Thirteen Digipak-Deluxe Edition

"Thirteen" is the thirteenth studio album by the iconic British band Soft Machine. Featuring thirteen brand-new tracks, the album marks a new chapter in the group's 60-year history.

Soft Machine is considered one of the greatest British avant-garde/jazz-rock bands of all time. Originally part of the Canterbury Scene, their work—from their early days as a psychedelic band that was contemporaries of Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd and the Jimi Hendrix Experience and shared the stage with them, to their role as one of Europe’s best-known fusion bands —has influenced generations of musicians and is still cited today as an inspiration by musicians eager to experiment.

Even though Soft Machine’s lineup has changed several times since the glory days of the late 1960s, the band’s spirit of musical adventure and its ability to effortlessly transcend genre boundaries remained constant—from powerful progressive jazz rock to atmospheric psychedelia and free improvisational jazz, all the way to ambient loop music.

“Thirteen” features legendary guitarist John Etheridge, who has been playing with the band at the top of his game for over 50 years. All four band members have contributed compositions, but the album’s principal composer is saxophonist, flutist, and keyboardist Theo Travis, who wrote six of the thirteen tracks, including the album’s longest and most progressive track, “The Longest Night” (with a running time of just over 13 minutes). New to the group is drummer and composer Asaf Sirkis. Former Soft Machine drummer and songwriter Robert Wyatt said of Asaf:

“I’ve been familiar with Asaf’s talent for years, and I can say with certainty that, as far as I can tell, he can accomplish anything he sets his mind to. His drumming is constantly evolving, but what really fascinates me are his ethereal, haunting compositions.”

The album is incredibly diverse. The tracks include “Pens to the Foal Mode,” a completely free group improvisation; “Open Road,” a rock-infused track where the band really lets loose with fiery solos by Etheridge and Travis; the ballad “Disappear,” which begins with ethereal flute loops and evolves into a beautiful, piano-driven, drumless piece; and “Turmoil,” written by bassist Fred Baker, which is brimming with crazy fuzz bass, manic solos, and an almost frenzied din. “Daevid’s Special Cuppa” features a guest appearance by founding member Daevid Allen, R.I.P. (his guitar part was recorded years earlier when he was with Theo Travis in Gong, and the track was built around it) in a psychedelic tribal piece featuring soprano saxophone, guitar, and duduk (a haunting traditional Armenian woodwind instrument) floating over hypnotic rhythms.

John Etheridge – electric guitar
Theo Travis – tenor & soprano saxophone, flute, Fender Rhodes piano, electronics
Fred Thelonious Baker – bass guitar
Asaf Sirkis – drums & percussion

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