Front 242 - Official Version

Originally released in March 1987, Official Version is the masterfully aggressive third studio album by Belgian electronic icons Front 242. Acting as the precise bridge to their commercial peak, the album captures the band in absolute command of their stark, militaristic "electronic guerrilla" concept. Sourced from highly coveted early remasters by Greg Calbi, the 1992 CD Reissue—released internationally via Red Rhino Europe and Epic Records—subtitled the release Official Version (RE) on the disc face.

This specific 1992 configuration expanded the original 9-track studio statement into an exhaustive 13-track, 60-minute electronic blueprint. By appending the definitive 12" club mixes from their breakout Interception and Masterhit single eras, the reissue captures the precise moment when Front 242’s cold, sequence-driven choreography fully crossed over onto international dancefloors. Sourced physical pressings from this iconic era are frequently tracked down by audiophiles via collectors' circles like Discogs or specialist electronic music stockists.

Musically, the 1992 expanded edition of Official Version functions as a thrilling, industrial milestone that maps out the exact evolution of Electronic Body Music. The record leaves behind the sparse, primitive minimalism of their earlier work to introduce a deeply layered, hyper-syncopated sonic architecture. The opening multi-layered landscape of "W.Y.H.I.W.Y.G." acts as an absolute statement of intent, building tension across a massive seven minutes before exploding into clinical, fast-paced rhythm loops. Daniel B. and Patrick Codenys push their FM synthesizers and hardware samplers into overdrive, crafting a landscape where metallic, calculated basslines hit with a physical force specifically designed to push the boundaries of industrial dance.

What prevents the album from feeling like a sterile laboratory experiment is the brilliant, tense vocal interplay that became the band's calling card. Jean-Luc De Meyer’s deadpan, low baritone delivery operates at peak efficiency, barked out with a clinical, bureaucratic detachment that mirrors late-80s media overload and technocracy. Balanced against the frantic, rhythmic backing commands of Richard 23, anthems like "Masterhit (Part I & II)" elevate standard industrial structures into a ritualistic call-and-response. The inclusion of unexpected, raw metal guitar loops on tracks like "Television Station" and "Rerun Time" seamlessly bridges the gap between mechanical programming and live rock aggression.

The secondary half of the 1992 compact disc expands on this historical era, bundling the band's most essential 12" club texturing directly onto the same master tape. The extended version of "Quite Unusual" stands out as a particular masterpiece, highlighting the group's ability to extract beautiful, melancholic melodies from cold electronic grids. Following it, the dual remix treatments of "Masterhit"—specifically the legendary, hard-driving "Masterblaster" mix—serve as an unyielding display of dancefloor manipulation. These bonus cuts don't feel like tacked-on commercial filler; instead, they serve as crucial alternative versions that highlight how the band constantly re-sculpted their tracks for live warehouse performance.

Ultimately, the 1992 reissue of Official Version stands as an unassailable time capsule and an indispensable manual for modern electronic music. It captures Front 242 at a brilliant creative crossroads, effortlessly balancing the experimental art-house textures of early post-punk against the kinetic, high-velocity power of global electronic dance culture. The pristine digital mastering highlights the sharp, biting snap of every synthesized stab and gated snare, making it feel just as fresh and menacing today as it did decades ago. For electronic historians, collectors, and darkwave enthusiasts alike, this expanded edition remains an absolute, foundational masterpiece.

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1. W.Y.H.I.W.Y.G. (7:28) — Stands for "What You Hear Is What You Get"; opens with massive soundscape layers

2. Rerun Time (5:26) — Features bright, rhythmic breaks that echo early Depeche Mode

3. Television Station (2:41)

4. Agressiva Due (2:59)

5. Masterhit (Part I & II) (7:07) — The band’s towering, multi-part electronic epic

6. Slaughter (3:37)

7. Quite Unusual (3:49) — The shimmering, atmospheric alternative club hit

8. Red Team (3:50)

9. Angst (1:57)

Bonus Tracks (12'' Singles & Remixes)

10. Quite Unusual (12" Version) (5:02) — Originally released on the Interception 12" (1986)

11. Agressiva (12" Version) (5:00) — Originally released on the Interception 12" (1986)

12. Masterhit (Masterblaster) (7:06) — Originally released on the Masterhit 12" (1987)

13. Masterhit (Hypnomix) (4:31) — Originally released on the Masterhit 12" (1987)