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Blur’s new album is being released on blu-ray audio

Dolby Atmos Mix of The Ballad of Darren

By Paul Sinclair

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76

Blur / The Ballad of Darren blu-ray audio

Early opportunity to secure the blu-ray via SDE • Quick pre-order

A Dolby Atmos Mix of The Ballad of Darren, Blur’s first album in over eight years, is being released on blu-ray audio and you have an early opportunity to secure your copy via the SDE shop.

Produced by James Ford and recorded at Studio 13 in London and Devon, The Ballad of Darren is the band’s ninth studio album, their first since the chart-topping The Magic Whip in 2015, with artwork featuring an image by British photographer Martin Parr. 

The blu-ray audio (no video content) will feature the immersive Dolby Atmos Mix and a 96/24 hi-res stereo version of The Ballad of Darren. Neither are available physically anywhere else. Both mixes are the 10-track version of the album, which features the first single The Narcissist.

To enjoy the spatial audio aspect, you’ll need a blu-ray player connected to an Atmos-compatible soundbar, or a Cinema-style amplifier/receiver with Atmos or 5.1 capability, rigged up to a multi-speaker set-up. If you currently have a 5.1 set-up, the Atmos Mix will ‘fold down’ to 5.1.

The Ballad of Darren has so far been made available to pre-order on a number of different formats (CD, deluxe CD, different coloured vinyl editions, zoetrope vinyl and cassette), so this blu-ray adds to the tally. Of course, with the Dolby Atmos Mix in particular, you are actually getting something different in terms of the audio. The mix was created by David Wrench.

The Ballad of Darren will be released on 21 July 2023 via Parlophone. At the time of writing, the blu-ray can be pre-ordered exclusively via the SDE shop using this link or the button below. We ship internationally. You can peruse all blu-rays on the SDE shop, here.

TECHNICAL NOTES: This blu-ray audio requires a blu-ray player. Decoding the Dolby Atmos mix requires a Dolby Atmos-certified soundbar or a Dolby Atmos-compatible AV Receiver/Amp. The Dolby Atmos mix will ‘fold down’ to 5.1 or stereo if a Dolby Atmos decoder is not detected.
EU SHIPPING NOTES: If you are ordering from the EU please be aware that that goods may be subject to import VAT when they arrive from the UK. The prices the SDE shop charge you do not include VAT

Tracklisting

Blur / The Ballad of Darren blu-ray audio

The Ballad of Darren Blur /

    • Dolby Atmos and 96/24 hi-res stereo mix
      1. The Ballad
      2. St. Charles Square
      3. Barbaric
      4. Russian Strings
      5. The Everglades (For Leonard)
      6. The Narcissist
      7. Goodbye Albert
      8. Far Away Island
      9. Avalon
      10. The Heights

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76 Comments

76 thoughts on “Blur’s new album is being released on blu-ray audio”

  2. Well, I got the disk, and a couple of oddities. One is that the vocals sound very heavily processed. This may be intended of course .. but I’d welcome other comments.
    What may not be intended is that the audio is mastered to a level about 6-8dB lower than the the backing track to the menu page on the blu ray (as is the 2.0 HD track), and equally significantly lower than most other audio mastered in a digital format. Annoying. Dumped the 2.0 HD track out for playback on my hifi and it sounds good, but replaygain calculations suggest it needs about +8dB to meet standard levels (with no clipping).
    Now I would be the first to criticise for maxing out the volume and resorting to clipping or compression, but this is pretty extreme the other way, and peaks are way down at 12% maximum amplitude, so that’s more than about 9dB off full scale. I’m sure most 24 bit playback systems still have at least 80dB of clean signal to reproduce a signal 9dB down. But still. An oddity.
    I’ve not noticed this with others in the series.

    1. Interesting. Even I haven’t played or seen this disc yet! I need to point out that this isn’t part of the SDE Surround Series so I had absolutely nothing to do with the content or presentation or authoring, although obviously we sold it.

  4. Hi Paul, are you sure about the atmos mix folding down to 5.1 on a 5.1 receiver? I ask because I bought your lovely Eno Forever & No More blu ray and if I try to play the atmos mix on my Yamaha 5.1 it simply comes out in stereo.

    2. My Eno disc had this same issue regardless of what settings I changed. I discovered that the only way to play it in 5.1 surround was to follow this sequence: power on my Samsung blu-ray player, insert another surround disc, start playing it, remove it, and finally play the Eno disc. I have to repeat this process every time I turn on the unit.

        1. It took a while, but I thought I should check if my other discs were working and they were, so I loaded Eno again and it worked. The next time I tried to play Eno, it didn’t work so I swapped discs, then put Eno back and it turned out that was the solution. Not sure why it does that or if it is the same solution for your player.

  5. And more good news about bluray audio releases.

    Four exclusive Quad 4.0 mixes on RHINO’s website:

    -Black Sabbath Paranoid Quadio Blu-ray Audio
    -Alice Cooper Billion Dollar Babies Quadio Blu-ray Audio
    -Jefferson Starship Red Octopus Quadio Blu-ray Audio
    -The J. Geils Band Nightmares… and Other Tales from the Vinyl Jungle Quadio Blu-ray Audio

    24,98$ each or 79,98$ the bundle plus shipping.

    https://store.rhino.com/en/rhino-store/

  7. No offence to the many Blur fans here, but I am quite glad that this isn’t an SDE exclusive! Already bought two SDE discs by bands I’m not keen on the satisfy my completist nature, and this would have been the first by a band I really do not like. I realise it will happen, but happy to save money for now!

    1. So if say Paul managed to get an SDE exclusive of UP for example by Right Said Fred you’d buy it?
      That is of course taking into consideration you aren’t a RSF fan…

      2. I think I’ve learnt over the years to trust Paul’s judgement on most things, and I think I’d trust him not to commission a Right Said Fred Atmos mix :) or anything else that wasn’t worthy of a listen.
        I did hesitate slightly when the Gilbert O’Sullivan SDE was announced and double-checked that it wasn’t April 1st – but actually that’s a really good one.
        I’ve bought all of the Blu-rays so far, and I haven’t regretted any of them.

        1. Same here, and I’ve played the couple I wouldn’t normally have bought and learned from them. I really don’t think I’m the only person who buys them all automatically, and at least mine get unsealed and played regardless.

    2. I am going to pass on this as I am not a big fan of Blur or Britpop in general, despite trying. And I let go of the idea of collecting the SDE Surround Series for completeness with Number 3 and others I just don’t think I’d listen to more than once. So I am grateful to have 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10 and am skipping 11 (Britpop again). I assume others will buy and want the ones I don’t buy. I look forward to the announcement of number 12 in the series.

    3. I agree with you, Blur are one of the most overrated bands in the history of UK music. There are so many releases that would have better deserved this type of release.

    4. Well better Blur than Oasis right? No just kidding I loved Blur at the start, but the later albums got to experimental for my taste, nonetheless I ordered this Blu-Ray without giving it a second thought.

  8. A new Blur album was already great news. An atmos mix is bliss… and a surprise considering neither the band nor Damon’s other projects have ever ventured into that if I am not mistaken.

  9. Really looking forward to this. I’ll just think of it as an SDE edition (without a slip case) and order it from SDE. Hopefully Paul’s pre-orders will exceed any of the other usual vendors (as let’s face it anyone who’s into physical spatial audio releases will probably be on here) and all the ‘majors’ will realise that giving SDE exclusive rights to Blu-ray audio releases is the future and an opportunity to maximise sales and chart potential. All joking aside (without blowing smoke etc.) I really think it is. I imagine that 7000 units of The Hurting blu-ray is making the ‘big boys’ sit up and take notice.

  10. A proper 5.1 mix may have persuaded me but the absence of such puts me off. The Atmos mix of the Hurting sounds a bit crap via my mere 5.1 set up. It doesn’t just fold down, it sounds totally different. I’m still not convinced why music should be coming down from above my head? Live recordings maybe…

    1. It’s strange because I had the same experience as you with ‘The Hurting’ i.e. the Atmos mix didn’t fold down properly, whilst on the ETBG disc the Atmos mix sounds amazing when collapsed to stereo.

    2. So its OK for sound to come from behind or beside you in a 5.1 setup but not above? A lot of the overhead in Atmos is to enlarge the soundstage vertically. If you don’t have Atmos with an Atmos setup, I don’t think you are in a logical position to criticize it. I agree that a 5.1 mix should be included to increase the market reach as I am sure there are more people with 5.1 but not Atmos, than there are with Atmos. I am happy to be able to experience full Atmos in my home and welcome the expansion of Atmos releases even though I might not buy all of them.

    3. I also prefer DTS 5.1 mixes. My receiver is folding down to Dolby Digital which affects greatly the audio quality… But I love Blur so I might still get tempted…

    4. Not sure if this is helpful, but I had 2 atmos speakers above my head and my system just never sounded right. After adding 2 more it really made a huge difference to the entire setup. Spread things around in the best possible way.

    5. I have a hunch that The Hurting Atmos mix isn’t being downmixed to 5.1 properly. It seems like the elements intended for the extra speakers are missing. However, I personally don’t mind this because it sounds less cluttered to my ears.

      1. There sounds like there’s a cut off in the high frequencies that are presumably being sent to the ceiling speakers to give a sense of height.

        @Derek L. My ears are on the sides of my head. ;-]

  13. Whew… at least I don’t have to turn down another in the SDE Surround Atmos series, passed on the last one #11 and a definite easy pass on this one also….
    If it was their 5th, the Blur album with the 1 hit wonder of Song 2, (in the USA market) then I might consider it, but probably be a hard pass because I usually don’t buy album’s without more charted tracks anyways…..
    I’m really not into any Britpop like Blur, Suede, Supergrass etc. of all the Britpop bands listed on Google (50), I’ve purchased Radiohead albums (1 or 2 only).
    Waiting now to see when #12 is announced if it will be a band with charted hits in the USA ….. or better yet an American band….. hahaha….. (that won’t happen on a UK website).
    Maybe the MC5 anyone ?……the Original Punk Band …..

    1. American bands are signed to the American arms of big labels which makes coming to an ‘arrangement’ much more difficult. UK repertoire is much easier to get. It’s not really anything to do with being a ‘UK website’. Also, Bob Dylan is American last time I checked… ;)

      2. Well aware of the hoops one must jump through to get labels whom own the rights to bands to let another smaller label remaster and re-issue those LP’s…..
        Not a Dylan fan and I knew that he wasn’t the only American in the Series, other bands in this series have US connections.
        I understand that it’s easier for you to deal with the labels in your realm Paul but my guess is you’ve sold more SDE Surround Series Blu-Ray’s here across the pond than on your side……
        Wished we had Marshall Blonstein and Audio Fidelity releasing titles still….. (USA’s Paul Sinclair)

        My Votes for #12 and onwards a Aussie band “Best of Inxs” and TFF’s “Song’s from the Big Chair”…….

  14. Not sure about audio-only Blu-rays: Are they “all regions” and will this one play, for instance, on a North American system? (I know with Blu-ray movies I need either “Region A” or “Region 0” to be able to play back on my US setup.)

  18. I am sorry that the new Blue Atmos Blu-Ray is not an exclusive of SDE, Paul. What has happened and are there more SDE-exclusives in the pipeline?

    2. Why sorry? At least it shows that Parlophone recognise that there is a market for it & it may encourage other companies to produce more blu-ray audio – after all SDE would only ever be able to produce a very limited number of releases each year. If others want to enter the market then it greatly broadens what would be available in this format.

  19. Purchased! Thank you Paul. While i’m here, a quick but heart-felt prayer to the Blu-Ray Atmos Gods… He’s currently touring but Peter Gabriel’s new album is awesome! First new work from Gabriel in 20 years and he hasn’t lost anything. io on Atmos? I challenge thee! :)

    1. Peter Gabriels new album is mixed in surround, but not in a way I can play.
      I do hope, that his bandcamp-followers are able to get a better surround-version other than what they offer now.

    3. So have all the tracks for the new album been released digitally and/or as the monthly cycle singles?
      I thought they were only about 5 or 6 tracks in tops?

  21. The deluxe CD and vinyl versions have 12 tracks so it’s a shame and disappointing that only the 10 tracks on the standard versions are being put on this release. Surely they could have added the bonus tracks. Hopefully this is the start of some blu ray editions of new albums.

    1. Great that there’s an Atmos bluray, but would have to agree about not including the bonus tracks, even if only in stereo. At the moment I’m sticking to the deluxe cd.

    2. Ten tracks, not 12? OK, thank you ladies and gentlemen at Greedy Records Unlimited! No video contents? A further nice touch! Now, why not release this blu-ray with ten tracks in 7″ edit versions?

      1. They’re bonus tracks, not part of the album. It’s today’s version of a B-side.

        I don’t remember anyone mithering about ‘greedy record companies’ when B-sides were not included on albums.

        1. I get that those “left over” tracks are no longer used as B sides and appear on “deluxe” versions, but if you buy the deluxe CD version of this album there are 12 tracks on it. Surely it is not much of a stretch to replicate that on the blu-ray? And if they are not part of the album why are they issuing a version of the album with them on it?

          1. Because with bands like Blur there are enough die hard fans who’ll buy both versions.

            To do that right from the start will better the albums perspective to get to No. 1…

          2. Of course that explains why there are two CD / vinyl versions available – 10 or 12 tracks. What it doesn’t explain is that, given there are 12 tracks being released, why aren’t we getting the 12 tracks on the blue-ray? There aren’t 2 blu-ray versions available, only the one. So why not give us the 12 tracks? Given a choice what would you prefer on the blu-ray? 10 or 12 tracks?

          3. Fair enough. I can’t answer that but maybe Paul has an idea because the same applies to ‘The Tipping Point’ by Tears For Fears where the one bonus track of the deluxe cd wasn’t included on the SDE-exclusive br-a.

          4. We sort of know the answer. Labels want you to buy multiple versions…

        3. I think the reason fans on SDE would find umbrage is because when Paul releases an exclusive it does feature the bonus tracks; the Orbital blu-ray springs to mind. And yes this isn’t an SDE exclusive but even so it’s not a stretch for Blur fans to expect the same if reading about the release here…

          1. So to not disappoint Blur fans Paul should better not cover this release here? ;-)

  22. This is very promising Paul if record companies are now taking this on themselves. They have obviously seen the merits of what you are doing with your surround sound series and the number of sales so hopefully we are witnessing a rebirth of the blu ray audio format now that surround and Atmos mixes are included alongside a 96/24 stereo mix. I for one would pick up a blu ray rather than an expensive and let’s face it, inferior vinyl copy any day.

      1. Oh absolutely, it’s a fair comment but I don’t think that will happen. Paul started this whole thing off and has built up a very large international customer/fan base.

      2. Thousands of albums are released each year, SDE would only be able to produce a maximum of say 10-12 releases a year. If record companies picking up the format means that more than the 0.001% of releases SDE can handle could get a blu-ray audio release then it’s a good thing

  27. Fantastic news and ordered instantly. One question; you write “neither (mixes on the Blu-ray) are available anywhere else.” So does this mean it is a SDE exclusive? Doesn’t seem that way because you are not advertising it as such. But if you can’t get the Blu-ray anywhere else, how is this not an exclusive?

    1. Thanks! This release is not part of the SDE Surround Series but Parlophone are giving SDE readers an exclusive 48 hour head start to acquire a copy. Also they are choosing to package it like the SDE ones, which is nice :) I really don’t know where else it may become available although my understanding is that it won’t be anywhere in north America.

        1. mmg1973, please note: Blur releases are Parlophone/Warner and Beatles releases are Parlophone (or Apple)/Universal. So, it’s another sky to place a pie on. Anyway, you’re not alone: I have a long and strong list of pies-in-the-sky like the one you mentioned. One day some of them might land on me.

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