Customer Reviews

Spleen & Ideal

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Dead Can Dance's entire catalog, including the original 4-track EP "Garden Of Arcane Delights", are now available in DSD-remastered, Hybrid SACD, LP-replica mini-sleeves from Japan. The remastered catalog is also available domestically in less-expensive jewel-case editions.

Of particular and pleasant note, the remastering was performed by Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs. As the original CD's were from the 80's and early 90's, the mastering breathes fabulous new life into the recordings. Two non-album tracks, "Spirit" & "Bird" have been added to "Into The Labyrinth".

The `sleeves themselves are gorgeous affairs, all containing new, lavish booklets complete with lyrics, and replicas of the inner record sleeves.

Here are the Japan mini-sleeves:

Garden Of Arcane Delights
Dead Can Dance
Spleen And Ideal
Within The Realm Of A Dying Sun
Serpent's Egg
Aion
Into The Labyrinth
Toward The Within
Spiritchaser

As all Japan mini-sleeves are limited edition, do not delay in acquiring these before they are sold out.

A couple of comments about the physical aspects of this particular release: All mini-sleeves are packaged in a protective, resealable mylar, which has a flap that folds over the back to meet with an adhesive strip. On these DCD `sleeves, the adhesive leaves a sticky residue on the flap. This creates a problem in getting the cardboard LP-sleeve out of the mylar without catching on the flap, which could leave a dimple on, or even tear, the paper face of the replica. Exercise caution.

Another caveat: These replicas are packed with the CD, a color booklet, a Japan-only language booklet, and replicas of the original inner record sleeves. Each one of the exterior cardboard LP sleeves is bulging with all this material, and is putting a strain on the delicate construction. My advice: Remove and store at least the Japan booklet, or you run the risk, over time, of the strain on the exterior sleeve causing the glue joints to fail. I've had this occur on other similarly-packed mini-sleeves.

WHAT IS A JAPAN "MINI-LP-SLEEVE" CD?

Have you ever lamented the loss of one of the 20th Century's great art forms, the 12" vinyl LP jacket? Then "mini-LP-sleeve" CD's may be for you.

Mini-sleeve CDs are manufactured in Japan under license. The disc is packaged inside a 135MM X 135MM cardboard precision-miniature replica of the original classic vinyl-LP album. Also, anything contained in the original LP, such as gatefolds, booklets, lyric sheets, posters, printed LP sleeves, stickers, embosses, special LP cover paper/inks/textures and/or die cuts, are precisely replicated and included. An English-language lyric sheet is always included, even if the original LP did not have printed lyrics.

Then, there's the sonic quality: Often (but not always), mini-sleeves have dedicated remastering (20-Bit, 24-Bit, DSD, K2/K2HD, and/or HDCD), and can often (but not always) be superior to the audio on the same title anywhere else in the world. There also may be bonus tracks unavailable elsewhere.

Each Japan mini-sleeve has an "obi" ("oh-bee"), a removable Japan-language promotional strip. The obi lists the Japan street date of that particular release, the catalog number, the mastering info, and often the original album's release date. Bonus tracks are only listed on the obi, maintaining the integrity of the original LP artwork. The obi's are collectable, and should not be discarded.

All mini-sleeve releases are limited edition, but re-pressings/re-issues are becoming more common (again, not always). The enthusiasm of mini-sleeve collecting must be tempered, however, with avoiding fake mini-sleeves manufactured in Russia and distributed throughout the world, primarily on eBay. They are inferior in quality, worthless in collectable value, a total waste of money, and should be avoided at all costs.