Stick Men, the progressive powerhouse featuring King Crimson’s Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto with multi-instrumentalist and composer Markus Reuter, return with their first new album in over a decade, Let’s THRAK Again, a Robert Fripp-sanctioned homage to King Crimson’s THRAK.
The trio have released an early preview of the collection with today’s arrival of “Swimming in Tea” (https://zebralution.lnk.to/SwimmingInTea), the only vocal performance on the record with Reuter stepping up to the microphone before the song erupts into one of Levin’s signature Chapman Stick solos.
The album is presented as two entirely distinct versions. Reel One, mixed by Stefano Castagna (producer/engineer for Super Eurobeat and founder of Ritmo & Blu Studio) and Reel Two, mixed by Fabio Trentini (producer/engineer and bassist for H-Blockx and Guano Apes). The two versions feature different mixes, alternate track sequences, and contrasting sonic perspectives that transform the material into two distinct listening experiences.
“Let’s THRAK Again is 60 minutes of pure, kinetic energy,” notes the band. “We didn’t just write 12 new compositions; we designed an entirely new sonic vocabulary for them.”
Reflecting on the two reels concept, the trio adds: “Our audience listens deeply. They don’t just want to hear the notes; they want to understand the architecture of the sound. By having Stefano and Fabio approach the exact same music with completely different visions, we are handing the listener the ultimate audiophile puzzle. It’s a roll of the dice, a sonic triptych, and a tribute to the heavy, mechanical impact of the original THRAK era.”
Pre-orders for the Sept. 4 release are available now via Bandcamp (https://stickmen.bandcamp.com/album/lets-thrak-again-reel-one) with the 26-song collection available on vinyl, CD, and digitally.