4AD home

Johann Johannsson - 'Fordlândia', First 4AD Pressing
Johann Johannsson : 'Fordlândia', First 4AD Pressing
9th October 2019

On 6th December, 4AD will release their first pressing of Fordlândia by Jóhann Jóhannsson.  Initially released in 2008, this edition is complete with previously unpublished album notes written by the much-missed composer.

+ You can pre-order from the 4AD Store here +
+ You can listen to the album, and pre-order from other stores, here +

Originally released just as Jóhann’s star was rising in the world of modern composition, Fordlândia is a beautiful meld of strings and electronics, with two themes running throughout; “This album is like a film with two separate story lines that at first don´t seem to have a lot to do with each other, but actually they do,” said Jóhann at the time.

The idea of failed utopias is the main thread, with the album’s title is a reference to the Fordlândia rubber plantation in Brazil that Henry Ford built with grand plans in the mid-1920s but abandoned after a mere eight years at a huge cost and without a single tire for one of his cars having been produced.  The collision of mysticism and rocket science is the other theme explored – made apparent by song titles such as ‘The Rocket Builder (Lo Pan!)’ and ‘Melodia (Guidelines for a Space Propulsion Device Based on Heim’s Quantum Theory)’ – a topic Jóhann was fascinated by at the time of writing this album, keenly studying the leftfield works of John Whiteside Parsons and Burkhard Heim.

Previously only available on vinyl as a small run pressed by Jóhann himself on his NTOV label, this new pressing comes spread across two 180g pieces of black vinyl and is housed in a beautiful gatefold sleeve.  This pressing has been mastered by Bo Kondren at Calyx and the artwork has been adapted from his original design by Chris Bigg.

Jóhann Jóhannsson - Fordlândia
Double LP Edition (CAD2812LP)

A1. Fordlandia (13.43)
A2. melodia (i) (1:56)
B1. The Rocket Builder (lo Pan!) (6.25)
B2. melodia (ii) (1.49)
B3. Fordlandia (Aerial View) (4.33) 
B4. melodia (iii) (3.12)
C1. Chimaerica (3.22)
C2. melodia (iv) (2.45)
C3. The Great God Pan Is Dead (4.56)
C4. Melodia (Guidelines for a Space Propulsion Device Based on Heim’s Quantum Theory) (9.04)
D1. How We Left Fordlândia (15.24)