a-ha: Japan box with hi-res audio?

The much anticipated super deluxe edition box set of a-ha‘s 1985 album Hunting High and Low is released in September and some eagle-eyed fans have noted that the Japan edition of this box appears to offer something extra over and above the European set.

Listings for the Japanese version of this 4CD+DVD box on Amazon UK and CDJapan both quite clearly list “high-resolution audio track(s) (24bit / 96kHz)” as appearing on the DVD element, in addition to the six promo videos.

SDE sought clarification from Warners and was told unequivocally that the audio and video content for these boxes is identical for Japan and Europe/US and so there is no exclusive hi-res audio on the Japanese box after all. Quite why this is in the listings is anyone’s guess.

It’s not all bad news though. The Japanese box will exclusively include an additional photo book, so there is a difference after all, just not anything to do with audio or video content.

The Hunting High and Low super deluxe edition is released on 18 September 2015.

• • UK Pre-order: Hunting High and Low super deluxe edition
• • USA Pre-order: Hunting High & Low (Super Deluxe) (CD/DVD)
• • GERMANY Pre-order: Hunting High & Low (Super Deluxe)
• • FRANCE Pre-order: Hunting High and Low – Coffret 30ème anniversaire
• • ITALY Pre-order: Hunting High And Low (Super Deluxe)

Japanese version with extra photobook

• • Amazon UK pre-order:  Hunting High and Low super deluxe
• • CDJapan pre-order: Hunting High and Low super deluxe

Disc: 1
1. Take On Me (2015 Remastered)
2. Train Of Thought (2015 Remastered)
3. Hunting High And Low (2015 Remastered)
4. The Blue Sky (2015 Remastered)
5. Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale (2015 Remastered) – a-Ha
6. The Sun Always Shines On T.V. (2015 Remastered)
7. And You Tell Me (2015 Remastered)
8. Love Is Reason (2015 Remastered)
9. I Dream Myself Alive
10. Here I Stand And Face The Rain (2015 Remastered)

Disc: 2
1. Lesson One (Autumn 1982 “Take On Me” Demo) (2015 Remastered)
2. Presenting Lily Mars Naersnes Demo) (2015 Remastered)
3. Sa Blaser Det Pa Jorden (Naersnes Demo) [2015 Remastered]
4. The Sphinx(Naersnes Demo)
5. Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale (Naersnes Demo)
6. Dot The I (2015 Remastered)
7. The Love Goodbye (2015 Remastered)
8. Nothing To It (2015 Remastered)
9. Go To Sleep (2015 Remastered)
10. Train Of Thought (Demo) (2015 Remastered)
11. Monday Mourning (2015 Remastered)
12. All The Planes That Come In On The Quiet (2015 Remastered)
13. The Blue Sky (Demo) (2015 Remastered)
14. You Have Grown Thoughtful Again (2015 Remastered)
15. What’s That You’re Doing To Yourself In The Pouring Rain (2015 Remastered)
16. Take On Me (Demo) (2015 Remastered)
17. Hunting High And Low (Demo)
18. I Dream Myself Alive (Demo) [2015 Remastered]
19. And You Tell Me (Demo) [2015 Remastered]
20. Here I Stand And Face The Rain (Demo) (2015 Remastered)
21. Love Is Reason (Demo) (2015 Remastered)
22. The Blue Sky (2nd Demo)
23. Never Never (2015 Remastered)
24. The Sun Always Shines On T.V. (Demo) (2015 Remastered)
25. Presenting Lily Mars (Rendezvous Demo)

Disc: 3
1. Take On Me (Original 7″ Version 1984) (2015 Remastered)
2. Take On Me (1984 12″ Mix) (2015 Remastered)
3. Stop! And Make Your Mind Up (2015 Remastered)
4. Take On Me (1985 12″ Mix) (2015 Remastered)
5. Take On Me (Instrumental Mix) (2015 Remastered)
6. The Sun Always Shines On T.V. (7′ Mix) (2015 Remastered)
7. The Sun Always Shines On T.V. (Extended Version) (2015 Remastered)
8. Driftwood (2015 Remastered)
9. The Sun Always Shines On T.V. (Extended Version) [2015 Remastered]
10. The Sun Always Shines On T.V. (Instrumental) [2015 Remastered]
11. Train Of Thought (7″ Remix) (2015 Remastered)
12. Train Of Thought (U.S. Remix) (2015 Remastered)
13. Train Of Thought (Dub Mix) (2015 Remastered)
14. Hunting High And Low(7″ Remix) (2015 Remastered)
15. Hunting High And Low(Extended Remix) [2015 Remastered]

Disc: 4
1. Take On Me (Video Version) (2015 Remastered)
2. Train Of Thought (Early Mix) (2015 Remastered)
3. Hunting High And Low (Early Mix) (2015 Remastered)
4. The Blue Sky (Alternate Long Mix) (2015 Remastered)
5. Living A Boy’s Adventure Tale (Early Mix) (2015 Remastered)
6. The Sun Always Shines On T.V. (Alternate Early Mix) (2015 Remastered)
7. And You Tell Me (Early Mix) (2015 Remastered)
8. Love Is Reason (Early Mix) (2015 Remastered)
9. Dream Myself Alive (Early “NYC” Mix) (2015 Remastered)
10. Here I Stand And Face The Rain (Early Mix (2015 Remastered)

Disc: 5 (DVD)
1. Take On Me (1985 Version)
2. The Sun Always Shines On TV
3. Train Of Thought
4. Hunting High And Low
5. Take On Me (1984 Version)
6. Take On Me (1985 Alternate Cut)

• • UK Pre-order: Hunting High and Low super deluxe edition
• • USA Pre-order: Hunting High & Low (Super Deluxe) (CD/DVD)
• • GERMANY Pre-order: Hunting High & Low (Super Deluxe)
• • FRANCE Pre-order: Hunting High and Low – Coffret 30ème anniversaire
• • ITALY Pre-order: Hunting High And Low (Super Deluxe)