Depeche Mode remixes: crap or not?

...during the Violator era, remixes were simply the best! And where are the days of the extended mix? Or the Razormaid edits? Yes I like the dance mixes, in their own sort of way, but I miss the days of old. And what I REALLY don't like, are the remixes where there appears to be only one sound from the original track, looped for 8 minutes, and the vocals are all horribly arranged and distorted.

Mike

And where are the days of the extended mix?

After WIMS, virtually non-existant! It's a big loss, to be honest with you. I rather liked those "12 Inch Mixes" too! =(

And what I REALLY don't like, are the remixes where there appears to be only one sound from the original track, looped for 8 minutes, and the vocals are all horribly arranged and distorted.

As both a techno fan and a DM fan, I have to agree. For my own remixes, I use quite a bit of the original, and include all the original vocals, when possible. I hate it when the remix has nothing to do with the original.

With my "Fly On The Windscreen" remix (that I did as DJ Jynx), I left ALL of the vox in and let an ominous house groove float it to gothickally delicious effect. Now that needs to be done more! It builds on the existing track, and takes it into a new direction. I miss that. Since the Babylon Mix of I Feel You, things have rampantly gone downhill with the "official" remixes.

The Tenaglia remix of IFL goes the opposite direction, though. TOO MUCH of the original is there, and not enough additional arrangement (save for the keyboards during the chorus) to keep my interest, much less any of the audience's. I'll spin the short version . . . m-m-m-m-MAYBE . . . if I'm in the mood to bore the $%!@ out of the audience. And THIS is coming from both a DM and a Tenaglia fan! Gah!
Frustration! Katie

========== In Reply To ==========

And where are the days of the extended mix?

After WIMS, virtually non-existant! It's a big loss, to be honest with you. I rather liked those "12 Inch Mixes" too! =(

And what I REALLY don't like, are the remixes where there appears to be only one sound from the original track, looped for 8 minutes, and the vocals are all horribly arranged and distorted.

As both a techno fan and a DM fan, I have to agree. For my own remixes, I use quite a bit of the original, and include all the original vocals, when possible. I hate it when the remix has nothing to do with the original.

With my "Fly On The Windscreen" remix (that I did as DJ Jynx), I left ALL of the vox in and let an ominous house groove float it to gothickally delicious effect. Now that needs to be done more! It builds on the existing track, and takes it into a new direction. I miss that. Since the Babylon Mix of I Feel You, things have rampantly gone downhill with the "official" remixes.

The Tenaglia remix of IFL goes the opposite direction, though. TOO MUCH of the original is there, and not enough additional arrangement (save for the keyboards during the chorus) to keep my interest, much less any of the audience's. I'll spin the short version . . . m-m-m-m-MAYBE . . . if I'm in the mood to bore the $%!@ out of the audience. And THIS is coming from both a DM and a Tenaglia fan! Gah!
Frustration! Katie

Totally agree, I like dance music and DM. I also DJ, but I'd be hard pushed to play the Tenaglia mix without everyone dropping off. Personally I like the Umek mix best, you oculd play that out easy enough.

Suprisingly the poll seems to indicate that most people would prefer to see Sasha/bt/oakey remix Depeche. The BT remix of It's no good is by far an away my fave but never released.

The problem it appears is the record company employing the main remixer on 'name' not musical style. Bushwacka, Tenaglia and for the next single Deep Dish. All very 'trendy'.

I'd like to see Oakey let loose on DM, something a little more uplifting !!