81:03
release date:
Catalog#
Pressing information
Finally available for the first time ever on vinyl! Gatefold 2xLP on limited edition opaque white vinyl.
Tracks
- Absence
- Tower of Silence
- The Velvet Flood
- Return to Omma Dawn
- The Chrome Selected
- Ultra Norsk
- Hallucinus
- Tektur The Water
- Exisis
- 7759-60784-1-E
- Arctikal
release notes
“Warms with a cool atmospheric ’80s vibe that pulls in a breathtaking swirl of Faith-era Cure and mid-’90s atmospheric emo. Out of the ashes of Christie Front Drive came this brilliant dream shoegaze waving mystery that just enchants with a strange twist of nostalgia and ache for what has not yet happened.” – Big Takeover Magazine
After the breakup of popular Denver band Christie Front Drive singer/guitarist Eric Richter moved to New York and started Antarctica with other members from the local scene.
After touring in the summer of 1997 in support of their CD/EP 23:03, the band sequestered themselves for several months as they dove deep into the sounds of the NYC electronic music scene, revisited some of their favorite musical output from bands like The Church and Slowdive, and worked to meld the two musical aesthetics into something new and interesting.
In 1999 they enlisted Alap Momin (Dälek, The Lapse) to engineer and produce 81:03 in a way that both captured their electronic explorations and paid homage to their indie heritage. The result was extraordinary! The swooning, syncopated pop of New Order, the dark chill of Pornography-era Cure, the hypnotic pulse of Underworld, and the guitar harmonies of Ride and For Against. Originally released as a 2xCD in 1999 on File 13 Records, 81:03 is an expansive and textured example of electronic-infused dream pop and shoegaze music. It is dark, contemplative, and at the same time eerily uplifting. Almost 25 years later, 81:03 still feels fresh; like a modern soundtrack for those seeking moments of beauty in an increasingly troubled world.
81:03 is available digitally as well as a limited edition 2xLP pressing on opaque white vinyl. This is the first time any Antarctica material has appeared on vinyl.
release credits
Eric Richter - Guitar, Vocals
Chris Donohue - Guitar, Programming, Vocals
Ben Zimmerman - Bass
Nicole Waxenblatt - Keyboards
Glenn Maryansky - Drums
Originally recorded and engineered in 1999 by Alap Momin at Sweetwood Sound, Parsippany, NJ. Mixed by Alap Momin at Mix-O-Lydian, Lafayette, NJ. Remastered in 2023 by Collin Jordan at The Boiler Room, Chicago, IL. Art Direction and Photography by Glenn Maryansky.