Strangelove: the LP Mix that wasn’t
The first CD’s track name is not a reliable guide to what comes out of the speakers.
Read the label, then listen
The official archive corrects the first-edition Strangelove CD: its track labelled LP Mix is actually the standard single version. It also records a second trap. The Blind Mix on the original US twelve-inch fades out early, by a little under a minute, compared with other editions. A familiar mix name can conceal a difference; an unfamiliar label can conceal something familiar. [1]
Try the ending first
Our suggested comparison starts near the end of the Blind Mix. Does the recording feel as though it has finished, or as though somebody has closed a door while it was still moving? Then return to the beginning. Once you know about an early fade, the whole journey can acquire a different sense of destination.
A useful kind of collector’s doubt
These details are a reason to keep precise notes, not to distrust every sleeve. Write down the country, format and catalogue number with your observation. If two listeners disagree about what they hear, both may be describing their own copies accurately. That possibility makes the conversation more interesting: the record in your hand becomes evidence, rather than simply a favourite object.
Source and listening notes
Original MODE UNKNOWN writing. Release details follow the official archive; listening suggestions and interpretations are ours.
- Depeche Mode official archive, curated by Daniel Barassi: Strangelove, release listings and editorial notes. Checked 14 September 2026.
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Keep exploring →Behind the Wheel: the clue in the run-out groove