Dua Lipa - Radical Optimism

With the Japanese deluxe coming soon and the repressing of the previously webstore exclusive vinyls, is it safe to say that a proper deluxe this year is unlikely?
 
I honestly don't even see the point of an extended version of this album? The track lengths are absolutely fine bar Anything For Love (which is a skip anyway).
The only extended version which got the job correctly done is Houdini and that should be blueprint for all extended versions. Naturally I wouldn't expect them to re-write/write additional parts, but play a little with the flow, vocals and expand the sonical landscape a bit more. The extendeds we received were useless.
 
I still can't believe that they released the extended versions when they sound like shit. Every single track except the three singles are awful and made with pure hatred. Whoever worked on these either had 30 minutes to finish the entire album or hates Pop music.

The extended mix of “Illusion” is also terrible, actually. That awkward instrumental gap in the chorus, why?
 
The extended mix of “Illusion” is also terrible, actually. That awkward instrumental gap in the chorus, why?
Oh God, you're right. I forgot about that one. It's sooo easy to make a good extended version, especially since gays love to get a glimpse of little hidden stems so just give us a bit of the guitars that are hidden in the back of the mix with some whispered background vocal and that's it.
 

RainOnFire

Staff member
Nah. The original Houdini is pristine and immaculate and a 12/10 and her best song ever, and a big part of it is because it's an absolutely dizzying rush at 3 minutes. I'm glad to have the extended version as a bonus if only to hear a different iteration of it with the "free the people" section, but they were correct to cut it from the final song.

I had high hopes for the extended versions in general but they simply confirmed Don't Start Now (Live In LA Remix) was a lightning-in-a-bottle moment, and that's perfectly okay. It's special for a reason!
 

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