Breath of Life cover

Breath of Life

Erasure · 1992

38 min · 8 tracks · new wave

Bright synth-pop melodies meet Andy Bell’s yearning voice as dance mixes stretch Erasure’s song into new shapes.

Top tracks — play these first

  • →
    Breath of Life (single remix) Start here — The concise single version puts Bell’s urgent vocal and the song’s melodic hook at the center before the longer mixes rework them.
  • →
    Breath of Life (Divine Inspiration mix) — At over six minutes, this version gives the song room to unfold beyond the single’s compact pop structure.
  • →
    Breath of Life (Stripped mix) — A contrasting presentation of the title track invites attention to how its vocal and melody survive a change of arrangement.
  • →
    Waiting for Sex (Full version) — One of the collection’s departures from the title song, this full version broadens the release beyond its sequence of remixes.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

57 /100
Foothills
Higher than 6% of albums we've rated

The EP showcases varied remixes but lacks strong cohesion due to its mix of styles and a non-remix track.

What we noticed

  • The title track is remixed in five different styles, each emphasizing different elements of the original song's melody and rhythm.
  • The EP includes a non-remix track, 'Waiting for Sex', which contrasts with the other tracks by being more straightforward in its arrangement.
  • The final track, 'Carry on Clangers', serves as an unexpected departure from the rest, featuring a playful tone that diverges from the main themes.
Composition 25% of the score
6/10

the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics

Craft 20% of the score
7/10

production, performance, arrangement

Durability 25% of the score
5/10

whether it rewards returning to it

Distinctiveness 18% of the score
6/10

whether it sounds like itself

Sequencing 12% of the score
4/10

running order, pacing, length

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

  • steady rhythmic journey throughout
  • uplifting atmosphere for dancing
  • euphoric melodies for celebration
  • for group sing-alongs

Maybe skip if you

  • prefer instant gratification tracks
  • dislike consistent rhythmic patterns

Where this album fits

In the catalog
Breakthrough — Reinforced Erasure's status in the electronic scene post-'Chorus'.
Themes
dance floor exuberance· cheeky pop playfulness· synth-driven joy
Career context
Released in 1992, this single collection followed Erasure’s 1991 album Chorus, from which the title song was drawn. It arrived during a commercially successful run for the duo, shortly before their ABBA covers EP Abba-esque.
Stylistic neighbors
Depeche Mode· Pet Shop Boys· New Order

Moments worth listening for

Where the writing does something specific.

  • Breath of Life (single remix)

    The refrain returns to the image of breath as something awaited.

    That recurring image turns a physical necessity into a compact metaphor for renewal.

Tracklist

  • 1 Breath of Life (single remix) Start here 3:53
  • 2 Breath of Life (Divine Inspiration mix) 6:41
  • 3 Breath of Life (Swiss mix) 4:33
  • 4 Waiting for Sex (Full version) 4:05
  • 5 Breath of Life (Umbilical mix) 4:29
  • 6 Breath of Life (Elixir mix) 6:27
  • 7 Breath of Life (Stripped mix) 4:37
  • 8 Carry on Clangers 4:01

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata