All I Want: a-ha Expand ‘Analogue’ for Its 20th Anniversary

a ha Analogue 20th
BUY NOW FROM AMAZON.COM

The eighth album by Norwegian trio a-ha – the late-period triumph Analogue – is the band’s latest to be expanded and reissued by Rhino this spring. Released for its 20th anniversary, the new Analogue package includes the newly remastered album alongside a B-side and three single mixes as well as a 17-track bonus disc of mostly previously unreleased demos and alternative versions of every track on the LP plus more. It’s available as a 2CD set on April 17, with a 2LP version available a day later as a Record Store Day exclusive.

a-ha were going strong at the turn of the 21st century, bringing their sleek pop sound to the present with the albums Minor Earth Major Sky (2000) and Lifelines (2002).   The live album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head followed in 2003, and the band followed that up with 2005’s The Definitive Singles Collection 1984-2004.  With a new deal at Polydor (away from longtime label Warner Bros.), 2005 also saw the release of Analogue.  The LP was recorded with an array of co-producers (primarily Martin Terefe, but also Max Martin & Michael Ilbert, George Tanderø, and Kjetil Bjerkestrand) in a variety of studios across the U.S., U.K., Sweden, and the band’s native Norway.  None other than Graham Nash lent his warm tones to “Cosy Prisons” and “Over the Treetops,” and a string quartet arranged by David Davidson further fleshed out the rich sound.  Four singles were spun off the album, with “Analogue (All I Want)” returning a-ha to the top ten of the U.K. Singles Chart for the first time since 1988’s “Stay on These Roads.”  The album made it to No. 24 on the U.K. Albums Chart and achieved a Silver certification there; it topped the charts in Norway.

Rhino’s upcoming expansion adds a whopping 21 bonus tracks.  Four single mixes have been appended to the album proper, with 17 bonus cuts – most of which are previously unreleased – on the second disc.  These encompass demos, alternate and early versions, and the track “Windfalls,” included on early promotional pressings of Analogue.  Bill Inglot, continuing his long association with the band’s music, has newly mastered all tracks for this release.

Look for Analogue on 2 CDs from Rhino on April 17, with a limited-edition 2LP black vinyl version arriving April 18 at independent shops for Record Store Day.  You’ll find the track listing and pre-order links below.

Analogue (20th Anniversary Edition) (Rhino, 2026) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Disc 1: Original album and single mixes

  1. Celice
  2. Don’t Do Me Any Favours
  3. Cosy Prisons
  4. Analogue (All I Want)
  5. Birthright
  6. Holy Ground
  7. Over the Treetops
  8. Halfway Through the Tour
  9. The Fine Blue Line
  10. Keeper of the Flame
  11. Make It Soon
  12. White Dwarf
  13. The Summers of Our Youth
  14. Case Closed on Silver Shore
  15. Cosy Prisons (Radio Mix)
  16. Analogue (CG’s Slow Motion Edit)
  17. Celice (Paul Van Dyk’s Radio Edit)

Tracks 1-13 released as Polydor 98746998 (EU), 2005
Track 14 released on “Analogue” European CD single 06024 9875967 7, 2005
Track 15 released on Polydor European CD single 06024 9854319 1, 2006
Track 16 released on Polydor European digital single (no cat. #), 2005
Track 17 released on Polydor European CD single 06024 9874398 0, 2005

Disc 2: Bonus material (previously unreleased except where noted)

  1. Celice (Early Version)
  2. Don’t Do Me Any Favours (Early Version)
  3. Cosy Prisons (Original Cosy Demo) (released on “Cosy Prisons” European CD single – Polydor 06024 9854319 1, 2006)
  4. Minor Key Sonata (Analogue) (released on “Analogue” European CD single – Polydor 06024 9875967 7, 2005)
  5. Slanted Floor (later version released by Morten Harket on Letters to Egypt – Polydor 06025 1773265 0, 2008)
  6. Case Closed on Silver Shore (Early Version)
  7. Birthright (Early Version)
  8. Holy Ground (Alternate Version)
  9. Windfalls (released on early promo copies of original album)
  10. Over the Treetops (Early Version)
  11. Halfway Through the Tour (Alternate Version)
  12. With You – With Me (later version released by Morten Harket on Letters to Egypt – Polydor 06025 1773265 0, 2008)
  13. The Fine Blue Line (Demo)
  14. Keeper of the Flame (Alternate Version)
  15. Make It Soon (Early Version)
  16. White Dwarf (Early Version)
  17. The Summers of Our Youth (Demo)
Categories:
Formats:
Genres:
The Second Disc
The Second Disc

The Second Disc is devoted to the weird, wild and wonderful world of music catalogue projects. Every week, Mike Duquette, Joe Marchese, and Randy Fairman bring you news, reviews, commentary and features on remasters, reissues, compilations and box sets.

You Might Also Like

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.