Soft Machine

Third

First released1970

Soft Machine's third studio album, released in 1970, was recorded at Miles Studios in London and marked a significant shift toward jazz fusion and instrumental complexity. The album was produced by the band themselves with engineer JohnEdir, reflecting their increasing artistic control and ambition to expand beyond their psychedelic rock origins. Recording took place over several months and utilized the latest studio technology available at the time to capture the intricate arrangements and extended improvisations characteristic of the band's evolving sound. The album featured a streamlined four-piece lineup and showcased elaborate multi-part compositions that would become foundational to the progressive rock and fusion movements of the 1970s. The production prioritized clarity of individual instrumental voices, particularly the keyboards and saxophones, which had become central to Soft Machine's new musical direction.