A Certain Ratio - The Joy Of Sextet

A CERTAIN RATIO share a brand new mix – from the original session tapes - of the 12” release of the hypnotic single ‘Knife Slits Water’ by Andy Meecham aka The Emperor Machine. Originally recorded back in 1981 for the 12” release, Meecham has given it the dancefloor treatment, bringing it sonically up to date to make both your mind and your body groove. The 12” version is featured on a forthcoming companion release for 'Sextet', recorded 45 years ago.

'Sextet' was ACR’s third studio album and showed a whole new side to the band. It was described on release as “… an album of the present, killing the present and agreeably ignoring the future” by Sounds and more recently reappraised by Pitchfork who said it “still sounds like no other record”. The line-up for Sextet features Martha 'Tilly' Tilson, who the band had met in New York while they were recording To Each…Tilly’s lyrics, Jez Kerr explains, “reflect her take on life in Manchester, “walk along the waterline, see the ships passing by, grey skies, still water”.

This singular release - which spent 11 weeks in the UK Independent Chart, reaching the #1 slot - has been given a brand-new mix by long-time collaborator Andy Meecham (The Emperor Machine) from the original album session tapes. Talking about the process, Meecham explains, “Taking on an epic album like this involved pushing up the faders again from the original 1981 2” multitracks adding some new dynamics while recapturing the sound of 1981 without losing the original raw energy and feel. The talent, innovation and sheer musicality blew me away every day I worked on this. A labour of love, one I would undertake again in a heartbeat.”

ACR celebrate two anniversaries this year: 45 years since they went into Revolution Studios in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport to record 'Sextet' (1982) and 40 years since the release of the 1986 album 'Force' – and mark the occasion with companion releases for each of the albums out on the 28th of August, and an anniversary tour in October which kicks off on the 7th of October in Birmingham, includes a date at London Dingwalls on the 9th of October and finishes at Manchester’s Band on the Wall on the 24th of October – will see both albums played in full, with an interval in between, and some surprises thrown in.

ACR go on to say, “We’re celebrating these two milestones with this tour, to say we are very excited is an understatement. It will be a real challenge, which we’ve already started preparing for, with nine months to go! We will be playing two sets with no support.”

A Certain Ratio - 'The Joy of Sextet' will be available on limited edition 'The Joy of Curacao' coloured vinyl, CD and digital. Pre-order - https://mute.ffm.to/acr-tjos
'Force Majeure' will be available on limited edition 'Unforced Purple' coloured vinyl, CD and digitally. Pre-order - https://mute.ffm.to/acr-fm
Both are released via Mute on the 28th of August 2026.