One record at a time: 133. Erasure - The Neon REMIXED

This is a remix album on double coloured vinyl. The mixes are the usual club oriented material that can make for a worthy listening experience but are more often best left to the dance floor (not that many clubs will be playing Erasure in any form). Also included is one new song called "Secrets" which I can only assume is there to drive sales.

The pick of the mixes here are "Shot a Satellite (GRN Extended Remix)" and the atmospheric "Tower of Love (BSB's Stella Polaris Remix)" which both improve on the originals immensely.  Also worthy of mention is the Matt Pop remix of "New Horizons" which retains the feeling of the original but adds a new glossy layer over the top. 

None of these mixes are terrible but the version of "No Point in Tripping" by JC Carr and Bill Coleman is a little tedious with its cheesy Korg M1 piano riffs and sampled break beats. Whilst Andy Bell and Gareth Jones's "Sapphire and Steel" mix of "Nerves of Steel" breaks the club tedium, it lacks a little punch compared to the pumping dance tracks that surround it.

There were 3 CD singles of remixes released alongside the original album and none of the 29 tracks featured there seem to be repeated on this album. There is also a download code included in the package which provides access to all the mixes plus another 7 included on the digital version. The fourteen minute "Octa Octo Psychedelic Visions Disco Dub" of the new track "Secrets" is not for the faint hearted.

Whilst Erasure can't be criticised for not offering value for money, I do miss the days of a remix album that only had 6 or so high quality mixes across a variety of styles. Having listened to this album I can still hear TR-909  style bass drums pounding in my head. 3/5

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