NewsTerence Trent D’Arby’s debut album gets a streaming-only Dolby Atmos mix
Remastered and remixed for spatial audio
Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D’Arby, Terence Trent D’Arby’s 1987 debut album has been remastered and remixed for spatial audio.
The album was an enormous success, spawned four hit singles (‘If You Let Me Stay’, ‘Wishing Well’, ‘Dance Little Sister’ and ‘Sign Your Name’) and went on to sell eight million copies worldwide.
Introducing The Hardline According To… was produced by Heaven 17’s Martyn Ware and Martyn has remastered the album and created the Dolby Atmos mix that is now available via Apple Music’s streaming service (and Tidal).
Now known as Sananda Maitreya (he has been for a long time, in fact), there is no mention the musician’s ‘old name’ with this reissue (as reported by SDE last year). The album is now simply known as Introducing The Hardline According To, the typography has been rejigged and Sananda’s logo added.
The Atmos mix is actually very good because Ware has long been an advocate of spatial audio and like Steven Wilson seems to really ‘get’ it.
This is, for the moment, streaming-only. Sony have made no mention of a physical reissue although one appears inevitable, either later this year or early next. There is no guarantee that the Dolby Atmos Mix will appear in a physical box set however, as Sony chose not to include the new Atmos Mix of George Michael’s Older in the forthcoming box set.
Would you like a physical release of this new Atmos Mix of Introducing The Hardline According To? Give your feedback in the poll below!
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SDE Poll
Would you like a physical edition of the Atmos Mix of Introducing The Hardline According To?
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Still no physical release – SDE exclusive…. Yes please
Clearly needs to be an SDE exclusively
This disc is not available with Dolby Atmos on TIDAL. I’ve searched for it and it doesn’t show up.
Has anyone seen it on TIDAL?
Why is it only the album that gets the surround mix?
If they do a physical release of the album with surround, then it would be super cool if they also did the 12″ remixes, singles etc in surround too. That would make for interesting listening. Imagine the Grace Jones Pure Audio Blu-ray releases if all the tracks were in surround. Imagine Seal and all the singles, 12″ remix versions in surround. Has anything like this been released?
Paul Sinclair, are you able to push for a physical release of the Atmos mix?
I’d be quite happy for Sony not to include an Atmos blu-ray in any Hardline mega-box, so long as we could get it as a separate item – maybe through SDE? Maybe, even signed by Martyn Ware? I’m guessing Sananda wouldn’t be signing anything….
Any yes, absolutely count me in for any and all spatial audio releases from Heaven17 as well.
Seal’s first album in surround sound mixed by Trevor Horn or Steven Wilson would be a killer if somewhat crazy but it could be the beginning of something.
I would buy that for £22 for a stand alone disc on Blu-Ray.
I’d like to see Trevor give some spatial audio love to Lexicon of Love before Seal. He could revisit Yes 90125 while he’s at it.
And The Buggles, of course!
I think a 5.1 mix of the first Seal album already exists. Don’t know who did it, though – I don’t have it (I think a couple of his other studio albums received the surround treatment as well).
What I do have however is a 2CD + DVD-A Hits set, with the singles on the DVD in 5.1.
It’s good these mixes are being made available although I’m still a stickler for owning physical copies. I’d probably buy one for this album but I’m still crossing fingers that a physical copy of the Steven Wilson mixes of Def Leppard’s Diamond Star Halos makes it on to a physical format at some point.
100% YESSSSSS this album is a masterpiece – i got no Apple iPhone or anything , so i can’t listen to this mix? or is there a way to get this and play it?
Hi Lenny,
the Apple Music app is available for Android devices via Google Play Store.
Additionally you can also listen to the Atmos mix via Tidal as Paul states in the article.
Physical format PLEASE + SDEs of all his Sony (Columbia) output.
I would definitely buy a physical copy! I would actually buy “Symphony or Damn” and “Vibrator” in a Atmos mix also!
I am a big fan of multi-channel mixes and get my final two Atmos speakers installed next week (yay!). So I will be playing my TFF and xPropaganda Blu-rays for the first time as well. Would love to add this album to my Atmos collection as long as it is not buried in a boxed set with multiple pieces of vinyl . If that happens, I can at least listen to it via Apple music but would rather have a physical copy. I am not completely against streaming though I only do so for Atmos mixes that aren’t available in physical form or when buried in a boxed set with unwanted vinyl.
I think that everyone should be able to get their music in the way they want it without having to pay for formats they don’t want. So:
should please most of the people most of the time. That way the consumer can pick what they want to purchase and not need to purchase what they can’t use.
I don’t have the atmos set-up but a normal ol’ 5.1 mix would certainly be welcome!
I am 90% sure that if you run an ATMOS mix over a 5.1 receiver / amplifier it will be translated into 5.1, so you will still have surround but without the Atmos effect. It might depend on the age of your hardware
Yes, this is the case. Atmos is ‘intelligent’ and decodes down to 5.1, stereo etc. It’s actually very good and rather clever. Lots of people enjoyed the Tears For Fears Tipping Point Atmos mix in stereo because it’s so much more dynamic than the standard stereo mix.
One of the more enjoyable 1980’s albums for me, especially “Let’s Go Forward”, “Sign Your Name”, “Wishing Well” and “Dance Little Sister”. A stand-out soul album of the era. I would definitely purchase a Blu-ray version with the 5.1 version, Atmos or not.
Here’s hoping it happens.
I’d buy a deluxe CD reissue of this album the day it came out, but I will never touch “deluxe” streaming/digital-only releases. (But I do appreciate SDE posts about them, so we can complain about them and hopefully the right people take notice…!)
I do NOT stream anything, and I will NOT be streaming this. Until an updated expanded CD format is released, I will stick to the original CD. If he and the music company cannot provide a decent CD reissue with more added material, then I will not be buying. End of!
I’ve only given it a cursory listen (just a few tracks) and it sounds great overall. However, Wishing Well sounds 2 dimensional- like stereo with a tiny bit of reverb in the back. Another track didn’t fare much better (don’t recall which). The difference was pronounced- a surprising inconsistency. My initial impression is that it’s a mixed bag, but probably tips the balance in in its favor.
So this is a top 10 album for me. A phenomenal debut album by an incredible artist.
I want it all. I want a (CD) box set with the album, remixes, demos, live recordings, music videos and live performances. Just simply grab everything from that period and stick it in the set. An Immediate buy (as long as vinyl is not mixed with CD)
I actually thought the statement for Sony earlier this year hinted that an agreement had been met and a set was forthcoming. I really hope this wasn’t all we are getting.
I want it with the vinyl. Please.
Tom – do you want a mixed media issue or separate vinyl? I think mixed media sets are an unnecessary waste of resources and money for those who don’t ant both formats. Would love to see a study of whether a label gains or loses sales from a mixed media release. Unfortunately I cant remember a release where all the content is on vinyl or CD separately but also combined into one mega boxed set for us to know.
The upcoming Animals sets by Pink Floyd qualify, although you can’t get the audio DVD on its own (but the higher quality Blu-Ray) and there is no bonus material beyond the new mixes of the album.
I’m a big fan of Sananda/TTDA and I can’t wait for reissue.. My favorite album is Neither Fish nor Flesh…
Yay! Finally some love for NFNF. I never understood the narrative at the time that it was a total creative disaster. Sure it’s a little indulgent in places and a hodge-podge of styles (although, IMHO, so was Introducing…) but there are some cracking tunes on there and, for me, I like a bit of eccentricity and risk-taking in my musicians.
I always wondered if there were behind-the-scenes shenanigans feeding into the narrative: e.g. TTD/SM refusing to play the game and, as a result, being ‘cut down to size’.
I would buy it for sure. I’d love a reissue that had the dvd of the old VHS concert, the music videos, and tv performances. An extra cd with demos, b sides, and other gems would also be nice. I can’t expect much, but can’t hurt to hope. Pretty depressing that his live performances over the years ignored the TTD songs up until recently, as it would have been great to see him sing them when he still had the vocal range. He is still a great singer, but has lost a bit of his edge.
From an interview I read, it sounds like he was never comfortable with the fame. He seems to have good life now in Milan
. He’s married with two kids and fully in control of his music. When asked if he misses the TTD part of his life, he answered with a resounding NO, that he would probably be dead now like his contemporaries (Michael Jackson, Prince, George Michael) if he had stayed in that lifestyle, but that he could check in with Madonna (“Hey, Bitch!”) at any time.
He performed some of his best songs from this era (“Delicate,” “Let Her Down Easy,” “She Kissed Me,” and “Sign Your Name”) at a 2018 show in Italy. So it sounds like he’s reached a happy medium with the two worlds.
Sure I would love and buy a physical release. But it would be even better with a (or 2) CDs of the remixes and none album tracks. This album deserves it.
I agree, this album seems like an easy box set; I can picture 2 CD’s and 2 Blu-Ray discs. Remaster of original album on disc one. Remix/non-album/live tracks on disc two. 1 Blu-Ray with the new Dolby Atmos mix and content involving the creation of the mix. 1 more Blu-Ray with a transfer of the long out-of-print VHS of TTD’s first tour. Actually perhaps a 3rd CD with all the songs from the tour video and other live material all put on 1 CD. So make it 3 CD’s and 2 Blu-Ray’s. Seems reasonable, along with offering separate CD/Blu-Ray options.
Def purchase for me, it’s an amazing piece of work and I love that he followed his artistic muse wherever it went, even if it was considered commercial suicide at the time…I did enjoy NFNF quite a bit, not as much as the debut, but it was quite interesting and original…I did not enjoy Vibrator as much as Fish/Flesh but it was still good…Symphony rivals Hardline really, a rockier version…I have not heard his stuff under his current name but from what I read, they are probably ranging from interesting to great & likely inbetween…I would def buy a physical version of this Atmos mix either on BRA or a boxset or both…I have to say that what solidified me as a fan of his work and this album was the song Let’s Go Forward, when it was featured on the double album for charity Greenpeace Rainbow Warriors…I’ve had the Hardline album on vinyl but that song really made it go deeper…and I have no problem with the logo on the album instead of his old name…whatever works best for him…had zero problems when Prince was the glyph…
A definite purchase for me. Then they can do his other albums too!!
I’ll buy all 4 Sony reissues
Most of TTDA/SM deserve a wide soundscape, as he is a modern day song composer adding his poetic lyrics, with most delicate production work. So yes, the Hardline should be available on physical (blu-ray) format. A job for SDE? I will support that!
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is indeed an excellent debut album. The follow up sucked and ended his career right there but I think it’s also commercial suicide to not use his original name here. He seems to want to make life difficult for himself doesn’t he? But I would def buy it and hope it comes to Amazon Music soon.
Neither Fish Nor Flesh doesn’t ‘suck’ at all, but it’s clearly not particularly commercial. He had four top 20 UK singles from the album after that (Symphony Or Damn) so it didn’t end his career.
I suppose it might depend on you are US or UK centric. He certainly bounced back in the UK ( always his biggest market), but did little in the USA after the first album.
Sony did try after Hardline but were utterly confused from a marketing standpoint…I did hear first “singles” from NFNF & Symphony on modern rock radio, but huge sales never happened…
Completely accurate. if he’s remembered at all in the USA, it’s as a one-album wonder.
(Then again, until 2 months ago, few Americans were familiar with Kate Bush, who had one obscure Top 40 song from almost 40 years ago, so maybe Terrence is one soundtrack appearance away from a big impact.)
Have to agree – I actually prefer Neither Flesh to his debut! For that matter I also prefer Symphony or Damn as well – love those two albums and play them more often that I plays his debut.
Being uncompromising with your work mostly never jibes well with commercial expectations or pleasing the public…you have to have backbone of steel, total integrity…SM had it, Prince had it, Michael Jackson did not…I admire SM for sticking to his guns in the face of public pressure & commerciality…at least he is able to sleep at night…
I was never into Terence’s music. But when I see Martyn Ware himself produced the surround mix, I hope some H17 and early Human League products will follow…
And as I’m a supporter for physical media: keep it coming! Nevermind whatever format: blu-ray, SACD DVD-A (but no DVD-V with lossy surround options, please)
This is an incredibly important 80’s album in need of a beautiful reissue BOX SET including all extended mixes, B sides, outtakes, live songs AND PHYSICAL ATMOS MIX BLU RAY. Excellent album.
Great to finally get a remastered version of Introducing…and a Dolby Atmos version to boot!
I would prefer a physical copy as part of a Deluxe Edition (with remixes, B-sides, 7″ cuts etc) but I’m guessing Sananda wouldn’t be that interested in revisiting his past to that extent, beyond giving approval to this recredited reissue.
Hoping I’m wrong though!
Yes to a physical surround mix, and yes to TTD on the sleeves and not SM. While I appreciate his assertion that the change signalled a rebirth for him, the fact remains that he put his name in the title of EVERY BLOODY ALBUM! If Yusuf Islam can do it without any fuss, I’m sure Sananda can, too!
But honestly does it matter??
It’s the content that matters not what is written on the packaging surely?
Does it matter that I Trawl the Megahertz (the great Paddy McAloon album) is now credited as being a Prefab Sprout album – not really it’s still a great album either way.
I’m sure there are more appropriate examples.
The fact that Cat Stevens has chosen the opposite direction is great but honestly it wouldn’t have bothered me if he had not. Getting to the content out there is what is important (to me at least).
The less physical the more profit I guess, I find it utterly depressing thinking of looking at a folder on a computer, or on some streaming service and classing it as my record collection.
My question is for those on iTunes/Apple – Has anyone tried their Dolby Atmos via headphones (the only method I have of trying it) and if so does it work?
I’ve tried a couple of things and I can’t say I have noticed anything different.
I kind of feel like it’s one of those ‘Magic Eye’ effects and I’m one of the few that just can’t see it (or in this case, hear it).
Make sure you enable it in iTunes. If you choose Automatic, songs in Dolby Atmos will automatically play when you’re listening through the latest models of iPhones, iPads, or Mac, and AirPods and Beats headphones with W1 or H1 chips. Otherwise, choose On if you’re using other headphones that do not support automatic playback.
Thanks for that I’ll give it a go on my AirPods.
Always meant to buy this album first time around but never did. Jump to 2011 when the (a-hem!) Daily Snail were giving away a host of classic (and not-so-classic) 80’s albums as freebie CD’s, I picked up this one for nothing (thanx to a money saving tip on the Martin Lewis website), liked it a great deal, and managed to nab a vinyl copy of it from a local charity shop for just 50 pence! The CD copy now nestles inside it’s big brother vinyl and all is well.
Do I need an Atmos mix of this? No.
Actually Discogs states that the ’80s albums freebies were included with said paper in 2008.
There was also a box with 12 of the 13 albums which were given away included. Does anyone here can bring light to why Kim Wilde’s s/t debut was not included in the box?
Yep, I would get a physical release, still have the original vinyl.
Listening to the Atmos mix now, what a treat to the ears. Started with Sign your name, now Rain .
i need a physical copy I hope they will issue it. I wasn’t aware that Older would get an Atmos mix, should be physical too.
Should be the fourth in the SDE bluray exclusive????
Yes, that would be amazing all round!
And the 5th would be the Thevor Horn’s Atmos mix of the Seal album ?!
Yes please. No brainer on a physical release of this great album. Maybe give us two options though – one with Terence Trent Darby in the title and the other with his new moniker ;-).
Sign your names across my art?
I wouldnt mind, but I think this probably IS the compromise version, where he doesnt insist it says Sananda Maitreya, but wont let it be his old name either. I think we will probably have to accept that the reissues of the TTD catalogue will have that logo on them instead of his name.
Respect his decisions regarding his name, as you do his musical talent. He’s not the first artist to change his name, and he won’t be the last.
Proposal:
If you’re so keen on having his former name upfront (i guess) why not buy a second hand copy of the original release plus a slim 2-cd jewel case and then just put the new release (if there will be any) in the second disc holder…