Soda – Britpop Band Collectible Town House Master Reel – Excellent w/ Studio Track Sheet & Tone Reference

Condition Details: Please check all photos of the item carefully, as they form part of the description of the condition of the item. This vintage reel-to-reel tape from The Town House (an Omni Sound Production) is in excellent condition, with intact reels and a detailed studio label. Dated 8th September 1995, the reel includes mastering notes, tone references, and full track timings. It has been professionally stored and remains fully playable for archival or reference use.

What's Included: This listing includes the Original Studio Reel housed in a Town House box, featuring:

• Track List:

  1. Riot Kid – TK1 – Master (0:20–2:41)

  2. Let Myself Slip – TK1 (3:30–8:30)

  • Record PAD: 1 min

  • Tones: 1kHz, 10kHz, 100Hz, 50Hz (1 min each)

• Technical Specs:

  • Format: Analogue (Ampex 456)

  • System: Studer A800II

  • Noise Reduction: AES

  • Emphasis: 24

  • Clone: Master

  • Reel: 2

  • Date: 8/9/95

  • Studio: [Not listed]

  • Sampling Rate: [Not listed]

The reel is marked “FL/EL” across both tracks, possibly indicating filter or EQ settings used during mastering. The presence of full tone calibration and AES noise reduction confirms this reel was prepared for high-fidelity duplication or final mix review.

About the Item: Soda were a Britpop band from Hull, England, formed in 1994. They emerged during the height of the mid-1990s Britpop boom, blending melodic guitar pop with touches of punk and new wave. The group consisted of Ocean Reid (vocals), Liam Maloy (bass/vocals), Mike Milner (guitar), Chris Charlton (guitar), and Carl Lonsdale (drums).

Signed to Mercury/Fontana Records between 1995 and 1997, Soda released a few singles including The Young Own The Town (1995) and Inside (1996). Their debut album, Artificial Flavour, was recorded during this period but was shelved by their label and only officially released twenty years later in 2016.

Their music captured the bright, energetic sound of the Britpop era, with catchy choruses and jangly guitars comparable to acts like Ash, Sleeper, and Echobelly. Critics have described their songs as “a perfect time capsule of mid-90s guitar pop.” Despite strong material, Soda’s career was cut short by label setbacks and bad timing.

Today, the band enjoys cult status among Britpop enthusiasts, with their rediscovered debut gaining positive retrospective attention. Artificial Flavour stands as a snapshot of a band that could have been much bigger had things gone differently.