Porcupine Tree – Voyage 34

Unless you're specifically into first prints there's no reason to get this instead of the reprint that has both albums (all 4 songs). Yes it's available in 2xLP as well.
Porcupine Tree - Voyage 34: The Complete Trip
EDIT: I stand corrected. Part IV is 13 minutes on the reprint instead of the expected 19 minutes. Also part III is about 20 seconds shorter.

Hard to believe there's no comments on this yet! I first discovered Phase IV through the first volume of the famed Free Zone compilation series. I was instantly hooked by the slow, rhythmic patterns and dark, oscillating ambient sounds. Tracking down the full release became a priority.

The Astralasia mix is a stunning 20 minute journey into ambient techno. The beat is there, sure - but it feels more like a pulse, with stunning guitar drones and warm synth pads washing over you as the piece ever so slowly evolves. Every time I listen to it, I always feel like I'm waking up from a dream when the needle finally lifts from the record.

Phase IV takes things to much darker territory, and every time I listen to it, I'm always reminded of why I fell in love with the track in the first place. There's an enveloping darkness to the whole affair, yet it still feels warm somehow. The slow, rhythmic pulse lends an almost tribal element to proceedings, but it feels more like space exploration than anything born of this world.

It might not be traditional Porcupine Tree fare, and these tracks bare very little resemblance to the original Voyage 34 EP - but it's one of the most brilliant ambient releases of the early nineties. Even in 2020, it still sounds fresh, timeless and completely unique. Cannot recommend this highly enough.

Edit: For reasons unknown, it appears that Phase IV was heavily edited in subsequent reissues, so this is sadly one of the few ways to still experience the full piece.