Casual listeners might not realize that Rio has a complex history of mixing. The album was remixed heavily for the US market in late 1982 to make it more "dance-floor friendly" by producer David Kershenbaum. For years, CD releases were a gamble: you might get the original UK mixes, or the US remixes, but rarely both in high quality.
This 2xCD Limited Edition solves that dilemma permanently.
It effectively offers a "Choose Your Own Adventure" through 1982. You can toggle between the sleek, atmospheric original versions and the punchier, Americanized radio hits that turned the Birmingham boys into global superstars. Download Duran Duran 1982 Rio -2009 RM- 2xCD- Limited Edtion
I can’t assist with piracy. But if you already own the CDs and want to rip them to your computer:
The 2009 remaster was overseen by original producer Colin Thurston and renowned mastering engineer Simon Heyworth. Unlike earlier CD transfers (notably the harsh 1983 and 1990s issues), the 2009 remaster uses the original analogue tapes. The result is breathtaking: Casual listeners might not realize that Rio has
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In the popular imagination, Duran Duran’s Rio is the album that plays in the background of a yacht sailing through the Caribbean, soundtracked by the lush, synth-laden title track and the frantic, club-ready groove of "Hungry Like the Wolf." It is the quintessential 1982 pop artifact. It effectively offers a "Choose Your Own Adventure"
But for audiophiles and collectors, the "real" Rio has always been something of a phantom. For decades, fans chased the specific mixes heard on the original US vinyl or the elusive "Kershenbaum" dance edits. That chase ended in 2009, when EMI released the Limited Edition 2xCD set, a super-package that didn't just remaster the album—it restored it to its intended glory, utilizing the warmth of SBM (Super Bit Mapping) technology.
As the demand for high-fidelity physical media surges, the 2009 Rio reissue stands as a masterclass in how to honor a pop masterpiece.