Essential for every fan of De/Vision or Synthpop.
Wayneman | California, USA | 12/14/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This limited edition release includes two discs. Disc 1 includes 17 of De/Vision's best singles and album tracks from 1998's 'Monosex' album to 2006's 'Subkutan'. Disc 2 contains 14 remixes of tracks during the same time period.
Now to the review:
I've been anticipating this release for a long time, and it does not disappoint. Disc 1 is an outstanding collection which shows the broad range of the band's talents. It truly highlights De/Vision's versatility and incredible talent as songwriters and musicians.
Whether you like dancefloor killers like "The End", "Drifting Sideways" or the ever-popular "We Fly... Tonight", or prefer the infectious mid-tempo pop songs such as "I'm Not Dreaming of You", "Miss You More", and "Still Unknown", or love tender ballads like "Unputdownable" or "Aimee", or perhaps you can't get enough of the energetic and dirty "Foreigner", "Strange Affection", or "Freedom", it's all here... almost.
Certain glaring omissions include "New Drug" from 'Monosex' and "Turn Me On" from '6 Feet Underground.' However, there is so much good stuff here, that it really shouldn't matter.
A couple unexpected tracks included are "The Day's Not Done" from 'Devolution' and "6 Feet Underground". While I think the former track could have been omitted in favor of a better song, the inclusion of the latter, 6FU is brilliant. The band included a song which typically would lack "pop"-appeal, but which exposes the full breadth of the their repertoire. And I love it.
One new track can be found on disc one called "Love Will Find A Way". Add it to your list of dancefloor killers listed above. It is truly amazing, and shows that De/Vision are still capable of creating an uptempo club song.
While Disc 1 is awesome and generally comprehensive in scope, Disc 2 is the real reason I bought this. Since De/Vision no longer releases maxi-singles to the general public, remixes of their more current songs are difficult to come by.
The remixes are outstanding with one exception. I don't care for The mix of "The Day's Not Done," which isn't one of their better songs anyway.
Highlights include Andrew Sega's mix of "Still Unkown" (Sega does a nice job of turning a good pop track into a danceable club hit), Mesh's take on "Digital Dream", the extended club version of "The End" (which really isn't much different than the original), "Miss You More" by Telekommander, T.O.Y.'s remix of "Drifting Sideways", and Wave In Head's interpretation of "Turn Me On."
But the remixes I am most impressed with are "Sadness"(The Sad Death of Mix), and "Star-Crossed Lovers"(In A Black Hole Mix). Both songs are among my very favorites in their album forms, but these remixes are tremendous. "Sadness" contains some of the coolest vocal distortion I've ever heard, without destroying the voice of course. "Star-Crossed Lovers" is sped up and could easily be heard in a club.
This is a terrific buy for the price. In fact I purchased two, one for myself, and another for a friend who has never heard De/Vision before. That is how confident I am that anyone with any good taste in music, will like this release."
Track Listings (30) - Disc #1