Strange Disc Records proudly presents the first ever vinyl reissue of a landmark Icelandic minimal Synth album: The Magnetics' A Historical Glimpse Of The Future (1981).

The Magnetics, a group consisting of Jakob Magnússon and Alan Howarth, are an intriguing international & iconic duo. Before they joined forces, keyboard player Magnússon was an Icelander who already had an impressive jazz resume, while Howarth was making a name for himself as a Hollywood composer – in 1981, the same year that A Historical Glimpse of the Future was released, he also was involved in the soundtracks for two hit John Carpenter movies, Escape from New York and Halloween II.

Both have been quite successful in their post-Magentics careers, Howarth with further soundtrack work (They Live, Big Trouble In Little China, Christine, etc. ) and Magnússon with various jazz outfits. He would end up working as the Icelandic ambassador to the UK during the 90’s.

Throughout the fantastic A Historical Glimpse of the Future album you can hear the soundscapes people came to associate with the 1980s films scored by Carpenter/Howarth. This is an album full of dark and moody material, but with a strange twist, as you can hear on the synth cover of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” & the old-timey cabaret-styled “I’m Getting Married Today”, two truly bizarre pieces that doesn’t seem to fit at all… and somehow, by sticking out, actually feel right at home on A Historical Glimpse of the Future.

Originally released in 1981 on WRT (and going for hefty amounts on the second hand market), Strange Disc Records proudly presents a deluxe vinyl reissue, limited to 1000 copies. Contains an insert with extensive & exclusive liner notes from Jakob Magnússon himself. Released exclusively for Record Store Day 2019.