, Drums and Overdubs
Sailor's Tale Sax and Banjo Guitar Overdubs
Sailor's Tale Piano and Guitar Overdubs
Sailor's Tale Mellotron Overdubs
Oct 1 st , 1971 Prelude Rehearsals and Flute Takes 1 to 3

Islands Takes 1 and 2
Oct 2 nd , 1971 Prelude Takes 1 to 3
Oct 3 rd , 1971 Prelude Takes 1 and 2

Islands Master Piano, Guitar and Wind Overdubs
Islands Master Keys and Mellotron Overdubs
V Original Mixes - 30th Anniversary Master (24/96 Stereo)
1. Formentera Lady
2. Sailor’s Tale
3. The Letters
4. Ladies of the Road
5. Prelude: Song of the Gulls
6. Islands
VI Live at Summit Studios, March 1972 - Quadraphonic Sound
1. Pictures of a City
2. Cadence and Cascade
3. Groon
4. 21 st Century Schizoid Man
5. Improv: Summit Going On
6. My Hobby
7. The Sailor’s Tale
8. The Creator Has A Master Plan (including Summit and Something Else)