The Alan Parsons Project – I Robot (2xLP)

The Alan Parsons Project's I Robot arrived in 1977 as the group's second album, turning Isaac Asimov's robot stories into a sleek concept record about artificial intelligence and what it might mean for humans and their creations. That mix of science-fiction ideas and polished studio craft is central to its appeal: Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson built the album with a rotating cast of vocalists including Steve Harley, Allan Clarke and Lenny Zakatek, alongside key players such as guitarist Ian Bairnson, drummer Stuart Tosh and arranger Andrew Powell.

It also marks an important step in the Project's rise. Source material describes I Robot as a worldwide hit, selling more than two million copies and earning platinum and gold certifications in countries including the US, Germany, Australia and Canada. The songs balance progressive rock precision with a strong melodic pull, from the stately title track to the punch of “I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You” and the grand finale “Genesis Ch. 1 V.32”.

For this Cooking Vinyl CV 45 edition, the album has been spread across two records at 45RPM and cut at half speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road, using high-resolution archive transfers made from Eric Woolfson's duplicate masters. That gives this vinyl return a clear point: not just bringing I Robot back into print, but presenting one of the Alan Parsons Project's defining concept albums in a format aimed squarely at careful listening.

Features

• 2xLP, 180g, 45RPM, Black Vinyl, CV 45 Audiophile Edition
• Half-speed remaster cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road on a customized Neumann VMS 80 lathe
• Cut from high-resolution archive transfers made from Eric Woolfson's duplicate masters
• Pressed at Optimal; first pressing includes a numbered obi strip, gatefold sleeve, poly-lined inner sleeves and insert with sleeve note