Simple Minds / New Gold Dream & Sparkle in the Rain issued on SDE exclusive blu-ray

Exclusive & limited blu-rays only via the SDE shop: Quick Pre-order link!

Simple Minds‘ sublime 1982 album New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) and its follow up, 1984’s chart-topping Sparkle in the Rain, will be reissued simultaneously as SDE exclusive blu-rays early next year.

New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) is considered a true classic of the era described by Jim Kerr as the band’s “holy grail”. Critically acclaimed and commercially successful, the album spawned the three top 40 UK singles ‘Promised You A Miracle’, ‘Glittering Prize’ and ‘Someone Somewhere in the Summertime’.

The blu-ray features a brand new Dolby Atmos Mix of New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) by legendary mixer Bob Clearmountain, in addition to new 5. 1 mixes, new stereo mixes and instrumental mixes, also by Clearmountain.

In fact, the SDE exclusive blu-ray features an impressive SIX different versions of the album:

• Bob Clearmountain 2024 Dolby Atmos Mix (48/24)
• Bob Clearmountain 2024 5.1 Mix (48/24)
• Bob Clearmountain 2024 Stereo Mix (48/24)
• Bob Clearmountain 2024 Instrumental Mix (96/24)
• Ronald Prent & Charlie Burchill 2005 5.1 Mix (96/24)
• Original Stereo mix (96/24)

This release represents the first time an entirely instrumental version of New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) has been released.

It’s worth highlighting that the 2005 mix 5.1 mix is lossless on the blu-ray and features unique longer versions of many of the songs. It also exclusively includes a bonus track: ‘In Every Heaven’. Note: The original 5.1 mix features up-mixes of ‘Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel’ and ‘Promised You A Miracle’ because the multi-track tapes could not be found (they have since been located for the 2024 mixes).

Sparkle in the Rain was Simple Minds’ sixth studio album and was produced by Steve Lillywhite. It built on the success of New Gold Dream and features the iconic single ‘Waterfront’ as well other classic hits ‘Up On The Catwalk’ and ‘Speed Your Love To Me’.

The SDE blu-ray features a brand new Dolby Atmos Mix of Sparkle in the Rain by Bob Clearmountain, as well as new 5. 1 mixes, new stereo mixes and instrumental mixes, also by Clearmountain.

Additionally, Steven Wilson’s 5.1 and stereo mixes from 2014 have been remastered by Steven Wilson himself for inclusion on this blu-ray and Wilson’s unreleased instrumental mixes from 2014 are included as a bonus. The original stereo mix of the album completes a massively comprehensive offering.

The SDE exclusive blu-ray features an incredible EIGHT different versions of the album:

• Bob Clearmountain 2024 Dolby Atmos Mix (48/24)
• Bob Clearmountain 2024 5.1 Mix (48/24)
• Bob Clearmountain 2024 Stereo Mix (48/24)
• Bob Clearmountain 2024 Instrumental Mix (96/24)
• Steven Wilson 2014 5.1 Mix (96/24)
• Steven Wilson 2014 Stereo Mix (96/24)
• Steven Wilson 2014 Instrumental Mix (96/24)
• Original 1984 Stereo Mix (48/24)

Again, this is the first time an entirely instrumental version of Sparkle in the Rain has been album has been available.

New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) and Sparkle in the Rain are numbers 32 and 33 in the ongoing SDE Surround Series of blu-ray audios with Atmos Mixes and both will ship with the free, collectible SDE slipcase. This acclaimed series has already delivered some classic 80s albums over the last few years including ABC’s The Lexicon of Love, Tears For Fears’ The Hurting, Soft Cell’s Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret and Bronski Beat’s The Age of Consent (all are now out-of-print).

Here’s the now traditional reminder as to why this product is highly recommended:

• It’s the only way to enjoy the Dolby Atmos mix of the albums via a physical product
• You don’t need to sign-up to a streaming service such as Tidal or Apple Music to hear the spatial audio mixes
• The Atmos Mix on the Blu-ray is not compressed due to streaming bandwidth restrictions. The Dolby Atmos version on a Blu-ray is encoded in Dolby TrueHD Atmos and has a bit rate 10 times higher (up to 8000 kbits/s) compared to streaming’s Dolby Digital Plus (768 kbits/s)
• You own the product, you are not renting it from a digital service provider
• The Blu-ray audio is an excellent format for music and you don’t want to see it die off
• Supporting SDE with these initiatives leads to similar collaborations with labels/artists and we are keen to bring your more in the near future!

Both Simple Minds blu-rays are region-free and limited editions. They come with booklets and Sparkle in the Rain includes Jim Kerr’s track-by-track guide. They are available to pre-order for 14 days and the pre-order window will close on 2 December 2024. Availability after that cannot be guaranteed, so secure your copy today by pre-ordering at the SDE shop, either directly via this link or using the special SDE shop buy button below. A two-blu-ray bundle is available. We ship worldwide.

The New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) and Sparkle in the Rain blu-rays are a collaboration between SDE and UMR and will be released on 7 February 2025.

TECHNICAL NOTES: This blu-ray audio requires a blu-ray player. Decoding the Dolby Atmos mix requires a Dolby Atmos-certified soundbar or a Dolby Atmos-compatible AV Receiver/Amp. The Dolby Atmos mix will ‘fold down’ to 5.1 or stereo if a Dolby Atmos decoder is not detected. This product contains no video.

Tracklisting

New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) Simple Minds / SDE exclusive blu-ray

• Region-free blu-ray audio

  • New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) in the following audio streams:

    – Bob Clearmountain 2024 Dolby Atmos Mix (48/24)
    – Bob Clearmountain 2024 5.1 Mix (48/24)
    – Bob Clearmountain 2024 Stereo Mix (48/24)
    – Bob Clearmountain 2024 Instrumental Mix (96/24)
    – Original Stereo mix (96/24)

    1. Someone Somewhere in Summertime 4:36
    2. Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel 3:49
    3. Promised You a Miracle 4:28
    4. Big Sleep 5:00
    5. Somebody Up There Likes You 5:02
    6. New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84)  5.39
    7. Glittering Prize 4.33
    8. Hunter and the Hunted 5.55
    9. King is White and in the Crowd 7.00

    Ronald Prent & Charlie Burchill 2005 5.1 Mix (96/24)

    1. Someone Somewhere in Summertime 5:22
    2. Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel* 3:49
    3. Promised You a Miracle*4:28
    4. Big Sleep 5:27
    5. Somebody Up There Likes You 5:45
    6. New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) 6:08
    7. Glittering Prize 4:40
    8. Hunter and the Hunted 6:09
    9. King is White and in the Crowd 7:31
    10. In Every Heaven✝︎ 4:46

    *Up-mixes on 2005 5.1 mix ONLY

    ✝︎Appears only on 2005 5.1 mix

Tracklisting

Sparkle in the Rain Simple Minds / SDE exclusive blu-ray

• Region-free blu-ray audio

  • Sparkle in the Rain in the following audio streams:

    – Bob Clearmountain 2024 Dolby Atmos Mix (48/24)
    – Bob Clearmountain 2024 5.1 Mix (48/24)
    – Bob Clearmountain 2024 Stereo Mix (48/24)
    – Bob Clearmountain 2024 Instrumental Mix (96/24)
    – Steven Wilson 2014 5.1 Mix (96/24)
    – Steven Wilson 2014 Stereo Mix (96/24)
    – Steven Wilson 2014 Instrumental Mix (96/24)
    – Original 1984 Stereo Mix (48/24)

    1. Up On the Catwalk
    2. Book Of Brilliant Things
    3. Speed Your Love to Me
    4. Waterfront
    5. East At Easter
    6. Street Hassle
    7. White Hot Day
    8. “C” Moon Cry Like a Baby
    9. The Kick Inside of Me
    10. Shake Off the Ghosts