Incantations

Personnel: Mike Oldfield (various instruments); Sally Oldfield, Maddy Prior, The Queens College Girls Choir (vocals); Sebastian Bell, Terry Oldfield (flute); Mike Laird (trumpet); Pierre Moerlen (vibaraphone, drums); Jabula (percussion).
Recorded in Througham, England between December 1977 & September 1978. Includes liner notes by Dave Laing.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
Recording information: Througham Slad (12/1977-09/1978).
Photographers: Trevor Key; Juan Cuadros Rescalvo.
After a two-year pause following Boxed, Mike Oldfield released a new epic project, this one spread over four vinyl sides and devoted to Native American themes rather than hewing once more toward the Celtic end of the spectrum. Included was Oldfield's musical adaptation of "The Song of Hiawatha," which had a nice sense of the dramatic when it came to dynamic range. After this, Oldfield would not return to album-length concepts for quite some time. ~ Steven McDonald