Depeche Mode
Remixes 81-04

Of remixes of Depeche Mode, there are undoubtedly plenty: from the most famous singles to the more earnest tracks. So it was more than fair to group some of them in this collection made up of three CDs. I am going to review only the single version.

The compilation opens in a fairly epic manner with the remix of "Never Let Me Down Again": a well-known chorus makes it clear that the goal of the first track is not a console play as present in other remixes (like "I Feel You", but let's go in order); it is an arrangement that combines a taste for the new and a celebration of the original (what every good remix should be, in my opinion). Then follows the remix of one of Basildon's group's most famous songs: "Personal Jesus". Kevorkian uses and abuses the end of the "Violator" track to make us dance non-stop; it might not be the best remix, but it cannot be denied that it is pleasant and relaxing.

With the third track, disappointments begin. Truth be told, "Barrel Of A Gun" starts out wonderfully with a sort of siren that vibrates the listener, but it soon becomes repetitive, monotonous, and of Gore's beautiful words only "Whatever I've done, I'm not the one" remains. "Route 66" is undoubtedly an interesting experiment (we have the fusion with "Behind the Wheel").. however, after the initial enthusiasm, the track convinced me less and less. We continue with a remix by Kruder And Dorfmeister of the magical "Useless": personally, I much prefer the original with the guitars, the synths… while this lounge-like track doesn't evoke great emotions for me. The remix of "In Your Room", on the other hand, is quite fast and easy to listen to: we're no longer in the sensual and subdued love of "Songs Of Faith And Devotion", and we fall into something lighter and less romantic. The remix of "Home" is really nice, characterized by calm but not boring rhythms, instruments that frame Gore's voice. To break the spell constituted by that pause, we savor the quick beats of "Strangelove": it's a remix very faithful to the original (perhaps too much?), maybe because Daniel Miller collaborated on it… The ninth track ("I Feel You") causes me to gag and that "Yahhhh" irritates me terribly!

We end on a high note. First, we enjoy "Just Can't Get Enough" and then we fall into a real trance with the Goldfrapp remix of "Halo"; in my opinion, it constitutes the best piece of the entire compilation: the singer fulfills the desire of hordes of fans, namely to accompany Dave Gahan in song (how could one not gasp like her?). It concludes with "Enjoy The Silence" by Shinoda: a danceable, light track, a new arrangement that allows us to rediscover all the magic of the classic.

So it won't be the compilation that will change your lives, but it undoubtedly represents a piece to add to the collection of albums that every good Depeche Mode fan should own (perhaps in the three-CD version).