Various Artists - Extend The 80s Electro

Extend The 80s Electro is a comprehensive three-CD compilation album released by BMG/Rhino in 2018 that celebrates the innovative synth-driven sounds of the 1980s. Spanning 30 tracks, the collection avoids standard radio edits in favour of rare, full-length 12-inch remixes, extended versions, and club mixes. It captures a pivotal era in music history when electronic production techniques, drum machines, and synthesizers began dominating the airwaves. The tracklist seamlessly bridges the gap between mainstream electronic pop and the underground club scene, showcasing how producers of the era expanded songs into immersive soundscapes for the dancefloor.

The compilation features an impressive roster of definitive 80s artists, including synth-pop royalty, new wave pioneers, and electro-funk innovators. Listeners can dive into legendary extended mixes such as Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s "Relax" (12" New York Mix), The Art of Noise's avant-garde "Beat Box (Diversion One)", and Propaganda's dark synth masterpiece "Dr. Mabuse (13th Life Mix)". Alongside these massive chart-toppers are cult club classics from artists like Japan, Thomas Dolby, Nena, and the West Street Mob. Serving as part of BMG’s wider Extend the 80s series, this specific volume remains a highly sought-after time capsule for audiophiles and DJs looking for the definitive, unedited sounds of the electronic decade.

Released by BMG/Rhino in 2018, Extend The 80s Electro is a masterfully curated three-disc compilation that serves as a vibrant time capsule of the decade's electronic revolution. Rather than relying on overplayed radio edits, this collection leans heavily into the culture of the 12-inch vinyl single, offering 30 fully unedited, extended, and remixed tracks. It brilliantly captures the transitional period when traditional instrumentation gave way to sequencers, drum machines, and synthesizers. The album does an excellent job of showcasing how the extended format allowed producers to dismantle pop songs and reconstruct them into driving, atmospheric club tracks designed to test the limits of dancefloor sound systems.

The tracking on Disc One sets an incredibly high standard, instantly drawing listeners in with a potent mix of synth-pop and early electro-funk. It opens with the legendary 12-inch New York Mix of Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s "Relax," immediately establishing the compilation's dedication to authentic club culture. The inclusion of avant-garde electronic acts like The Art of Noise ("Beat Box") and Propaganda ("Dr. Mabuse") highlights the darker, more experimental side of the era's production. By placing these complex, sample-heavy tracks alongside rhythmic grooves from the West Street Mob and the Thompson Twins, the first disc successfully maps out the diverse roots of early electronic dance music.

Discs Two and Three maintain this momentum by expanding the sonic palette into mainstream new wave, Euro-pop, and quirky synth-rock. The second disc offers a fantastic contrast between the melancholic synth hooks of Kim Wilde's "Cambodia" and the driving, robotic rhythms of Japan's "Life in Tokyo." Meanwhile, the final disc leans into the eccentricities of the decade with extended versions of Thomas Dolby’s "She Blinded Me With Science" and Men Without Hats’ "The Safety Dance." These tracks showcase the era's lighter side while still delivering the intricate synth arrangements and extended basslines that audiophiles and collectors look for in a premium compilation.

Ultimately, Extend The 80s Electro stands out in a crowded market of 1980s retrospectives due to its commitment to sonic fidelity and structural completeness. It avoids the temptation to pack the discs with shortened tracks, giving each song the time it needs to breathe, build, and groove. While casual listeners might find the extended runtimes a bit repetitive, the collection is a goldmine for DJs, collectors, and electronic music purists. It is a sonically rich, historically accurate celebration of an era when studio experimentation reshaped the global musical landscape, making it a necessary addition to any serious electronic music library.

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