Summary
Step back in time to the psychedelic wonderland of the early 1970s with “Relics,” the spellbinding collection from Pink Floyd, released under the EMI Starline label (SRS 5071, IE 048 04775). This isn’t just a greatest hits record—it’s a time capsule of the band’s most whimsical, experimental, and era-defining tracks. On “Relics,” you’ll discover a band standing at the doors of reinvention, balancing whimsy with the profound, and alchemizing rock with avant-garde soundscapes. For vinyl collectors and Floyd aficionados alike, this is a must-have pressing—a shiny black invitation to the origins of one of rock’s most unpredictable bands.

About the Artist
Pink Floyd are the high priests of psychedelic rock, best known for their multimedia concerts, philosophical lyrics, and genre-pushing albums. Formed in London in 1965, the band’s roots sleep soundly in the avant-garde. Founding members Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright, and Nick Mason were a collision of creative minds, swiftly joined by David Gilmour by 1968. By the time “Relics” hit record shop shelves, the Floyd lineup had weathered the creative departure of Syd Barrett but kept his spirit alive in their music. Their fascination with science fiction, surrealism, and counterculture set them apart, drawing influence from American blues, British whimsy, and a fair bit of experimental improvisation.

About the Record
At its core, “Relics” is a celebration of Pink Floyd’s formative years—an anthology that swoops through their earliest singles, non-album tracks, and essential deep cuts up to 1971. The album features beloved oddities like “Arnold Layne” (a notorious ode to a cross-dresser), the dreamy “See Emily Play,” and B-side rarity “Paintbox.” The record acts as a sonic scrapbook, displaying the band’s creative playfulness—some tracks predate even their monumental “The Dark Side of the Moon.”

Unlike later Floyd albums known for conceptual unity, “Relics” flirts between styles: from the childlike psychedelia of the Barrett era to the ominous prog-jams of Waters and Gilmour. This set was curated both for curious new listeners and discography-devouring superfans, and it’s still considered one of the most inclusive introductions to early Floyd.

About the Cover
The original UK cover of “Relics” stands out as one of Floyd’s most peculiar pieces of visual art. Designed by Nick Mason himself (proving his talents extend far beyond the drum kit), it features a fantasy “machine” sketched with all the fragile intricacy of a Victorian invention—complete with pipes, cogs, balloons, and all manner of bizarre appendages. That quirky invention is called “The Machine.” The playful cover perfectly mirrors the musical mechanical wonders pressed inside the vinyl and cements “Relics” as one of the most visually memorable releases in Pink Floyd’s discography.

About the Lyrics & Music
Musically, “Relics” is a kaleidoscope of moods and motifs. The album launches with tracks like “Arnold Layne” and “See Emily Play”—pop masterpieces with a surreal twist, both written by Syd Barrett in his creative prime. From there, the tracklist meanders through jazzy interludes (“Biding My Time”), blues-inflected grooves (“Careful with That Axe, Eugene”), and the proto-prog odyssey of “Interstellar Overdrive.” Fans have long celebrated “Julia Dream” for its lush, melancholic harmonies, and Side B’s “Bike” is a whimsical slice of pure British eccentricity—Barrett’s playground of nonsense and wonder.

The record is less concerned with singular meaning and more a playful, exploratory ride through early psychedelic and progressive rock. Lyrically, the themes range from English suburbia to psychedelic daydreams—always clever, and sometimes just a tad unsettling.

Conclusion
“Relics” is more than a compilation—it’s a tour through the looking glass of Pink Floyd’s adventurous beginnings. If you’re seeking the textured, sprawling Floyd of “The Wall,” be prepared: here, it’s all mystery trains, laughing cats, and prismatic journeys through time and space. But that’s exactly what makes Relics essential. It captures the Floyd before they found their grand themes—when their only guiding star was fierce, unfiltered creativity.

Other Recommendations
If “Relics” sparks your appetite, the journey has only begun! You’ll find similar treasures in:

“The Piper at the Gates of Dawn” (1967): Syd Barrett’s psychedelic magnum opus.
“A Saucerful of Secrets” (1968): The band’s transition from Barrett’s leadership toward experimental prog.
“Meddle” (1971): Released the same year as “Relics,” with extended jams and the haunting “Echoes.”
The Soft Machine, “Volume Two” (1969): For more British psych-prog weirdness from Pink Floyd’s contemporaries.
Early King Crimson (“In the Court of the Crimson King”): Rich, complex, and equally genre-defining.
So cue up the turntable, dim the lights, and let “Relics” take you back to when Pink Floyd were the sonic magicians of the swinging sixties and groovy seventies. This is history, pressed in wax.