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Talk Talk announce ‘The Colour Of Spring’ 40th anniversary reissue cut at half speed
Talk Talk have announced a 40th anniversary half-speed reissue of their 1986 album 'The Colour Of Spring', due for release on 4 September 2026. The reissue coincides with a one-off reunion gig the following day at London's O2 Forum Kentish Town, marking a significant celebration of an album considered a pivotal moment in the band's evolution away from synth-pop towards a more experimental art-rock sound.
The vinyl reissue was cut by Matt Colton on 180g vinyl at Metropolis Studios, with drummer Lee Harris and Charlie Hollis (son of the late frontman Mark Hollis) overseeing production, following a similar half-speed treatment previously given to 'Spirit Of Eden'. The anniversary show will feature surviving contributors including founding keyboardist Simon Brenner, Phil Ramocon and Ian Curnow, alongside guest musicians such as Sophie Barker, Ed Harcourt and Fyfe Dangerfield. Mark Hollis died of cancer in February 2019, aged 64, and tickets for the gig are already on sale.
In short
- Talk Talk reissue 'The Colour Of Spring' at half speed on 4 September 2026
- One-off anniversary gig follows on 5 September at O2 Forum Kentish Town
- Guests include Ed Harcourt, Fyfe Dangerfield and Mark Gardener; Hollis died in 2019
Explained simply
Talk Talk were a British band who became successful in the 1980s with electronic pop music before shifting towards experimental, unconventional sounds. The Colour Of Spring in 1986 represents their transition away from accessible pop towards complex arrangements and introspective artistic material.
What made the album significant was that it demonstrated a commercially successful band could fundamentally change their artistic direction without compromising their integrity. Music critics and fellow musicians have subsequently recognised it as an influential work that expanded what rock music could achieve.
The band was fronted by Mark Hollis, whose artistic vision drove this creative transformation, though he passed away from cancer in 2019. Understanding this background is important for grasping why the album remains culturally significant and why surviving members and original collaborators remain connected to its legacy.