One of the most influential bands to emerge from the UK's festival scene, Ozric Tentacles layer ambient and ethereal landscapes with freeform dub trips, incredible rave grooves and psychedelic progressive rock. It's an open exploration of music and the soul.
A raggle-taggle, unpretentious assortment of punk-infused, dreadlocked hippies, since 1983 the Ozric Tentacles wove psychedelic audio-tapestries that captured the almost dangerous musical diversity of the free festival scene, blending acid rock with dub, reggae, ethnic world music and electronic, jazzy experimentation. This was the soundtrack to the herbfragranced, alternative lifestyle that wound its way around country lanes looking for a place to set up and party, away from the psychoses of corporate life.
The Hidden Step is the bands ninth studio album and was released in 2000. It was their last to include bassist Zia Ahmad Geelani (except for the track Oakum on Spirals in Hyperspace) and drummer "Rad" (Conrad Prince). It was also the first Ozric Tentacles album that does not feature a cover by the artist Blim; the cover art, by guitarist Ed Wynne, features his cat Pixel.
Ozric Tentacles have just released their critically acclaimed sixteenth new studio album 'Lotus Unfolding' and will be heading out on extensive UK tours with fellow label mates Gong for co-headline tours at the end of 2023 and in early 2024 with further dates to be announced!
Incorporating ground-breaking sounds, the band entered the new millennium with a fresh style. The Hidden Step has been remastered by Ed Wynne and is available on classic black vinyl in a single sleeve via Kscope.
