Various - The Art Of The 12", Volume Two (A Promotion Of A Way Of Life) flac mp3 download

Highly recommended ZTT sampler with typical ZTT mixes many of them are in AoN approach. It seems to me that most of the versions are maybe exclusive to this release but for the FGHT mixes the album surely worth having. Act versions are very suprising too!

If you're looking at this compilation, you're probably already at least somewhat familiar with the music from the artists of the ZTT label's heyday: Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Art of Noise, and Propaganda in the '80s, and Seal in the '90s. And you're probably aware of Trevor Horn's other over-the-top productions, like Pet Shop Boys' "Left to My Own Devices".Well, honestly, and perhaps this is going to be rather a disappointment, but you've probably already heard the best material; it's fair to say the best of the best was already released on the commercial albums and singles of the era.See, in its prime, ZTT didn't believe less was more, it believed more was more, using the 12" single as an artistic outlet as important as any album or well-crafted song. But even in its excess, the label was measured: it was always a certain kind of more it put forth for consideration. But now, having exhausted the greatest-hits and greatest-12"-mixes concepts, the label seems to have no idea what to do but churn out the more general "more" by allowing Salvo to bundle and sell haphazard compilations of all the lesser material. The result may be a modest commercial success, but the resulting compilations make it painfully obvious that the best hasn't been languishing in a mislabeled box on some engineer's shelf, nor is it yet to come...it's simply already out there.Yes, there's volumes of material still in the vaults, lots of rare and unreleased mixes and noodly jams of note, but there's a very good reason certain works and re-works and re-re-re-works were selected to become A-sides, B-sides, and album cuts. These familiar exhibits weren't just abandoned at a fortuitous time—they truly were the cream of the crop. What was left behind is that which is now being selected for the bulk of these Element series releases, and even though it's often quite polished and far from "demo" territory, it's still primarily "deep catalog" material for hardcore collectors, not a consistently enjoyable album for listening.For example, take the epic 15-minute version of "Two Tribes" that opens the compilation, and the very next track, the abysmal Art of Noise extension of Paul McCartney's "Spies Like Us". In "Two Tribes" there were many good ideas for dressing up the song, but there was never enough of an actual song to justify putting them all in one tremendously long assemblage as presented here...which is precisely why the versions released in the '80s were brilliantly confined to 4 to 9 minutes each, with each mix incorporating some, but not all, of those good ideas. And in "Spies Like Us", the only thing going for it is that it's rare; aesthetically, musically, even if interpreted as tongue-in-cheek, it's quite sub-par and challenging listening, for all the talent involved.Oh, the price is certainly fair and the listener is occasionally rewarded, and the hungry collectors and puzzle solvers are given something quite meaty to chew on, but ultimately, the evidence presented here simply further underscores the fact that it was only in the already well-known mixes of material by the label's A-list artists that the artistic potential of the many ZTT collaborators, willing and unwilling, was being fully realized from start to finish. A compilation of nothing but lower-tier mixes and B-list obscurities has a certain appeal, but underwhelms as a "celebration" of the 12-inch.I know, I'm missing the point; the Element series is all about precisely what I fault it for...

Regarding your comment about "Two Tribes". "Keep The Peace" was not actually a mix as such, it was an edited compilation of the two commercially available 12" singles, "Annihilation & Carnage", plus the "Surrender Mix" that appeared on both of the 12" single b-sides. Keep The Peace was actually what the Cass-single (Cassette Single) was called, think of it as the predecessor to the CD single. Back in the 80's the cassette single was big business and for all those who wanted to hear there favourite single in the car or on their walkman it was a great format, so to have both 12" singles and there b-sides on one tape was excellent value for money.So for this compilation it can only be seen really as a "buffs" addition.

The front page of the New Musical Express dated 13th October 1984 read “ZTT-Warriors Of Pop Or Theatre Of Hype?” The answer to both of those questions in 2012 is a simple yes. The hype was justified as once you listen the latest in “The Art Of The 12”” series it all becomes very clear why. As you may know “The Art Of The 12”, Volume Two” is number SALVOMDCD27 in Salvo’s catalogue and number 21 in ZTT’s Element Series. What you may not know is that it’s also number 19 in the Pre-order charts (at the time of writing) proving that since the label’s heyday in the early to mid 80s that there is still a huge interest in the ZTT catalogue and this latest entry does not disappoint. Like all of the previous Element Series releases this addition contains the familiar and the previously unreleased. Unlike those others elements, it is not just the ZTT vaults that have been raided. Godley & Creme appear with Scritti Politti, remixed by JJ Jeczalik and Gary Langan respectively along side a unique remix of Paul McCartney’s “Spies Like Us” by their group Art of Noise that only appears on this compilation. In turn, two previously rumoured to exist remixes of Art of Noise’s “Moments In Love” by 808 States’s Graham Massey finally see the light of day after spending two decades locked away in the archives. Frankie Goes To Hollywood continue to surprise with two recently discovered remixes of “Relax” and “War”. We are given the chance to hear how they would have sounded in an alternative reality, but then, they always were ‘the alternative’, with the hype that took them to the top of the singles charts three times in 1984 and these mixes to not detract from that fact. Propaganda are true to form with the 12” mix of “Sorry For Laughing” making its debut here and asks the question ‘why this was never released as a single?’ Like all record companies, ZTT have a treasure trove of the overlooked and the forgotten. Cuts from Instinct, Mint Juleps, Nasty Rox Inc., Thomas Leer, Act, and Das Pyscho! Rangers are all included here along with the enigmatic Ann Pigalle. As for OMD’s appearance, you will have to read the detailed booklet that accompanies this collection. In 1984 Frankie and ZTT once said to each other: “Hey, Zang.” “Yes, Frankie?” “Let’s Make It A Double.” “It’ll be a pleasure.” That really sums up this album, a double CD and a pleasure to listen to. It has a soul, and is almost sentient from the very start as it becomes alive like life itself, and like life itself, it is full of surprises. "elements are very big" 10/10 KM Whitehouse