An immersive journey into the band’s most enigmatic album, now in Spatial Audio.
Following last fall’s release of Vitalogy on Blu-ray in Spatial Audio to celebrate its 30th anniversary, another essential chapter in Pearl Jam’s discography is set to return in a completely new sonic form: Binaural, ready to be experienced like never before.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the album (originally released on May 16, 2000), the band has announced a special Blu-ray edition, now available for pre-order on their official website. The disc includes two new mixes: Spatial Audio and Hi-Res Stereo, both crafted by longtime Pearl Jam collaborator Josh Evans.
It’s the perfect chance to dive back into an album that’s introspective, shadowy, and often underrated. Tracks like Light Years, Nothing As It Seems, Of the Girl, and Sleight of Hand – already deeply atmospheric in their original form – promise an even more enveloping experience thanks to the immersive quality of these new mixes.
However, it’s a bit of a missed opportunity that the original mix by Tchad Blake isn’t included — a version never officially released by the band, except for the Insignificance track which appeared as the b-side of the Nothing As It Seems single. Blake’s mix captured the initial sonic identity of the project: bold, experimental, and pioneering in its use of binaural recording techniques.
Here is the original tracklist of Binaural, as it was announced on pearljam.com in March 2000.
- Breakerfall
- Insignificance
- Evacuation
- Letter to the Dead (AKA Sad)
- Rival
- Grievance
- Light Years
- Of the Girl
- Thin Air
- Nothing As It Seems
- Fatal
- Sleight of Hand
- Soon Forget
- In the Moonlight
- Parting Ways
- Education
Many of these outtakes were later released on the 2003 compilation Lost Dogs, but hearing them in their original context (and original mix) would have offered a very different perspective on the album.
Official tracklist for the Blu-ray edition, out June 6, 2025:
- Breakerfall
- Gods’ Dice
- Evacuation
- Light Years
- Nothing As It Seems
- Thin Air
- Insignifican
- Of the Girl
- Grievance
- Rival
- Sleight of Hand
- Soon Forget
- Parting Ways
A completely new way to rediscover Binaural – or to experience it for the very first time.
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., The Murder Capital, Dead Kennedys, Mark Lanegan, Cat Power, R.E.M.