ALPHAVILLE ANNOUNCE NEWLY REMASTERED DELUXE EDITIONS

Afternoons In Utopia (1986) And The Breathtaking Blue (1989)  

Remastered For The First Time Plus Additional Bonus Material 

The Breathtaking Blue Songlines Film Available On DVD For The First Time

Deluxe Editions Available On May 7 On CD, LP And Digital Formats From Rhino

After the enormous global success of their debut album Forever Young (1984), German trio Alphaville set off to write another successful chapter in their career with the release of their second studio album Afternoons in Utopia (1986). The album reached Top 20 positions in five European countries and featured the singles “Dance With Me,” “Universal Daddy,” and “Jerusalem.” Three years later they returned with their third studio album The Breathtaking Blue (1989). It introduced new musical elements and a musical concept, added electronic pioneer Klaus Schulze to the production team, and embraced emerging technology (including one of the first CD-Graphic releases ever).

In addition to the well-produced songs such as the single “Romeos,” the album included the visually stunning and innovative film Songlines where nine directors did short movies inspired by one of the album tracks. Later renamed as Balance, the short film for the song “Middle of the Riddle” won an Academy Award® for Best Animated Short Film the following year. 

‘Afternoons’ is a timeless place we invented to keep on playing, now that we were bound to live forever. Playing like artists, fools or children. I still visit it time and again. – Marian Gold, February 2021 

Now, fans can look forward to remastered and expanded deluxe editions of Afternoons In Utopia and The Breathtaking Blue, personally supervised by Alphaville founding members Marian Gold and Bernhard Lloyd. Both albums have been remastered for the first time.  

The Deluxe Editions will be released on May 7 on various formats: 

Afternoons in Utopia: 1-LP, 2-CD and digital  

The Breathtaking Blue: 1-LP/DVD, 2-CD/DVD incl. Songlines and digital 

The remastered version of Next Generation is available digitally today.  

‘Afternoons in Utopia’ was created in turbulent times and unfortunately, the mastering didn’t get the attention it deserved at the time. The album simply didn’t sound the way it could have and should have been - both on vinyl and CD. We were able to adjust this and worked with all analog master tapes. We brought the sound back to life with today’s possibilities and a lot of love and patience,” says Alphaville founding member and keyboardist Bernhard Lloyd.  

AFTERNOONS IN UTOPIA (DELUXE EDITION) will be available as a deluxe 1-LP on 180-gram vinyl including the remastered album, a 24-page booklet with rare and unreleased photos in a gatefold sleeve. The 2-CD format features the remastered album on disc one, disc two includes 14 remastered B-sides, 12” & 7” mixes, remixes, demos as well as a rare live version of the single “Dance With Me” plus a 20-page booklet. Pre-order here.

THE BREATHTAKING BLUE (DELUXE EDITION) will be released as a deluxe 1-LP/DVD-format featuring the remastered original album on 180-gram vinyl including a 24-page booklet with many and rare photos in a gatefold sleeve, plus the DVD film THE BREATHTAKING BLUE SONGLINES. The 2-CD/DVD format contains the remastered album on disc one, disc two features 16 remastered and remixed B-sides, 12”-mixes, remixes of album tracks, plus the DVD film The Breathtaking Blue which has been newly digitalized and previously hasn’t been released outside of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. This 2-CD/DVD format also features a 20-page booklet. Pre-order here.

Looking back, singer Marian Gold says: When our first album emerged from the smut of the 'Here and Now' and our second led back to our roots in 'Sugar Candy Mountain' then 'The Breathtaking Blue’ was our ‘I don't give a shit’ album, a self-indulgent arrogant blind shot over the shoulder into the future with our backs to the audience. – Marian Gold, February 2021 

Bernhard Lloyd adds: The crazy endeavor to turn the entire album into the film ‘Songlines’ actually worked out in a wondrous way. A separate short film for each song, from directors all across the world – a project ahead of its time almost 35 years ago. The treasure of original 35mm film tapes has been recovered, the tapes meticulously restored and digitalized. Now, these films can finally be enjoyed in all of their beauty. It’s a completely new experience.

The booklets of both Deluxe Editions have been created with the original designer of both albums.  

AFTERNOONS IN UTOPIA (DELUXE EDITIONS) 

Track Listing: 

CD1/LP 

1. “IAO” - 2021 Remaster: (0:43)     

2. “Fantastic Dream” - 2021 Remaster (3:58) 

3. “Jerusalem” - 2021 Remaster (4:11)  

4. “Dance With Me” - 2021 Remaster (4:00)  

5. “Afternoons In Utopia” - 2021 Remaster (3:07)  

6. “Sensations” - 2021 Remaster (4:26)        

7. “20th Century” - 2021 Remaster (1:27)  

8. “The Voyager” - 2021 Remaster (4:35)  

9. “Carol Masters” - 2021 Remaster (4:34)  

10. “Universal Daddy” - 2021 Remaster (4:01)         

11. “Lassie Come Home” - 2021 Remaster (7:02)       

12. “Red Rose” - 2021 Remaster (4:10)    

13. “Lady Bright” - 2021 Remaster (0:37) 

CD2 

1. “Dance With Me” - Empire Remix; 2021 Remaster (8:14) 

2. “Universal Daddy” – Aquarian Dance Mix; 2021 Remaster (6:16)          

3. “Jerusalem” - The Palace Version; 2021 Remaster (6:17)                                                          

4. “Sensations” - Club Mix; 2021 Remaster (6:08)                                                            

5. “Red Rose” - The Remix; 2021 Remaster (7:53)                                                            

6. “The Nelson Highrise” (Sector 2: The Mirror); 2021 Remaster (3:42)                          

7. “Next Generation” – 2021 Remaster (3:58)                                                        

8. “Vingt Mille Lieues Sous Les Mers incl. The Nelson Highrise (Sector 3: The Garage)"; 2021 Remaster (5:00)                                                        

9. “Big Yello Sun (Concrete Soundtraxx For Imaginary Films I)”; 2021 Remaster (6:47)                               

10. “Red Rose” - 7- inch Remix; 2021 Remaster (4:36)                                                        

11. “Sensations” - 7- inch Remix; 2021 Remaster (4:13)                                                        

12. “Carol Masters” - Original Demo; 2021 Remaster (4:08)                                                       

13. “Lassie Come Home” - Original Demo; 2021 Remaster (7:25)                                                

14. “Dance With Me - Unplugged - Live in Salt Lake City 1999”; 2021 Remaster (4:49) 

THE BREATHTAKING BLUE (Deluxe Edition) 

Track Listing 

CD1 /LP:  

1. “Summer Rain” - 2021 Remaster (4:11)                                                             

2.” Romeos” - 2021 Remaster (5:30)                                                                      

3. “She Fades Away” - 2021 Remaster (4:59)                                                       

4. “The Mysteries Of Love” - 2021 Remaster (4:56)                                              

5. “Ariana” - 2021 Remaster (3:44)                                                                        

6. “Heaven Or Hell” - 2021 Remaster (3:29)                                                         

7. “For A Million” - 2021 Remaster (6:10)                                                              

8. “Middle Of The Riddle” - 2021 Remaster (3:21)                                                

9. “Patricia’s Park” - 2021 Remaster (4:14)                                                           

10. “Anyway” - 2021 Remaster (2:50)     

11. “Romeos” - Single Version – 2021 Remaster (4:06)*              

12. “Summer Rain” - Single Version – 2021 Remaster (4:01)*                          

13. “Mysteries Of Love” - 7-inch Remix Edit – 2021 Remaster (3:34)*    

* only on the 2CD/DVD Deluxe edition 

CD2 

1. “Romeos” - Extended Mix; 2021 Remaster (8:38)                               

2. “Summer Rain” - Extended Version; 2021 Remaster (5:32)                               

3. “Mysteries Of Love” – Remix; 2021 Remaster (7:58)                              

4. “Headlines”; 2021 Remaster (4:11)                             

5. “Sister Sun”; 2021 Remaster (3:56)                             

6. “Like Thunder”; 2021 Remaster (4:47)                             

7. “Summer In Berlin” - Demo Version Remix; 2021 Remaster (5:53)                             

8. “She Fades Away” (Titanic Version) Original Demo; 2021 Remaster (3:10)                             

9. “Ariana” - Original Demo; 2021 Remaster (2:37)                             

10. “Heaven Or Hell” - Original Demo; 2021 Remaster (1:59)                              

11. “Headlines” - Original Demo; 2021 Remaster (3:48)                            

12. “The Mysteries Of Love” - Alternative Remix; 2021 Remaster (4:55)                             

13. “Romeos” – Teknopella; 2021 Remaster (4:31)                             

14. “Romeos” - Balcony Mix; 2021 Remaster (6:03)                             

15. “Romeos” - Radio Edit; 2021 Remaster (4:01)                             

16. “Romeos” - Tribal Mix; 2021 Remaster (6:27)        

DVD 

The Breathtaking Blue - Songlines (49:45) 

CD+G animations for all album tracks from 1989