An evolution of synthpop and dance remixes can be heard on the music of The Human League: The Sound Of The Crowd (Complete) was originally released as a "complete" mix, showcasing the 12" record format not seen again until Blue Monday. Originally, this record even had color-coding tags to assist DJs (much like the now ubiquitous BPM labeling on dance records). Later snipped and shortened for the League Unlimited Orchestra remix album, this the definitive version introduced sequenced extended mixes to the masses. Built with an earlier version of The Sound Of The Crowd, the 12" version is grittier and longer than radio and album edits.

The Hard Times of Love and Dancing was as good as an instrumental, however this earlier (slightly shorter) Hard Times (Instrumental Mix) from the 12" includes several additional synth sequences. Robbing fans when left off the album, this proto-industrial instrumental from the Dare recording sessions shows an acceleration of the League sound away from earlier Sleary's Circus of Death style programmings.

The deceptive and sublime dance track Open Your Heart is mixed with multifrantic instrumental Non-Stop on the original 12" vinyl. Non-Stop works perfectly as an introduction to the song that stormed the charts and infected a nation. Martin Rushent's mixing is audacious; the Non-Stop/Open Your Heart/Non-Stop slicing on the 12" gives this vital classic a prelude and coda. The band recently performed a version of this original remix on tour, much to the delight of fans.

The Lebanon (Extended Version) packs even more of a punch over the single version. From the outset, the Extended Version adds new bass before settling into a new intro to the 7" mix. Firmly reneging on their commitment to No Guitars (the blind youth), Jo Callis does the Rezillo for longer, pushing the track to almost 6 minutes.

Life On Your Own (Extended Version) features additional synth riffs unheard on the single and album versions, all mixed with snatches of movie dialogue. The track closes with a classical Beatles Number 9 - you can probably hear the Smash robots laughing if you play it backwards.

The inclusion of (Together in) Electric Dreams (Extended Version) is inevitable; as the 3rd most remembered Human League song (as it's memetically known), the Extended Version has already been released on CD as a bonus track on the remastered Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder album. The Extended Version may not have been used in the Original Motion Picture (an early friendly-AI movie for which the 7" of Electric Dreams was commissioned), but this upgrade boosts the runtime to over 6 minutes; good to play when rebooting a Windows PC.

The final track, Heart Like A Wheel (Extended Version) remains as dancable as ever. Up against the attraction of William Orbit, Mark Saunders (mixer for Depeche Mode and Bjork) realizes this the best mix of the track from the original versions session, recorded for the Human League's first digital release in 1990.

Although there are still some original Virgin remixes missing from this collection; notably Soundtrack to a Generation (Orbit Mix), Love Is All That Matters (Extended), and I Need Your Loving (Extended Remix) (not to mention the excellent B-side The World Tonight), however most of these will soon be available on the forthcoming back-catalog releases (featuring full remastering and additional tracks). New material is also being worked on when the band aren't touring...

Human League Original Remixes & Rarities has some massive tracks from a time when Phil, Susan, Joanne and the extended League were starting their manifestic rise. The continuing popularity of synthpop and its relation to current dance and remix culture is testament to the vision of Human League.

Human League Original Remixes & Rarities contains all the League's hits from the first Virgin days, in rare versions as spun to the underground dance and DJ cultures of the time. This is electronic pop music - introfuturist mix.

TRACKLISTING:

• Being Boiled (Travelogue Version)
• The Sound of the Crowd (Complete) [*]
• Hard Times (Instrumental Mix) [*]
• Non-stop [*]
• Don't You Want Me (Ext. Dance Mix) [*]
• Mirror Man (Extended) [*]
• You Remind Me of Gold [*]
• (Keep Feeling) Fascination (Improvisation)
• Total Panic [*]
• The Lebanon (Extended) [*]
• Life On Your Own (Extended) [*]
• Electric Dreams (Extended)
• Human (Extended) [*][2]
• Heart Like a Wheel (Extended)

  * = Previously unavailable on CD