Circling the drain - Saltburn’s bathwater-filled vinyl

The trend for filling vinyl with liquid continues. Although it’s going to be hard to follow up the new limited edition version of the ‘Saltburn’ soundtrack, which is filled with bathwater. Your reaction to that news is going to differ greatly depending on whether or not you’ve seen the film - or are at least aware of one of its most notorious scenes.

Over the last year or so we’ve reported on albums allegedly filled with urine and tears. Although you have to take their word for it about what’s really inside the record. Does the ‘Saltburn’ vinyl actually contain the particular cocktail of water and… man-made fluid seen in the film? Well, unless you want to crack it open and lick the contents out of a plug hole, it’s probably best to leave that question open too.

“We had an idea”, said Polydor Head Of Marketing Ali Tant on LinkedIn. “Maybe got a little carried away”.

Maybe so, although now that liquid filled vinyl is a thing, it really was the only logical conclusion. I mean, as a piece of design it really is nothing short of genius. Making the centre of the record look like a plug hole is an amazing touch.

Those that managed to bag a copy before it sold out on pre-order will be able to hold it in their hands and marvel as the white liquid slowly oozes around inside the record. You could even pop it on a turntable and listen to the music, should the mood take you.

The song best known for being featured in the film is ‘Murder On The Dancefloor’ by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, which got a big boost from soundtracking the final scene and then trending on TikTok. There are plenty of other classics on there too though. ‘This Modern Love’ by Bloc Party, ‘Hang Me Up To Dry’ by Cold War Kids, ‘Sound Of The Underground’ by Girls Aloud and, er, ‘Have A Cheeky Christmas’ by The Cheeky Girls to name but a few.

If you didn’t get in quick on that pre-order, aren’t now willing to pay the exorbitant prices being charged on eBay, or simply find the whole thing repulsive, there is another option. A month prior to the bathwater edition’s release date, a more tasteful non-liquid-filled blood red edition will be released on 23 Aug.

When it comes to liquid-filled vinyl, it really is going to be difficult to top this one. Also, I just started writing about what other human-produced fluids could be next on the list and made myself feel a bit ill. So, let's just say this puts an end to the whole trend.

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