Depeche Mode – Remixes 81···04

Well worth every penny just for the third CD - what a superbly compiled and sequenced set of remixes.

Standing as the most substantial collection of remixes for a reasonable price, this compilation released by Depeche Mode in 2004 is the most limited out of all the formats. At three discs long it manages to showcase the band's long interest in having their music reworked perfectly, giving the listener a pretty awesome glimpse into their 30+ career.
With tracks starting as early as 1981 with the Rio Mix of 'Shout' the album is a monument to some of the best mixes over the last few decades, including some incredible turns from the likes of Dave Bascombe, Underworld, Jack Dangers, William Orbit, Flood and many more. There are your usual club mixes which work more as an extended version to the quite frankly bizarre and abstract, giving fans a chance to hear D.M. in many different electronic styles as dance music evolved over the decades.
The one struggle with this album is that even though it's jam packed with iconic tunes there seems to be little attempt to line them up properly. When it comes to the single disc version of 'Remixes 81...04' there seems to be a consistency to the tracklist by cherry picking some of the best from this format, whereas here it's more about throwing everything at a wall and seeing what sticks. Some of the earlier remixes come across as a little jarring as well in comparison to the 90's stuff too (Zoom Bop Bop, anyone?), but as some of these have become cult classic amongst the fanbase there does seem to be a place for them here.
It is in the 3rd CD however where we bear witness to a real treat. The majority of its runtime is comprised of remixes made just for this release, featuring some off the wall appearances by Goldfrapp, Ray Carroll and LFO. Standouts include a great nostalgic throwback of 'Photographic' by Rex The Dog (though it is worth hunting down The Faithful Mix if you'd prefer a more vocal version) as well as Mike Shinoda's Nu-Metal take on 'Enjoy The Silence' (a track that would be used as a single to promote the release). This compilation would become so popular that it would garner a sequel with more exclusive remixes that would also include reworkings from the band's following albums 'Playing The Angel' and 'Sounds Of The Universe', but it is here that we see what legends Depeche Mode had become. With it's stellar cast of producers and artists all packed into a limited edition set this album may not be something a casual listener might enjoy, but for the long running fans it is a way to entertain oneself for an afternoon.

Only superstar bands like DEPECHE MODE can make a remix album..

the 3 CD box is awesome.

Does anyone know when Daniel remixed World In My Eyes?

Did he do it in '90 or did he remix it for this compilation?

I have the Promo 3 cd version, which does not seem to be listed here.

Depeche Mode has always been open to remixes, from their early singles, when a "remix" was little more than extension to keep people on the dancefloor for a few more minutes. On their retrospective, _Remixes 81-04_, they encom the whole spectrum of mixes from throughout their entire career.

Certainly, this collection has good represention from almost all of their albums, rather than simply their more popular ones. Although one could quibble with the selections (why a 2nd Francois Kevorkian remix with "Policy of Truth" rather than the KLF mix? why not one of the Orb remixes of "World in My Eyes"), there's a breadth of these mixes that can be surprising. The harsh dub-industrial of Adrian Sherwood's "Are People People?," for example, or the quasi-Western of Johnny Dollar and Portishead's take on "In Your Room" contrast to the mellow stoner vibe of Kruder & Dorfmeister's "Useless" or the dreaminess of Air's "Home."

House mixes seem to be most prominent -- which makes sense, considering that Depeche Mode has always had one eye on the dancefloor. These tracks range from the straightforward club tracks like Danny Tenaglia's "I "Feel Loved" and Club 69's version of "It's No Good" to the straight up beats of Chamber's take on "I Feel Loved."

What makes this triple album most interesting, however, are the new mixes. Timo Maas creates a surprisingly relaxed version of the worldwide hit "Enjoy the Silence," while Colder takes "Clean" into a dark 80s wonderland. LFO make "Lie To Me" eerie and robotic. Fans of rock music who might otherwise eschew Depeche Mode altogether might be intrigued by Headcleanr's grungy take on "Nothing" or Mike Shinoda's raucous version of "Enjoy the Silence."

But my money's on two particular tracks. First, Ulrich Schnauss takes the bildungsroman "Little 15" and imparts it with his usual flair which moves from baroque iciness into dreamy ambience with grace to spare. Goldfrapp, moving away from the uptempo disco of their own work, modify "Halo" into a music box fantasia (punctuated by Alison's breathy vocals) that could have come off _Felt Mountain_ -- high praise indeed. Those tracks are perfect examples of how remixes can utterly transform the familiar. Depeche Mode knew this, of course, and now you can hear it for yourself.