Remixes 2 (81-11) -Ltd- [Box set]

There's two types of remixes : and two types of people who listen to them. There's the bold reimaginings of the original material, where artists make another song their own, and mould it to be better, or worse, but always, make it different - retaining the original scope and scale but in a new environment. And then there's the generic, dull, boring, DJ/CarDisco set, who swamp the original with a thumping beat designed to be added/subtracted to any one of a multitude of remixes for BBC1 and the Sunderland Hippodrome at the weekend.

And the two types of listeners : one, out on a Saturday Night with no idea what they are listening to - the other, at home, on their way to work, or walking down the street, listening to music the way it should be heard.

And, with "Remixes 2 : 81-11", Depeche Mode fill their coffers with another compilation. Like the original "Remixes : 81-04", it's a variable, uneven selection of material - too many thumpthumpthumps and not enough radical and thrilling reinventions for my liking - and also an enormous burst of new music. But it leaves a sour taste in the mouth : there are multiple formats (and tracklistings), and there are at least four separate download versions - each with exclusive remixes on them. To obtain all the material released, you would have to buy this release five times. That's simply abusive marketing.

For the keen, probably the big draw is on the expensive 3CD Deluxe Edition, Alan Wilder (ex-DM) remixes "In Chains", and where Vince Clarke (ex-DM) remixes "Behind The Wheel". In both cases, the mixes demonstrate clearly the originals vision and the vast difference between earlier Depeche Mode, and the later incarnation of the band. For some, Wilders mix is the stand out - a tantalising glimpse of the path the band were forging on "Songs Of Faith And Devotion" , dark soundscapes, tense rhythms, cinematic strings and huge ideas. Wilder's production has always been immaculate, and this is no exception : apart from a weak drum sound, it's easily the best remix DM have ever released in 20 years.

The rest of the set is strong and worthwhile : Vince's mix of "Behind The Wheel" is a jaunty, poppy choice that echoes and updates the original sound of the band. The rest of the remixes are perhaps, not always so valid : the set opens with a redundant floorthudding take on "Dream On", and this proves sequencing is all. A set like this should be compiled and sequenced with a thought for how it will sound listened to at home, with drama, narrative, and flow. A 36 song, four hour set should start with some sense of tension and release, not a thudding bass drum. On the first CD, some of the remixes are gold. Others are gloop.

Avoid at all costs, the turgid Digitalism remix of "Never Let Me Down Again". It's not quite the worst Depeche Mode remix of all time ; only the worst of the past 25 years. The rest are not always classics, but some - such as M83's wonderful reinvention of "Suffer Well", the Six Toes orchestral revamp of "Peace", and the underrated remix of "Lillian", whilst the third CD revises a multitude of older, lesser-known songs such as "Leave In Silence" and "Puppets" - are certainly fit to stand at the top of the 400 or so official Depeche Mode remixes that have been released in their lifespan. Which is surprising are the omissions and duplications - multiple versions of "Personal Jesus", or "In Chains" are here, but not one of "Precious", or "Sea Of Sin", or perhaps, most crucially, not one of the original 1990 remixes of "Enjoy The Silence" which was one of the strongest remix sets ever released (the "Hands And Feet Remix" of this track is the definitive remix, and absent). And at least seven core songs are also remixed on 2004's Remixes release.

Where the Remixes package fails, completely and utterly, is a second Alan Wilder remix is only available from some download services. Epic fail.

There was a time when I'd buy everything. Coloured vinyl. Gatefold 12"s even when I had the CD single with all the tracks on. Reverse Jewel Case CD singles. Slipcases. Cassette singles. The one sided Quad Mix etched 12" with the rose on the bside. The gatefold 7" for an instrumental edit of the b-side. The german swirl vinyl with sticker. The bootleg CD's of unlistenable fanmixes. The American double 12" or CD single with a mislabelled mix which was actually on the UK 12" that I already had. I still buy the physical CD singles, and the 3CD sets. The LiveHereNow CD's. I don't have the time or inclination to buy this release four times from four different download websites to get every remix : especially when remixes of songs such as "Sweetest Perfection" and "Sister Of Night" are only available in this way.

It was a sale lost by treating your customers like marks to be ripped off. I would have bought them if there was an effort to sell these tracks to me clearly and comprehensively, instead of making them exclusive to one website, or one country. We're not a herd to be fleeced. And for that, it's a mark off.

Thankfully, for all but the most retentive, the 3CD set easily covers almost all of the key remixes in a handy, and affordable package that definitively produces value for money with 3CD's, and 4 hours of music, for under [] pounds - which is the cost of a new album in its own right. As far as remix assortments go, "Remixes 2" is equal to the original 2004 set, being a comprehensive, value for money, burst of a metric shedload of remixes at a very affordable price.

As with Volume 1 there will always be inclusions and omissions that confuse the listener. Overall the sequencing is a little odd here, so we open with a fairly vacuous 4:4 club remix of Dream On (there were arguably far better ones) and then into a really eclectic remix for track 2. However overall this is well worth getting, for a few nice touches on CD1-2 and ofcourse a whole disc of 2011 mixes on the final disc. As you'd expect, some of these work much better than others.

Highlights for me were Tiger Skins' remix of In Chains, Alan Wilder's remix of the same, Vince's remix of Behind The Wheel, the remixes of Corrupt, Puppets and Tora!Tora! Tora!. Lower points were the Eric remix of NLMDA (far too long, would've been fine for about 4 minutes as really a dub) and the 2011 remixes of Question Of Time and Personal Jesus....glad I didn't fork out for the CD Single of those (Alex Metric Radio Edit is passable).

As the focus is more on their later material this compilation tends to sound more indie, and the remixes are often more extreme, but balancing with Tim Simenon Remix of Strangelove, Dub In My Eyes and the Pulsating Orbital Vocal of Happiest Girl works quite well.

Great value too!

Trendy music types nowadays queue up to say how influential Depeche Mode were in the 80s and 90s. From Chicago House to Electro -Clash Depeche led the way despite the British mainstream largely turning its' back on them after the unfortunate Jim'll Fix It years. Depeche however wouldn't have maintained the devotion it can command from fans if what they did wasn't unique and universally popular. Their respect within the industry means they can call on who they want to remix their tunes. Remix 2 is a great collection. For me as a fan for over 25 years since hearing Leave in Silence (remixed to good effect on disc 3) on radio 1 on a summer afternoon in 1982 and thinking does Woolworths sell that? I have a lot of the mixes on the first 2 discs- some of them were great at the time an I hardly listen to them now like: "Higher Love" adrenalin mix. Some of them bring back goose bumps like: "I feel You" (Helmet at The Helm mix). Some of them are on the spot indicators of what was happening in music way back when: "Strangelove" (Tim Simeon mix). So if like me you've already spent money on those rare or multiple package remixes you dont need the first 2 discs apart from "In Chains" Tigerskin mix but maybe not at £2.99.
The third disc however like the first remix collection a few years back is worth getting. There is unfortunately nothing with as much cross over appeal as Goldfrapps version of "Halo". However all the tracks sound interesting apart from a rather weak interpretation of "Master and Servant" (a classic in its original form), which wasn't served too well by the last remix collection either. Stand out tracks like "Tora Tora Tora" are genuinely inventive and hugely enjoyable to listen to bringing in an almost filmic, textural and ambient sound to a selection of old favourites. "Behind The Wheel" by Vince Clark- you all know who he is!!- is a great dance number without being too much like Erasure and brings out a warmer less tinny beat and Alan Wilder comes over all Recoil on his reworking of "In Chains" to quite good effect. "Question Of Time" from Black Celebration (my own favourite from their back catalogue) is very, very good. My only complaint and this is more to do with Mute is why offer exclusives to different download sites when as eager fans we want to own them all? Doesn't this just encourage file sharing? For that reason and the fact that this is a purchase marketed mainly to the fans so should be the same across all formats and providers they loose a star.