Kula Shaker double down on the myth: “K-Reinkarnate” is coming, an analog rework to mark 30 years since their debut

There was a time when Britpop wasn't just stadium anthems, working class swagger and Beatles derivations run through the sieve of distorted guitars. In the midst of the mid-Nineties storm, amid psychedelic haze and incense smoke, Kula Shaker managed to carve out a fiefdom entirely their own, fusing the mystical aesthetic of the Flower Power era with the urgency of a visceral, brazen rock 'n' roll.

Exactly thirty years after the release of their thunderous debut, "K" (1996), Crispian Mills' creature is gearing up for a move as bold as it is fascinating: not the usual reissue stuffed with remasters and archival outtakes, but an entirely new, fully analogue re-recording of the original album. The project, christened "K-Reinkarnate", will see the light of day on February 5, 2027, via the band's own label, Strange F.O.L.K. Records.

Previewing the album is a blazing, reworked version of "Govinda", the spiritual-rock manifesto that indelibly shaped the quartet's imagery. On that note, Crispian Mills recalled with a touch of nostalgia:

“Govinda has been part of our DNA since day one. It was the very first song we ever played, when we snuck onto the Krishna Stage at Glastonbury in the summer of 1993. In many ways it's the song that ended up defining us, letting us carve out a unique identity and sound amid the chaos of Britpop, while dozens of bands were jostling for a scrap of attention. Looking back now, with its kirtan roots, it was a track well ahead of its time. Of course, George Harrison had blazed the trail first with 'My Sweet Lord', and we were completely hypnotised by that universe.”

Alongside the release, Kula Shaker will embark on a lengthy headline tour across the UK and Europe in February and March 2027. A tasty opportunity for nostalgics of the raga-rock era, though — as has sadly become the bitter custom for certain continental itineraries — Italy has been firmly left off the announced dates.

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