"Re-donning the old sou'wester" - The latest Esoteric re-issue from Anthony Phillips, Sail The World, put under the spotlight by Alan Hewitt.
The Sail The World album is another one with a somewhat chequered history. Having been asked to write a demo for consideration for a promotional video for the Whitbread Round The World Yacht Race. The theme was eventually used in a programme tracing the first twenty years of the race which was broadcast in the wee small hours on 29th September 1992 - I remember it well! Out of that came the opportunity for Ant to write the music to accompany what was to be a thirty five week series of programmes covering the race as it progressed around the globe. The resulting album : Sail The World was released by Voiceprint Records in 1994 and subsequently reissued by them in 2010 with three extra tracks added. Here we are again, fifteen years later with an appropriate fifteen extra tracks added to the new Esoteric edition. Now what you have to bear in mind with an album such as this is that it is, by its very nature, episodic . The music was designed to fit specific visuals and titles such as Opening Theme, Fast Work and In The Doldrums do exactly what they say on the tin. Others are of a more vague stamp and do not necessarily require the visual accompaniment for the listener to enjoy them. The reissue contains a vastly improved original album benefitting from today's technology although some of the keyboards still sound dated but that's the nature of things. The second disc is where things get interesting for collectors as it is here that things get interesting. As the detailed sleeve notes by Ant’s archivist, Jonathan Dann make clear, several of these tracks were destined for inclusion on library albums (you know those pesky releases which mere mortals aren't supposed to hear) this includes The Dream Race, another up tempo synth driven piece. Epic Whales would not have been out of place on the first Missing Links album, a dense, dark and dramatic piece. The same can be said of World Piece which features Ant’s long time percussive partner, Joji Hirota. For me this has echoes of the music from Land Of Dragons. Others such as Temple and Playmaker showcase a wide variety of instrumentation and it is great to be able to hear them at last. The album was never going to be Ant’s greatest nor will it appeal to all of his fans but for those prepared to give it the time, it will reward your patience with some fine music.