Search - Various Artists :: Original 80s Remix Box Set

Typical of these compilations--some gems and numerous proble

Daniel W. Kelly | Long Island, NY United States | 02/28/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Not to be confused with the single disc "Original 80s Remix Album" CD, this is a 3 disc set.



Okay, let's break down this title. ORIGINAL-80s-REMIX.



Original? Sometimes--a good number of these mixes are not the original remixes.



80s? Well, for the most part, any of the mixes that are not the original remixes were done in the NINETIES. So WHY have them on an `original 80s remix' compilation???



Remix? Mostly. However, there are also quite a few album versions and 7" versions on here, some of them mislabeled.



These compilations seem to be getting more desperate to cash in on collectors' desires to have rare 80s 12" remixes on CD. But instead of taking the time to research what we're really looking for and hunting down the licensing, they keep rehashing mixes used numerous times, throwing in easier to acquire bad 90s remixes, and mixing in a couple of album versions. Having said that, there are, as usual, a couple of mixes here that are making their CD debut, making this one a necessity. The sound quality is excellent as well. Here's the breakdown:



CD1:



1. reflex...duran duran (6:35) (the 12" version)

2. penthouse & pavement (tommy D mix)...heaven 17 (1990s house mix)

3. lifeline...spandau ballet (12" version)

4. enola gay...OMD (4:08) (sash remix from the 1990s--and the vocals are resung)

5. The Circus...Erasure (4:05) (this is the single remix from the Erasure ebx 2 boxed set)

6. reap the wild wind...ultravox (4:45) (the 12" version)

7. situation...yaz (5:45) (this is the album version)

8. it's a miracle/miss me blind...culture club (9:12) (the original 12" medley)

9. blinded me with science...thomas dolby (5:10) (the original US long version)

10. he ain't no competition...brother beyond (5:42) (the original 12")

11. belouis some (3:35) (um...this would be the 7", NOT the 12". And how about the 12" version of "Some People" for a change???)

12. We Close Our Eyes...Go West (6:45) (BRILLIANT! This alternate 12" version to the "total overhang mix" is finally available on CD with the orchestral opening intact!)

13. love missile f-11 (westbam remix short version)...sigue sigue sputnik (long or short, this remix doesn't do the original song justice--it's more like a dub)

14. Heart of Glass...Blondie (5:50) (the absolutely easy to find original disco mix. A waste of precious disc space better used for something rare)



CD2:



1. keep on movin(M Beat bonus mix)...soul II soul (4:24) (EEK! A horrible breakbeat dub mix)

2. Good Life...Inner City (7:12) (HOT. The Silk Hurley mix)

3. hangin on a string...loose ends (5:53) (NICE. Downtempo house mix by Frankie knuckles)

4. Showing Out...mel & kim (4:35) (short mix! What a disappointment!)

5. in private...dusty Springfield (7:12) (the full 12")

6. respect...adeva (8:29) (the Dancin Danny D mix)

7. mony mony...amazulu (7:11) (interesting hi-nrg cover of the Tommy James and Billy Idol hit--but PLEASE someone put the 12" of MONTEGO BAY on CD!!!)

8. some guys have all the luck...maxi priest (5:39) (a cover of Robert Palmer and Rod Stewart track)

9. let's go all the way...sly fox (5:10) (The ALBUM version, not the 12", which is only 20 seconds longer, and available on the CD "Pulsating Grooves 3)

10. hot in the city...billy idol (3:37) (original album version, not the 1988 version from the US release of Vital Idol)

11. once in a lifetime...talking heads (5:33) (Very hot. The 1984 12" remix. Very rare and collectible.)

12. let's stick together...bryan ferry (2:59) (Indeed it is not the original mix. Definitely remixed in 1988 as it says)

13. it's my life...talk talk (6:20) (the 12" club mix)

14. I just died in your arms...cutting crew (4:45) (NOT the 12". The Full length album version)



CD3



1. Dreaming...blondie (6:00) (an EDIT of the remix from the 1990s Blondie "Remixed Remade Remodeled CD)

2. to cut a long story short...spandau ballet (6:03) (more like, to cut a 12" version short. Edited by about 30 seconds as it is on the CD version of Spandau Ballet: The 12" mixes)

3. girls on film...duran duran (6:28) (remix from a 1999 remix CD single)

4. Souvenir...OMD (4:38) (So clearly a moby remix from the late 90s when he was big with his downtempo, moody mixes)

5. Play to Win...Heaven 17 (7:22) (original 12" mix)

6. We Came to Dance...Ultravox (7:35) (12" mix)

7. War Song...culture club (6:20) (This is ALWAYS mislabled as the Ultimate Dance mix, even on Culture Club releases. The Ultimate Dance Mix runs 6:50. This is the B-side to that vinyl mix, known as the Shriek mix. I have yet to see the actual Ultimate Dance mix on CD)

8. Icing on the Cake...Stephen Duffy (7:08) (worth the price of admission! First time I'm aware of the full 12" actually being on CD!!!)

9. don't stop the dance...bryan ferry (5:46) (the 12" mix)

10. back to life...soul II soul (6:33) (I didn't even know this mix existed. It's quite good. Downtempo, not a house mix)

11. heart and soul...t'pau (4:14) (the full length album version)

12. don't you forget about me...simple minds (5:00) (the jam & spoon remix from the late 1990s)

13. kids in America...kim wilde (4:02) (the d-bop techno/trance mix from 2001)"