THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON - IMMERSION EDITION

Dark Side of the Box Set

The Immersion Box Set of Pink Floyd's remastered 'Dark Side of the Moon' has been stirring up the frenzied Floyd fanatics and is certainly an incredible treasure for those who can afford it, costing a cool $150 in some Australian stores. The packaging alone is worth consideration. It comes in an attractive album sized box with the multi prism effect emblazoned on the cover just to prove that this is something special. Inside the box is a treasure trove of DSOTM goodies ranging from essential (artwork booklet) to the plain ridiculous (bag of 3 marbles with early designs). The marbles are perhaps the reason this comes with a 14+ choking hazard warning, a weird thing to have on a box set. There is a massive book edited by Jill Furmanovsky and is 20 pages of brilliant colour art. The art print that goes with it is worth framing, created by Roy Lichtenstein. There is also a huge perfect- bound 40 page photo booklet designed by Storm. The album sized booklet is a massive tribute to the making of the album with huge artworks of all the variations of the pyramid design and of course lots of 70s era Pink Floyd photos and info on how this thing was created. 9 exclusive coasters come with this featuring early Storm designs. All of the Discs are repackaged CD covers with similar labels making this look like one almighty mammoth collection. The other features contained in little black envelopes, are 5 collector cards with art and comments by Storm, (one has a little horse on a bald head, and another with a swimmer in the sand), a replica ticket, 12 page credits booklet, a scarf and facsimile backstage pass. One interesting piece is the 'questions for assorted lunatics' an envelope with replica of Water's writing about the questions asked to various recipients for narration. He finishes his writing with 'End of story', so I guess this really is the end.

The Storm Thorgerson designed book deserves some attention at this stage. 27cm each side it looks like an album and is gloriously illustrated. There are photos of pyramids, and prisms galore. The newspaper clippings and inspirations such as Silver Surfer are a nice touch. All the album covers are reproduced in album size and the lyrics are here with similar design background to the remastered DSOTM released years ago except everything is upsized. There is a delightful spread of about 30 variations on the pyramid design. It is not volumous, one could read it easily by the time the final heartbeat dies down and the album ends, but it is nice eye candy to go with the ear candy. The other book is the same size with the famous face palm cover, and works as a kind of 1974 tour program with heaps of photos, some rare and unseen, little to no info at all, and many concert pix to go with the studio pix.

Onto the music which consists of 3 CDs and 2 DVDs and a Blu-ray. Disc 1 is the remastered original album and as always it is a wonderful musical feast. I did not notice huge differences in the music but the sound tends to be clearer then the SACD 2003 edition and noticeably you can hear instruments mixed to the front in places and the narrative voices are more distinct. This is the way to hear DSOTM no doubt and of course this version is now available as a single album if one cannot afford the lavish box set. It is a brilliant album that every prog lover should own, but I was more looking forward to the other CDs with music I had never heard.

Disc 2 is a previously unreleased live Wembley performance from 1974 and it is always a treat hearing the band when they were gaining popularity and were still rough about the edges. This is the same performance found on CD2 of 'DSOTM Experience Edition'.

'Breathe' has a lengthy intro with all sorts of voices, similar to the version on 'Pulse' DVD. Gilmour is a solo voice without the heavy emphasis on harmony so this is very raw. 'On the Run' is similar to the album but a pronounced announcer voice makes a change. The footsteps are quite loud and Wright has a field day on the synth. There is an elongated section before we hear the first laugh. The boom crash sounds are very effective and menacing. The plane fly overs are mixed to the front and exude a spacey atmosphere. The dark overtones of mechanized groans, propellers and swishes add to a cacophony of explosive effects. The cataclysm lasts for quite a while, roaring with the foosteps fading back in. the crowd cheer after being stunned out of their minds then there is a sudden paroxysm of bells and chimes, the way we would all recognize. 'Time' begins with signature guitar notes and sporadic percussion trade offs. The feel is different here noticeably the way the drums keep a consistent rhythm of triplets. Gilmour's voice is younger so he sounds different in the high register than on recent performances. Waters also sings the low part along with him. It is nice to hear Wright sing the chorus part back in the 70s. The lead solo is excellent as always and quite different than how Gilmour played it in the 'Division Bell' era.

Now onto 'The Great Gig in the Sky' and the part I always look forward to is to hear the ladies pound out that soulful wailing vocal solo. I was disappointed. I know I shouldn't be as this was the era when the band were at their best. However the melody is really strangled out of recognition here. There is a lot of moaning and raspy cries but it loses it's beauty for me. The ladies, Vanessa and Carlena, are not worried about the original version at all and seem to be improvising vocals as the mood hits them. They don't take turns either doing the sections one at a time, as there are noticeably two ladies singing the first part. They scream and wail a lot but it is nothing like the versions you would be used to available on DVD. At one point one lady sounds like she is giving childbirth. It appears that back in the 70s the band were not really interested in presenting a soundalike album representation of this but that changed over the years. The crowd are silent really during the breaks which again is unlike how it ended up in the more recent years. The second quieter section is still beautiful and mesmirising. One lady sings high parts and the other is on the low end. It is effective but still not as magical as more recent versions. The last bit is satisfactory, though quite raspy and strained, the ladies trade off each other but they are not singing as well as one might expect. I thought it was still moving in some ways, but I am so used to hearing this section done at least similar to the original album so that this was a real letdown. It seemed to go on too long as well, the ladies improvise for quite some time in the end section but I like the way the money starts to chink during this, building to the next track.

'Money' follows and it is a showstopper as always. The riff is great with Waters and Gilmour at their best. Gilmour is more aggressive on vocals in this performance. The guitar solo is masterful, Gilmour really shines and improvises many licks I had not hear him play before. The crowd show appreciation during this section that is quite lengthy. The girls don't do their 'woo's' here either which was an improvement. The real difference in the music is the absence of sax and pronounced female vocals. You hear them mixed to the back which works okay. It is great just to hear Gilmour jamming eloquent with the boys. It segues back to the main riff beautifully with a variation in style. Gilmour also doesn't emphasize the falsetto 'away' as he tended to do in later years. The narrative voice comes in and I like the words 'he was cruising for a bruisin'' spoken by a female protagonist. It blends into 'Us and Them'.

The version of 'Us and Them' begins with a similar feel, a soft jazzy say resounds and Wright plays subtle chords on organ. The sung parts are analogous to the original except the echoes are performed by the ladies. I kind of liked this as it works on a different level, as if the ladies are answering Gilmour's pleas for answers. One lady even whispers the last few echoes giving it a sensuous quality. The chorus builds very strongly with the female vocals and harmonies of Waters working well. The sax solo is divine, very moving and beautifully executed. This is one of the best live performances I have heard of this song.

I was expecting 'Any Colour You Like' to be very different than the original, and I was not wrong. Wright has a dominant synth sound that is almost 80s retro. It is a wonderful moment on the live album, and gives Wright a chance to show his finesse at the keyboards. The powerful staccato hammered organ blasts that follow are incredible along with psychedelic guitar licks. The quality of the sound is indisputable, and shows how powerful the band were in the 70s. Gilmour brings it down to a softer melody and jams along gently with Water's bassline and ambient keys. The sound is almost stripped down to silence in places, and the ladies chime in now and then to add a balance of beauty. A mesmirising performance on this track that should be heard more often. The moods of tension and release are terrific. The band release back to a loose jamming style to end the piece, which would have to be one of the longest versions I have heard.

The question on my mind when coming to 'Brain Damage' is will the effects be as pronounced as on the early mix of the album, that is lunatic laughing and weird narratives. The vocals are raw coming from a different source than Gilmour who took over eventually. The chorus also has rawer harmonies, with the ladies sounding similar to the album. The laughter does come but it is the version from the finished album. The crowd laughter is loud as the projections on the wall would cause as much controversy as they did when Thatcher took over. It merges seamlessly into 'Eclipse' as expected. The finale is great but the first section is not as loud and bombastic as other live versions I heard. It builds gradually, the ladies sound great on soulful vocals, echoing the lyrics. The bell tolling at the end is a nice touch, quite ominous, and then we hear 'thank you very much, see you again' from Gilmour. The bell dies down and all that is left is a clapping manic crowd wanting more.

Disc 3 is a DVD with audio only high resolution sound of the beloved album. The multi channel audio mixes are fascinating if you have the gear to hear them with. There's a 5.1 surround mix: a spectrum of sound, a 1973 quad mix which is quite different with the speaker panning and booming bass, an LPCM stereo mix the same as original LP, and two other even higher quality mixes. Admittedly this may be overkill but it's here if you want it. Disc 4 is more interesting for me, a 101 minute DVD with concert footage. It begins with very early footage of 'Careful With That Axe, Eugene' Live In Brighton 1972 (previously unreleased on DVD), then 'Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun' from the same concert. Then there is a great 2003 documentary on the making of DSOTM. This is followed by 1 hour of concert Screen Films, and we get concert screen film footage from British Tour 1974, French Tour 1974 and North American Tour 1975. All of the concert screen films are also here in 5.1 surround or LCPM audio. I am not sure why the whole album is not represented in concert format as they definitely have the material and this is the place to release it I would have thought. I guess we will just have to watch 'Pulse' again.

Disc 4 is a Blu ray of everything on the DVDs except packaged on one disc. It is higher quality sound with high resolution at 96kHz/ 24 bit. There is no higher quality version of DSOTM than you will hear on this, and it is one to relish with the curtains drawn and the sound booming with scare-your-neighbours intensity. It perhaps renders the DVD audio obsolete as this is a way better resolution, and the same applies for the concert footage and docos. Another point is that while the music is playing audio only there is no image on the screen to view so that is surprising as even some cover images from the booklet would have helped.

Now, after I have recovered, onto Disc 5: the archival 'Early Mix 1972 recordings' supervised by Alan Parsons. 'Breathe (In The Air)' is not a lot of difference except no effects intro at all and a more laid back dreamy approach. The vocal mix is almost the same except I hear a different harmony that was not as noticeable on the original.

'On The Run' is a very different mix with louder footsteps and varied synth sounds unheard on original. Main difference is the audible loud panting that fairly dominates the recording. This is interesting though and perhaps a lot more unique than other early mix tracks. I liked the ambulance sounds chasing our protagonist and the spacey effects are lengthy. The track is longer and not as tight as the original. There is a definite experimental feel with the mixer effect slowing in parts and there is no plane crash at the end or laughing, it just fades out.

'Time' is similar except louder clocks at the beginning. The instrumental section that follows has the echoed drums and guitar notes but the sound is fuzzier. During the chorus sections there is a loud low synth buzz that is very effective. The solo is a bit different in the sound but overall the same as it would be the same take only mixed differently of course. The ladies are more prominent in places. 'Breathe reprise' is virtually the same.

'The Great Gig In The Sky' begins with the beautiful Wright composition, gently building to the legendary Clare Torry solo and then we hear the drums come in and - no female vocals at all! So without Clare Torry this is a very strange experience. That was a weird surprise, and then some distorted message from Appollo 17 chirps in, the space message signaled voice over transforms this track from paean to death to a NASA space homage. Interesting variation but that was definitely bizarre and makes one glad they changed their minds on this one.

'Money' has virtually the same intro effect and the riff is familiar though I think the reverb twangs are mixed to the back. The vocals have an identical sound with the slight echo or layered voice effect that we are so used to. The instrumental break is quite different, the guitars are more echoed and mixed to the front.

'Us And Them' begins the same and I immediately think as Gilmour sings, where are the echoes? Ah there's one on 'you' and there's an echo on 'blue' and a few later on that are too echoed and ruin the subtlety, 'which is which' continues over the next line. 'Down' echoes too much as does 'round'. The instrumental break sounds similar, the sax is wonderful by Dick as on the original and has different sections. On the last verse the echoes return for the first section only. It's okay, I guess, but you long for the original and without the echoes it is too sparse.

'Any Colour You Like' follows with a similar beginning, but there is a loud vocal intonation over the guitar blasts. It really is not as powerful or psychedelic as the original but still a compelling piece of music.

'Brain Damage' is almost the same except who recruited the Joker to laugh? I mean it sounds exactly like Mark Hammil's Joker from 'Batman Animated' TV series. That made me laugh it was so ridiculous. And he just keeps on cackling insanely, what a crazy mix and I am glad they removed this. It doesn't sound dark or disturbing, just idiotic. Perhaps Syd was being thought of here, and I wonder what the joke was as that clown was in stitches. The Joker returns at the end, cackling throughout Wright's awesome solo, and completely ruins it.

'Eclipse' is similar but the guitars are mixed to the front giving it a rockier feel. The ending narration is gone and no heartbeat at all.

The following tracks are outtakes that never made it to the album at all. 'The Hard Way ('Household Objects' Project) is a bassline domination and very stripped back instrumental made from household objects. It has a gentle flow and is very different than anything that made the original cut of the album. The percussion sounds like footsteps and experimental electronic effects.

'Us And Them (Richard Wright Demo)' is a lovely piece. Without the words it still exudes emotion and what a brilliant way to remember the great Richard Wright as he solos gently on piano. RIP.

'The Travel Sequence' is live stuff but much earlier than the previous CD, from June concert in Brighton, 1972. This instrumental is excellent and you would have heard it on bootlegs as they played it this way for years. It jumps along with phased guitar reverb, Waters pulsing bassline and cool percussion. It ends with the clocks from Time and fades out.

'The Morality Sequence' is more from the same concert in 1972 and sounds like the GGITS but we hear narrative voices spouting off something religious, like a church pastor, and it is very audible. Wright's playing is gorgeous and very church organ like. There is a weird section that perhaps is better seen than heard but it is interesting.

'Any Colour You Like' from the 1972 concert begins the same as we all know and then there is a variation of guitar notes and it is much longer. I liked Gilmour's lead break here as it is very atmospheric with psychedelic nuances. It fades as 'Brain Damage' starts.

'The Travel Sequence' is a previously unreleased piece featuring some excellent guitar and it changes time sig and a spacey effect swirls along. It fades a bit abruptly for my liking.

'Money (Roger Waters Demo)' is finally released officially. Hmmm, oh yes, you have to love this. Waters and his raspy voice layered over twice, and an old bluesy acoustic guitar playing the main melody riff. This is as sparse and unmixed as you will ever hear and I think he played a similar thing on the DVD 'Making of DSOTM'. He even has a different way of singing the melody, though the main idea is present, and of course there is no instrumental break or time change to 4/4 on this. It ends with a strange money changing machine effect that fades. So there you have it. A definite bonus demonstrating the making of a masterpiece. In this raw unmixed form the album is only a shadow if it's real self of course but this raises eyebrows due to it's untouched corrupted state. It is flawed but compelling listening like all early mixes.

Only one conclusion can come from a box set like this, and that is if you have the cash and are prepared to splash out on something very special, look no further. It is special due to the nature of the product. The album is already a masterpiece, arguably one of the best albums in existence on planet Earth, but with all these additions and trimmings it has surpassed it's original greatness. Now we can listen to it in many versions, we can be entertained by the booklet info and art as we indulge in digitally remastered stereophonic surround sound. There will be other Immersion boxsets to come such as 'Wish You Were Here' and 'The Wall' with similar merchandise and material, but it is only with this box set that we can wear our DSOTM scarf, play with our DSOTM marbles as we lift our glass from the DSOTM coaster and remember just how awesome this album will remain eternally.

The best of all three boxes. I know a lot of concerts from 1972, 1973 and even 1975 with better performances than the Wembley one. And, by the way, I hate the fact that this concert was divided between this box and the WYWH one, with the omission of Echoes in both!

The best extras are the quadraphonic mix of the album, the Brighton 1972 cuts (why not to release the full gig, for Krsna's sake?) and the early demos. This makes this box an essential item for the Floyd fanatic although the audio material can be found anywhere for free. But its hardly essential for the regular Floyd fan, so my 3-stars rating.

If you have to buy for your collection one of the boxes, this is the one. Don't waste your money with WYWH or the crappy The Wall boxes. Bur if you're not a die-hard or completist, buy the experience edition and surf the web looking for Tokyo 1972-03-07, the Holywood Ball 22-09- 1972 (the last time they played ASoS) or the great, great Zurich 1972-12-09 (remastered) with a wonderful Childhood's End as encore.

Thanks Vasudeva for the boots!