Jazz Dispensary reissues vinyl ‘Nature’s World’ after 40 years

Nature's World vinyl mockup  

The folks at Jazz Dispensary have ventured deep into the archives to dig up a rare aural gem from legendary UK music library production house, Studio G. Making its return to vinyl after more than 40 years is 1982’s Nature’s World, a collection of synth-based soundscapes originally created for nature documentaries, with cues conjuring everything from birds, bugs and fish to prehistoric caverns, arctic landscapes and volcanic eruptions. Arriving 16th of October on colourful ’Terratopia’ green, yellow and blue splatter vinyl, the reissue follows last year’s acclaimed Dream a Dream with Studio G: Cratedigger’s Archive (1970–2009), Jazz Dispensary’s original compilation of 25 of the music library’s most compelling, sexy, and psychedelic works. Nature’s World is available to pre-order and stream now.

Click here to visit the online media kit

Click here to pre-order / stream album

In the late ’60s, London-based ad man John Gale found himself struggling to find decent music for TV spots. And so, as any good creative would do, he solved the problem by launching his own production house, christening it Studio G. Over the next three decades, the musicians associated with the company created a vast music library, comprised of some of the most unique and adventurous music ever heard on TV. Capturing the psychedelic sounds of the day through a minimalistic lens, their visionary music was ahead of its time: from offbeat electronic cues and wacky horror soundscapes to truly inspired folk, pop, and jazz tunes. At a time when larger outfits such as KPM, Bruton, De Wolfe and Chappell dominated the marketplace, Studio G carved out its own distinctive corner with minimalist, experimental production. Studio G launched with a series of 7-inch singles, but as their clientele grew, they branched out into themed, 12-inch LPs - all of which featured hip, eye-catching pop art on the jackets. Among them was 1982’s Nature’s World.

Created by composers James Harpham and James Asher, Nature’s Worldoffered 20 bite-sized ambient cues for the planet in all its weird and wonderful glory: animals, birds, fish, insects, landscapes, vegetation and pastoral scenes, all rendered largely through synthesisers. Across its 42 minutes, Nature’s World travels from the psychedelic serenity of a bug resting on a lily pad to murky swamps, prehistoric caverns, arctic expanses, swirling clouds and the grandiose rumble of a volcanic eruption.

It makes for an evocative-and occasionally surreal-listen far beyond its original utilitarian purpose. The reverb-soaked ‘Aquarium’ drifts into an underwater haze; ‘Pilot Bird” ventures into bluesy tropical territory; “Catacombs”descends somewhere considerably darker; and ‘Flower Garden’ rides an irresistible synth-funk groove. The latter may already sound familiar to seasoned Dispensary customers: it appeared on last year’s Dream a Dreamcompilation and was sampled by producer Knxwledge for his 2012 track ‘anthrdree’. There’s even music for a comical mating dance, with ‘Jumbo Jive’. Heard together, these miniature soundtracks turn Nature’s World into a woozy, playful and occasionally ominous synth safari through planet Earth.

Studio G discontinued releasing new material in 2009, but its legacy endures. Generations of listeners in the UK and beyond have encountered its music through appearances on beloved British TV programs, including Doctor Who, Vision On, The Snooker, Bowling, The Darts Show, and Top Crown. The library's thematic albums have long been sought after by collectors and producers alike - and its influence on popular music runs deep. In 1982, Monty Python incorporated several cues into their album Previous Record, and Studio G selections have since been sampled by the likes of the Chemical Brothers, U.N.K.L.E., and Tyler, the Creator, and Knxwledge. Saint Etienne founding member Bob Stanley has also celebrated the library’s music, contributing commentary to last year’s Dream a Dream compilation, while Aphex Twin recently included a Studio G cut in a playlist curated for Supreme.

More than four decades after it first ventured into the natural world, Nature’s World is ready to get weird in the wild once again

Click here to pre-order/stream Nature’s World.

Tracklist:

Side A
1. Flower Garden
2. Aquarium
3. Dewdrops
4. By The Shore
5. Pastoral Mist
6. Mirage
7. Pilot Bird
8. Stalking Prey
9. Star Blossom
10. Catacombs
11. Raindrops
12. Furs And Feathers

Side B
1. Arctic Wastes
2. Bird Sanctuary
3. Mountain Currents
4. Swirling Clouds
5. Busy Bodies
6. Volcanic Journey
7. Jumbo Jive
8. Micro Life

About Jazz Dispensary: 
Jazz Dispensary is a homegrown label celebrating mind-expanding, high-grade selections drawn from the finest original sources of funk, jazz, and all the areas they intersect. With knowledgeable sound sommeliers as guides, Jazz Dispensary brings deep catalogue gems to the table, offering bespoke selections to match every mood and inspire an elevated conversation. A funky good time, a mystic journey, a powerful inspiration, Jazz Dispensary has the medicine that will spark things off. One hit and you’re hooked!

For more info, visit JazzDispensary.com and follow on Facebook, X,  Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

About Craft Recordings:
Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most essential collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its storied repertoire includes landmark releases from icons such as Joan Baez, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Celia Cruz, Miles Davis, Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, R.E.M., and Joan Sebastian. Plus, the catalogue recordings of celebrated contemporary acts including A Day to Remember, Daddy Yankee, Evanescence, Alison Krauss, Nine Inch Nails, Taking Back Sunday and Violent Femmes, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogues issued under the Craft banner include Fania, Fantasy, Fearless, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Vanguard, Varèse Sarabande, Vee-Jay and Victory, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation - ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft is also home to the Billie Holiday and Tammy Wynette estates which preserve and protect their respective names, likenesses, and music through day-to-day legacy management of these cultural trailblazers. 

Craft Recordings is the catalogue label team for Concord. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.