XTC / Drums and Wires CD+blu-ray with Dolby Atmos Mix

1979 album • CD+blu-ray • Dolby Atmos Mix • 5.1 Mix • Stereo Mix • Instrumentals • Demos • Region-free • Pre-order: Released on 26 September 2025.

“Steven has again worked his magic and offered a new perspective of our ground-breaking 1979 album, expanding the audio picture through 360° and revealing details previously overlooked. The whole album shimmers with a sonic gloss that's brought it to the 21st century with no loss of historic integrity; the songs are as strong today as they were 46 years ago. Immerse yourself, but be prepared for the closing maelstrom that is 'Complicated Game'...you may never recover.” – Dave Gregory

XTC's 1979 album Drums and Wires is reissued as this CD+blu-ray edition with the album and a number of additional tracks mixed in Dolby Atmos by Steven Wilson.

The CD features the original 2014 Steven Wilson stereo mix, with minor revisions for 2025 and singles and additional tracks

The Blu-ray features

• 2025 Dolby Atmos versions of the album and additional tracks
• 2014 5.1 Mix of the album (with minor revisions for 2025) and additional tracks 
• 96/24 LPCM Stereo of album and additional tracks
• 1979 original mix/master of full album in 96/24 plus additional tracks
• A vast amount of additional material including all available demo, rehearsal & pre-album sessions recordings

All 2025 & 2014 material mixed & produced by Steven Wilson. This CD+blu-ray set is presented in 'paper sleeve' / mini-LP CD / vinyl replica packaging with booklet including photos & album lyrics.

Drums and Wires will be released by APE records on 26 September 2025.

Extra info:
Steven Wilson comments that “during the remix process it became apparent that the masters of “Officer Blue” and “That is the Way” were both slowed down significantly for the original release. It’s not uncommon for tracks to be slightly speeded up during mastering to make them sound sprightlier, but no one could remember why, in this case, the tracks were slowed down. For the 2025 mixes, in consultation with Colin Moulding - songwriter of both titles - the decision was made to include B-side “Officer Blue” as the band recorded it, at the correct speed for the first time.

In the case of “That is the Way” - it being a key album track - the new mix has been slowed down to match the familiar album version but additionally, a bonus version is included which has no adjustment to the pitch and is exactly as the band recorded it”.