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JULY
22
2002
LIFELINES SINGLES - REVIEW
The
new a-ha single "Lifelines" is out. And
with massively advertising all over the place it's
impossible to ignore a-ha these days .
DANNY
MAACK | THOMAS
OLSEN
WEA/Warner
have released two versions of the "Lifelines"
single in Germany and Norway, and also a special edition
for the UK area. They all have the same artwork on
the cover, although the first German/Norwegian is
coloured red and the second green. In Norway also
a third release, a 2-track single including Magne
Furuholmen's solo version of "Dragonfly",
will be released.
There is no doubt that "Lifelines" have
great chances to become one of a-ha's greatest hits
ever. Germany is one of a-ha's most important markets
in the world, although they have never had a number-one
song here. This could change now. Lifelines has the
potential, and also the radio / TV compatibility,
to reach the highest positions.
Of the two German/Norwegian singles the first (red)
one is the choice for Anneli fans. She appeares on
two different versions of "Lifelines", on
the "Album Edit" and the "Demo Version",
but also on an alternative version of the duet “Turn
The Lights Down”.
The raw "demo" version shows the world-class
songwriter and producers of this song. Although this
version is very close to the final album version,
all instruments are very low arranged, so Morten and
also Anneli's part is much more in the foreground
than on the album version. It actually sounds a lot
like the version they perform live, where also Anneli
is more present in the choirs than on the final, produced,
version.
Langer & Winstanley obviously think that Anneli's
vocals are too much dim in the album version of "Turn
The Lights Down Low", so they switched off the
filters and gave her voice the same "priority"
as Morten, which results in a very natural song which
sound not that "overexposed" than the album
version. Anneli here sings the bridge in the middle
of the song, where you can hear a vocoder voice on
the album.
The second
single, with green cover, is a compilation of different
versions of "Lifelines" by different remixers.
Boogieman’s version is very close to the original,
but with a touch of banjo and slide guitar it sounds
both pompous and down to earth.
On the remixes by Console and Palace Of Pleasure Anneli
is sadly edited away completely. But still these two
remixes shows the most interesting twists on the track.
Console sounds like a hybrid of old German techno
meeting the new French house scene. And Palace Of
Pleasure delivers a jazzy remix with strong retro-feel.
Millenia Nova, which also remixed a-ha’s “Minor
Earth Major Sky” single two years ago, has made
a quiet and atmospheric mix. Anneli is almost filtered
away, to expose Magne Furuholmens voice in the choirs.
Magne have also written liner notes for each remix
inside the sleeve.
It was earlier
announced that the remix single would contain a remix
by Apoptygma Berzerk. But it didn't made it to the
final single, but rumours say that the remix is out
there somewhere...
The UK version of the single includes the “Album
Edit”, plus two live tracks adapted from the
Homecoming – Live At Vallhall DVD (the same tracks
as included on the “Forever Not Yours” single).
The single does also have the “Lifelines”
video enhanced.
NB: The second
single, the remixes, will be released in Norway next
Monday (July 29). In Germany both singles was released
at the same time (July 8).
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