Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Tarkus on MFSL Hybrid SACD

Tarkus by Emerson, Lake & Palmer is presented as a premium individually numbered Hybrid SACD from MFSL – Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. This audiophile edition, catalogue number UDSACD 2313, was mastered by Neal Harris at Mobile Fidelity's California studio and comes in collectible mini-LP-style packaging.

Originally released in 1971, Tarkus is one of the landmark albums of classic progressive rock. Emerson, Lake & Palmer's second studio album combines virtuoso keyboard playing, complex time signatures, powerful rhythms and influences drawn from classical music, jazz and rock. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and also entered the Top 10 in the United States.

The monumental Tarkus suite

At the heart of the album is the almost 21-minute title composition Tarkus. The suite consists of seven connected sections: Eruption, Stones of Years, Iconoclast, Mass, Manticore, Battlefield and Aquatarkus.

The composition demonstrates why Emerson, Lake & Palmer became one of the most ambitious progressive rock groups of the 1970s. Keith Emerson's organ, piano and synthesizer work combines with Greg Lake's vocals and bass and Carl Palmer's inventive drumming. Quiet passages, complex rhythms and explosive musical sections continually alternate throughout the suite.

The second half of the album reveals another side of the trio. Jeremy Bender provides a lighter interlude with honky-tonk piano, while Bitches Crystal puts Emerson's piano playing firmly in the spotlight. The Only Way (Hymn) features a church pipe organ before moving into the jazz-oriented instrumental Infinite Space (Conclusion).

MFSL UDSACD 2313 – mastered by Neal Harris

For this numbered edition, Tarkus was mastered by engineer Neal Harris at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's California studio. The MFSL presentation focuses on clarity, dynamics, separation, imaging and the many subtle details contained within Emerson, Lake & Palmer's complex arrangements.

An album such as Tarkus, with its wide dynamic contrasts, Moog synthesizers, Hammond organ, piano, bass and extensive percussion, is particularly rewarding when reproduced through a high-quality hi-fi system.

What is a Hybrid SACD?

A Hybrid SACD contains two separate data layers. The standard CD layer can be played on virtually any conventional CD player. The SACD layer contains high-resolution audio in DSD format and can be accessed with an SACD player or another compatible universal disc player.

This means a Hybrid SACD combines the broad compatibility of a conventional compact disc with the high-resolution playback capabilities of SACD. An SACD player is therefore not essential if you simply want to play the standard CD layer.

Tracklist Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Tarkus

1. Tarkus
   1. Eruption
   2. Stones of Years
   3. Iconoclast
   4. Mass
   5. Manticore
   6. Battlefield
   7. Aquatarkus
2. Jeremy Bender
3. Bitches Crystal
4. The Only Way (Hymn)
5. Infinite Space (Conclusion)
6. A Time and a Place
7. Are You Ready Eddy?

Technical specifications Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Tarkus Hybrid SACD

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