Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward - The 12'' Singles

Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward | The 12" Singles is a deluxe collector's edition vinyl box set released on 14 December 2018 by Mute, Columbia, and Sony Music. This numbered, limited-edition release features six 12-inch discs pressed on audiophile-quality 180g heavy vinyl, with audio entirely remastered from the original tapes at Abbey Road Studios. The box set serves as a definitive physical archive for the band's landmark 1984 industrial synth-pop era, which solidified their international success.

The collection meticulously replicates the original UK 12-inch singles and artwork from the Some Great Reward album cycle. It features the iconic tracks People Are People, Master And Servant, and the double A-side Blasphemous Rumours / Somebody. Included in the set are both the standard retail 12-inch releases and the rare, limited-edition "L" series variants, providing a comprehensive deep dive into the band's mid-80s output.

Musically, the box set highlights the pioneering remix culture of the 1980s, specifically featuring the work of legendary producer Adrian Sherwood. Listeners can explore heavy, experimental reworkings like the "Slavery Whip Mix" of Master And Servant and the On-U Sound remixes of People Are People. The set also introduces unique track configurations, such as the original Blasphemous Rumours 7-inch EP compiled on a 12-inch vinyl format for the first time, alongside historic live recordings from the Liverpool Empire Theatre.

Designed for hardcore fans and audiophiles, the box set includes high-value physical bonuses. Inside the custom street-art styled outer box, collectors will find a replica of the original Blasphemous Rumours promotional marketing poster and a digital download card for high-quality audio files. The individual records maintain their original, distinct sleeve designs, preserving the visual legacy of Depeche Mode's breakthrough era.

Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward | The 12" Singles box set stands as an immaculate sonic monument to the band’s definitive 1984 transition into industrial-pop mastery. By extracting audio from the original master tapes and executing a precise half-speed remastering process at Abbey Road Studios, this collection breathes explosive new life into Alan Wilder’s dense production work. The heavy 180g vinyl pressings completely eliminate the surface noise of the original 1980s thin-groove retail discs, allowing the pounding metallic sampling, intricate sequencer patterns, and deep bass frequencies of the Some Great Reward era to resonate with unprecedented clarity and punch.

The curation of this set is a masterclass in historical archival practice, seamlessly grouping the standard 12-inch releases with their rare, limited-edition "L" counterparts. For collectors, the true treasure lies in the inclusion of Adrian Sherwood’s legendary, avant-garde On-U Sound remixes. Hearing the radical, dub-infused deconstructions of People Are People and Master And Servant sequenced back-to-back showcases the exact moment Depeche Mode bridged the gap between underground club culture and mainstream chart domination. Additionally, the compilation of the Blasphemous Rumours live tracks captures the raw, energetic stage presence of a band on the absolute precipice of global superstardom.

Visually and tactilely, the box set delivers an incredibly satisfying premium experience that justifies its high-tier price point. Sony and Mute have gone to great lengths to meticulously replicate the original UK artwork, down to the specific matte textures, iconic typography, and inner sleeve variations of the mid-80s pressings. The inclusion of the rare Blasphemous Rumours promotional street poster acts as a nostalgic time capsule, while the heavy-duty, custom-designed outer box provides a sleek, uniform aesthetic that looks magnificent on any serious audiophile's vinyl shelf.

If there is any minor criticism to be levied, it is that the box set remains strictly a faithful retrospective that offers no previously unreleased studio outtakes or newly commissioned modern remixes. However, for a release marketed explicitly as a historical archive, this purity is arguably its greatest strength. It rejects modern revisionism, opting instead to preserve the raw, experimental brilliance of 1984 exactly as it was meant to be heard. For die-hard fans of the band's industrial phase, this box set is not just a luxury item; it is the definitive audio document of a synth-pop revolution.

Ripped to MP3 (WoW...some kinda fuck-up there...fixed now)

Disc 1: People Are People (12BONG 5)

Side A: People Are People (Different Mix)

Side B: In Your Memory (Slik Mix)

Disc 2: People Are People (L12BONG 5)

Side A: People Are People (On-U Sound Remix by Adrian Sherwood)

Side B1: People Are People (Original 7" Version)

Side B2: In Your Memory (Original 7" Version)

Disc 3: Master And Servant (12BONG 6)

Side A: Master And Servant (Slavery Whip Mix)

Side B1: (Set Me Free) Remotivate Me (Release Mix)

Side B2: Master And Servant (Voxless)

Disc 4: Master And Servant (L12BONG 6)

Side A: Master And Servant (An On-U Sound Science Fiction Dance Hall Classic Re-Remixed by Adrian Sherwood)

Side B1: Are People People? (Re-Remixed by Adrian Sherwood)

Side B2: (Set Me Free) Remotivate Me (7" Mix)

Disc 5: Blasphemous Rumours (12BONG 7)

Side A: Blasphemous Rumours (Album Version)

Side B1: Somebody (Live at Liverpool Empire Theatre, 29 September 1984)

Side B2: Two Minute Warning (Live at Liverpool Empire Theatre, 29 September 1984)

Side B3: Ice Machine (Live at Liverpool Empire Theatre, 29 September 1984)

Side B4: Everything Counts (Live at Liverpool Empire Theatre, 29 September 1984)

Disc 6: Blasphemous Rumours (L12BONG 7)

Side A1: Somebody (Remix)

Side A2: Everything Counts (Live at Liverpool Empire Theatre, 29 September 1984)

Side B1: Blasphemous Rumours (Single Version)

Side B2: Told You So (Live at Liverpool Empire Theatre, 29 September 1984)