Return to Ommadawn is Mike Oldfield's 26th studio album. Being a sequel to his third album
Ommadawn.Published on January 20, 2017 in CD, CD/DVD, LP and Digital Download format by Virgin EMI Records. The CD/DVD-Audio format contains a 5.1. surround sound version.
Background
Mike Oldfield always had in mind to make a sequel to his third album, in principle the album has played with the idea of creating a sequel to
Ommadawn in the past;
Amarok was composed to end up being
Ommadawn II, but in the end he took his own direction.
On October 16, 2015, he stated on Twitter, "I continue working with some ideas for "A New Ommadawn" during the last week I hope it works." On May 8, 2016, he stated on his Facebook group page that the sequel to
Ommadawn with the attractive title of "Return to Ommadawn" was finished, waiting for a release date by the record company.
On December 7, 2016, he announced on Facebook that the launch date would be on January 20, 2017, also attaching a sample of 30 seconds, and the BBC Radio 2 broadcast a unique version for radio 3 minutes.
Return to Ommadawn is the first album since the one published in 1978
Incantations, which continues to name each song as "Part One", "Part Two", etc., on each side of the vinyl.
The album was well received by both the media and critics, and music cataloged as a style back to its roots.
Musicians
All the instruments included in the list are played by Mike Oldfield:
• Acoustic guitar
• Flamenco guitar
• Electric bass
• Acoustic bass
• Electric guitars
• Mandolins
• Banyo
• Ukulele
• Celtic harp
• Vox Continental organ
• Hammond organ
• Farfisa organ
• Mellotron
• Solina
• Clavioline
• Piano
• Bodhran
• African drums
• Glockenspiel
• Irish flutes in B ♭, C, D, E ♭, F and G
• Vocal effects borrowed from the original Ommadawn
• Boogie table
• Fender Twin