Mercury Prize nominated album - from one of the best UK jazz acts of the 2000s, Polar Bear - led by drummer Seb Rochford.

'Held on the Tips of Fingers' (2005) was the album that launched Polar Bear into the spotlight, earning a Mercury Prize nomination and cementing their status as one of the most influential British jazz groups of the 21st century. Now, for the first time, this landmark album will be available on vinyl, bringing new life to a recording that helped redefine jazz for a new generation.

Expanding on the ideas introduced in 'Dim Lit', 'Held on the Tips of Fingers' saw the band refine their sound while pushing their compositions further into uncharted territory. The interplay between Rochford, Pete Wareham, Mark Lockheart, Tom Herbert, and Leafcutter John was sharper, the structures looser, and the music more expressive. It was a rare feat: an album that felt both urgent and timeless, raw yet meticulously crafted. Held on the Tips of Fingers was widely acclaimed, securing a 5-star review in The Observer and a place in Jazzwise's 100 Jazz Albums That Shook the World and The Guardian's 1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die.

This long-awaited vinyl edition revisits an album that shaped modern British jazz and inspired a wave of experimental music that followed. 'Held on the Tips of Fingers' remains as vital and forward-thinking today as it was in 2005, standing as a testament to the groundbreaking vision of Seb Rochford and Polar Bear.

Track Listing

• Was Dreaming You Called You Disappeared I Slept
• Beartown
• Fluffy (I Want You)
• To Touch the Red Brick
• Held on the Tips of Fingers
• Argumentative
• Your Eyes the Sea
• The King of Aberdeen
• Life That Ends Too Soon

Additional Details

Label: Edition Records

Genre: Jazz

Region: 0

Release Date: 08/08/25

UPC: 5060509792894