Duran Duran announce ‘Free to Love’ remix album

Fans may have noticed that Duran Duran are putting a lot of energy into promoting their latest single, the non-album collaboration with Nile Rodgers, called ‘Free to Love’.

We’ve had the Top of the Pops pastiche promo video, appearances on UK TV’s The One Show and, in the USA, Jimmy Kimmel Live. Despite a mixed reaction from their fanbase (“dreadful”, “instantly forgettable” and “dull” were some of the less enthusiastic notices from SDE readers, although others called it “fun and frothy” and “highly enjoyable”) the band will be doing something they haven’t done in the UK since 2007 and that is releasing a single on CD.

Free To Love: Hot Star Remixes is a collection of eight remixes of this one song showcasing “an eclectic lineup of artists and producers from across the worlds of disco, house, club culture and electronic music”. It’s released digitally this Friday and will be issued on what we used to call a ‘maxi’ CD, vinyl and cassette “later this summer”. In fact, these three formats will offer two bonus remixes (in case eight isn’t enough) and there will also be a standalone seven-inch with an instrumental version on side B.

Nick Rhodes said: “Sometimes a song simply demands remixes and you have no choice but to obey – this was certainly the case with ‘Free To Love’. We wanted to collaborate with the best possible contemporary remixers, which is something we have not done for a very long time. It was a leap of faith, and we had absolutely no idea how the interpretations of our song might turn out, but we could not be more thrilled with the results“.

There is no new B-side to this single and some may be disappointed at the band not taking up the opportunity to include some songs on this remix single/album which aren’t ‘Free To Love’. The many remixes of ‘Evil Woman’ remain digital exclusives, the Erol Alkan reworkings of ‘Give It All Up’ and ‘All Of You’ were only issued on vinyl and last year’s ‘Shadows On Your Side’ re-recording hasn’t been issued on any physical product.

Free To Love: Hot Star Remixes will be available digitally on Friday and as noted above will be released on physical formats “later this summer”. Duran Duran play London’s BST Hyde Park on 5 July.What are your thoughts on the idea of this remix album? Leave a comment.

Tracklisting

Free To Love: Hot Star Remixes Duran Duran /

• • 1. Free To Love – Horse Meat Disco Remix
    2. Free To Love – Harrison Remix
    3. Free To Love – DJWS & THE DISCO_NECT Remix by DJ White Shadow
    4. Free To Love – ALISSIA Remix
    5. Free To Love – Biff Chitlins Agape Remix
    6. Free To Love – Inner Galactic Remix by BastienkHz
    7. Free To Love – Jersey Black Cat Remix by BastienkHz
    8. Free To Love – Trixie Mattel Remix