Future Retro

I have been meaning to get this compilation but have put it off for half a year or so. Then, I spotted it in Borders a few hours ago. Thus, I bought it.

1. Walk (Infusion Mix) -- Cure
2. Situation (Richard X Remix) -- Yaz
3. Lips Like Sugar (Way Out West Remix Edit) -- Echo and the Bunnymen
4. Need You Tonight (Static Revenger Mix Edit) -- INXS
5. Shake the Disease (Tiga Remix) -- Depeche Mode
6. Little Respect (Jaded Alliance 'Electrospect' Remix) -- Erasure
7. New Song (Peter Black & Hadrock Striker Mix Edit) -- Howard Jones
8. Forever Young (Hamel Album Mix) -- Alphaville
9. Bizarre Love Triangle (Crystal Method Extended Mix) -- New Order
10. White Lines (Don't Don't Do It, Elite Force Mix) -- Grandmaster & Melle Mel
11. Girl U Want (Black Light Odyssey Mix) -- Devo
12. NoWhere Girl (Adam Freeland Mix) -- B-Movie
13. Boy (DJ Irene Rockstar Mix) -- Book of Love
14. Suedehead (Sparks Remix) -- Morrissey


Initial impressions? Well, I will only speak for the singles that I care for, namely, tracks 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 13. The remix of Yazoo's 'Situation' is alright, nothing extraordinary. The vocal track has been preserved. Likewise, the vocals of Depeche Mode's 'Shake the Disease' is preserved though the mix seemed somewhat disjointed. Erasure's 'A little Respect' has a slow bouncy repetitive beat beneath the intact vocals. These three remixes are just okay. Passable.

Like the previous mix, Howard Jones' 'New Song' incorporates a bouncy, stumbling repetitive beat which seems to sap some of the original vitality of Jones' simpler beat. However, this mix is somewhat better than the precious one which is some sort of a house mix. At least, it clocks at 3:26 rather than 6:31 of the previous one. The mix of Alphaville's 'Forever Young' is by far the one of the most promising of the bunch preserving the melody with thumping background. And no, it is not merely a speeded up mix. There is additional production work. Excellent. The Crystal Method is a big name and their remix of New Order's 'Bizarre Love Triangle' is on par with the Hamel one of 'Forever Young'. It's hard to describe as it is made of many disparate elements. Finally, the remix of Book of Love's 'Boy' has added production work incorporating guitar work, giving it an edgier feel instead of the original candy pop feel.

There has been suggestion of a second volume which I hope to see. All in all, this is an alright collection but I would advise one not to pay too much for it.