Duran Duran - Duran Duran (2010 Remaster)

Duran Duran's 1981 debut arrives here in its 2010 remastered form, the record that took five style-obsessed Birmingham dreamers and made them the faces of new romantic pop.

Produced by Colin Thurston, the album fuses disco rhythms, punk energy and glossy synthesizers into something sleek and danceable. It landed just as music television was taking off, and the band's flair for image and video helped turn them into international stars within a couple of years. Every track carries their knack for marrying danceable grooves with a hint of mystery.

The singles tell much of the story. "Planet Earth" was their first, a shimmering synth-pop statement, "Careless Memories" pushes harder with urgent guitars, and "Girls On Film" became an instant signature, all snapping bass and camera-shutter clicks. Beyond the hits, darker and moodier album tracks reveal a band with real atmosphere and ambition.

John Taylor's bass and Roger Taylor's drumming lock in tightly, while Nick Rhodes' keyboards and Andy Taylor's guitar trade texture and bite, with Simon Le Bon's voice gliding confidently over the top, part crooner and part showman.

This single LP edition, drawn from the 2010 remaster, is a clean, classic way to hear where it all began, and a cornerstone of any collection built around the 1980s.