Electronic albums play a huge role in my fascination with music. For me, synthesizers and drum machines aren’t better or worse than live drums and guitars. They’re just different. They make music much more imaginative for me. I think Nick Rhodes’ synth parts on those early Duran Duran albums were some of my first loves. Shimmery one moment, jarring the next. Rhodes’ keyboard flourishes changed the complexion of every song. This month, I’m featuring my Top 15 electronic albums along with one featured track. #15ElectronicLPs
Album: Mixed Up (1990)
Hardly ever mentioned among the great Cure albums, Mixed Up was an oddity. It rode off the sweeping momentum of Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me and Disintegration, but never came close in terms of its significance in the greater Cure canon. For many fans, it was an album that we were preoccupied with for a short period of time and then we forgot about it just like that. The Cure, by nature, is far from an electronic band. Their emphasis on multiple guitars and live drums affirms this. But on Mixed Up, they gave their previous un-electronic staples an electronic feel. One of the best from this remix collection is “Close To Me (Closest Mix)”.
If you needed to validate the electronic prowess of this particular remix, all you need to do is name-check. The Cure enlisted the help of Paul Oakenfold on this Head On The Door classic. This is a delightful remake of an already delightful song. It proves that you don’t need to completely deconstruct a song to get a strong remix result. This one focused on replacing the sugary drum beat with a electronic, house-infused percussion. The unforgettable bass line is sharpened and turned up to help solidify the house vibes. “Close To Me (Closest Mix): and the entire Mixed Up album bring back fond memories of musical discovery and imagination during my high school years.
“I never thought that this day would end. I never thought that tonight could ever be This close to me.”