Amplified Heart

Description

Originally released in June 1994, Amplified Heart is the seventh studio album by Everything But The Girl, the acclaimed British duo formed in 1982 by Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt. This new deluxe CD edition enriches the album with 31 tracks, including B-sides and rare recordings. Amplified Heart sold over a million copies and was widely praised upon its release for its sincerity and intimacy. It contains the original version of Missing, which became a global hit thanks to Todd Terry's iconic house remix in 1995. While the remix conquered dance floors and charts worldwide, the original remains a timeless classic, reflecting the unique blend of folk-soul and subtle electronica that characterizes the album. The album's creation was marked by difficult circumstances. Much of the material was written after Watt's serious illness in 1992, caused by a rare autoimmune disease. The lyrics, co-written by Thorn and Watt, explore themes of love, vulnerability, and isolation with heartbreaking sincerity. To realize their vision, the duo collaborated with a group of traditional and electronic musicians, including Danny Thompson, Dave Mattacks, and producer John Coxon, whose subtle electronic textures helped define the album's atmosphere. Richard Thompson and arranger Harry Robinson also contributed. In 2019, Pitchfork gave the album a score of 8.6, highlighting its lasting influence on artists such as The xx and Beth Orton, and noting that the duo's stripped-down, introspective style had never sounded so accomplished. This deluxe edition has been remastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios. It features a revised tracklist compared to the 2013 edition, including previously unreleased tracks and live recordings. The original artwork has also been revisited by John Gilsenan, with photographs by Corinne Day and Richard Haughton, as well as complete lyrics and credits.