Rhino Records is reviving one of the most prestigious listening formats in music history with the release of two iconic albums – Electric Warrior by T. Rex and The Yes Album by Yes – on reel-to-reel tape. Following the successful return of vinyl and cassette, the label is turning the clock back even further, reintroducing reel-to-reel for a new generation of audiophiles seeking the most authentic analogue sound possible.
These releases capture two defining moments in British rock, both arriving in 1971 and both reshaping the direction of popular music in their own distinctive ways.
Marc Bolan’s Electric Warrior is widely regarded as the record that turned T. Rex from an underground folk-rock curiosity into global superstars. With Get It On and Jeepster, Bolan fused raw rock’n’roll with glitter and swagger, ushering in the glam rock era. The album topped the UK charts and cracked the US Top 40, cementing Bolan’s legacy as one of rock’s most flamboyant visionaries.
Produced by Tony Visconti, Electric Warrior showcased experimental production that felt revolutionary in 1971, flanging, backwards guitars, tape loops and layers of reverb created a sound that shimmered between cosmic and carnal. Guest musicians included future Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, King Crimson’s Ian McDonald and jazz trumpeter Burt Collins. Together with Flo & Eddie’s unmistakable backing vocals, Bolan crafted a record that was as much a pop statement as it was an art experiment.
The influence of Electric Warrior would ripple through decades of music, inspiring everyone from David Bowie and The Jam’s Paul Weller to Primal Scream and PJ Harvey. The album’s songs – Mambo Sun, Cosmic Dancer, Planet Queen and the immortal Life’s A Gas – remain among Bolan’s finest moments.
The new reel-to-reel edition of Electric Warrior restores the warmth, space and presence of the original analogue master, returning Bolan’s electrified boogie to its natural environment … tape.
On the progressive side of 1971, Yes were redefining the limits of rock musicianship with The Yes Album. The first record to feature guitarist Steve Howe, it marked the band’s transformation into one of the most technically ambitious and musically adventurous acts of the decade.
Produced by Eddie Offord, The Yes Album introduced the world to a new level of sonic complexity. Jon Anderson’s ethereal vocals intertwined with Chris Squire’s melodic bass, Bill Bruford’s intricate drumming and Tony Kaye’s Hammond organ, forming a sound that was grand yet organic. Tracks like Yours Is No Disgrace, Starship Trooper and I’ve Seen All Good People became instant classics, helping the band achieve their first major chart success, No. 4 in the UK and No. 40 in the US, and establishing the formula for their later masterpieces Fragile and Close To The Edge.
Steve Howe’s acoustic showcase Clap added a moment of pure virtuosity, recorded live at London’s Lyceum Theatre. Meanwhile, Perpetual Change captured the band’s intricate layering and time-shifting interplay that would define the progressive rock movement.
This reel-to-reel reissue brings listeners closer than ever to that original studio sound, where the interplay between instruments can be felt as much as heard.
Both Electric Warrior and The Yes Album were groundbreaking in their own right, expanding what rock could sound like – one through simplicity and sensuality, the other through complexity and exploration. More than five decades on, these albums continue to define their respective genres.
With reel-to-reel now back in production, Rhino is offering a truly premium listening experience for collectors and connoisseurs – a return to the sound quality that once defined high fidelity. For those who grew up spinning vinyl and those discovering tape for the first time, these releases represent not just nostalgia, but a reconnection to the physical and emotional essence of recorded music.
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