I had originally planned not to review this Dual Disc version of Duran Duran’s latest, “Astronaut”, having already reviewed the album back in October. But I am the resident Duran reviewer here at The Tap and I couldn’t disappoint. Plus, this is my first Dual Disc and once I heard the surround mixes, I figured I should add my two cents!

I won’t get into album specifics here since you could read my older review for that but I will spend my time here commenting on the new 5.1 mixes which sound fantastic. Duran Duran albums are always exquisitely recorded, orchestrated and layered but in surround you get more definition of the individual parts resulting in a more dynamic mix. For the most part, the mixes are not overly aggressive so they tend to envelope you in sound nicely.

At times, they can be a bit directional however, which is a shame as it makes those moments come off as a bit “gimmicky”. Minor gripes aside, “Astronaut” is worth repurchasing on Dual Disc if you already have the album; the swirling mix of the hypnotic “Still Breathing” is worth it alone. Combine the 5.1 mix with the enhanced LPCM stereo mix (which sounds great) and over 20 minutes of video documentary footage and you can’t miss with this release!