Customer Reviews
Their last great pop album - in all it's extended glory - By: M. B. Wilson, 08 Jun 2008 
Having purchased the 2008 reissue of Quickstep & Sidekick (which I happen to prefer as it still has some darker stuff on it) & been very impressed with the mastering/compilation (unfortunately the hinges on the case are not so good, snapped second time of opening...), plumped for Gap at long last. It was good to hear the album tracks again as there are so many compilations including the hits, often the 12" versions too. This reissue has similar, but still very nicely put-together, liner notes as Quickstep, along with all the versions/mixes you could hope for - well, nearly! "The Gap" US 12" mix is absent here, maybe because it was sort of a promo only release, but if you need it then search out the Greatest Remixes album (which isn't remastered, but sounds ok). Inclusions of the original Cassette tracks, including the excellent "Leopard Ray" instrumental, & the b-sides such as "Passion Planet" on disc 2 make this essential, even if you aren't keen on the extended versions. "You Take Me Up" appearsin all it's forms here, including the limted 12" b-side instrumental. Allin all a great compilation to 'complete' the original album, & generally great sound throughout (bar slight issues with CD2 track 3, "You Take Me Up (Machines Take Me Over)"!). Buy it & reminisce! For info the Kevorkian tweaked 'High Plains Mixer' of "You Take Me Up" also appeared (untitled) on Greatest Mixes, so maybe not quite as difficult for the label to find as the sleeve-notes seem to imply!
Good reissue for a classic album! - By: MC Control, 30 Apr 2008 
I would have given this reissue of one of the defining albums of the 80's five stars had it not been for the awful job someone did of the vinyl rip for "You Take Me Up"(cd two,track three).
If it was a matter of finding a better copy of it on vinyl,then they(the remastering techs)can't have searched too hard as one reviewer before me has stated that their copy of the track is perfect,in fact it sounds better than the version on this cd.
Very poor job on this track & I can't help but think that the "near enough is good enough" or "no-one will notice,will they?" approach for this particular cut has been taken.
For the sake of collectors like myself,it's great to finally have all these Thompson Twins extended versions & the cassette only tracks on cd & I would have no problem if there was some form of disclosure on behalf of the people behind these recent reissues.Just tell us that some of the tracks may have been copied from vinyl for the sake of giving us all mixes that are available!Surely that's not asking too much? Perhaps they are scared that too much info may put potential buyers off if they know some tracks are extracted from vinyl records.
Let's face it,we would all like as many mixes as we can get.If a vinyl rip is done correctly with a high quality turntable & a pristine copy of the record then I have no problem,but the job done on "You Take Me Up" on the second disc of this release is appalling!
Otherwise,this album sounds better than it didin the 80's but you have been warned!
**As a footnote,this release is not the only "Remastered/Reissued" cd out there with vinyl tracks ripped on to cd.Buyer beware!
Best Album Ever Recorded - By: Jeremy F. Kennedy, 02 Apr 2008 As passionate as I am about new wave, retro & synth-pop, there is no greater album to me than the Thompson Twins' 1984 release "Into the Gap". Now going on 25 years, the record still creates vivid images of places into ether & beyondin layers of spacey atmospheres, beautiful guitar melodies, alternative percussive rhythms & dreamy choruses by lead vocalist Tom Bailey & his colorful antic sidekicks Joe Leeway & Alannah Currie. Alex Sadkin's production is masterful, capturing the distant seaside presence of where the trio recorded the albumin Nassauin the autumn of 1983. Finally, nearly 25 years later, the record has been re-releasedin a remastered version complete with b-sides, 12'' mixes, heavenly instrumentals & limited releases. Although the Thompson Twins owned the world & the pop charts, don't be underestimated. The talent speaks notin the fashion, butin the music that made this album my personal favorite of all time.
BRILLIANT - By: tambo, 22 Mar 2008 As like the new "QUICKSTEP" release, you get the whole original album PLUS ALL THE ORIGINAL REMIXES from the legendary original 1984 cassette version PLUS extra / rare remixes. All for £8!!! Can't go wrong.
Let's hope this record label does the same for the FUTURE DAYS album, then for the original two albums (SET & A PRODUCT OF), & then the final 2 albums (QUEER & BIG TRASH).
Great Album, but hold on... - By: Angel C, 10 Mar 2008 This is a superb double CD collection of the Thompson Twins 'Into The Gap' album featuring all of the excellent remixes & B-sides that were released at the same time... However, there does appear to be a noise problem on CD2, Track 3 'You Take Me Up (Machines Take Over)' - There is some severe distortion, pops & clicking during the first minute or so on the right channel, particularly with the drums (and to a lesser degree throughout the song) - Has anyone else noticed this?
I have the original 12" vinyl single & there is no problem with that - So, I assumed that I either had a bad pressing of the CD or it is a problem with the Master CD (I checked the CD on several players & speakers to eliminate the possibility of equipment failure). I mailed Demon-Edsel to ask for their comments & I returned the CD to Amazon for a replacement copy (which was all handled well & without problems) to see if that was the issue, it wasn't - The replacement CD has exactly the same problem so it seems unlikely it is a 'bad batch' issue.
I got a reply from Demon-Edsel saying they had not heard of any issues with this release & to contact them again if the replacement was also wrong - I did this & have now received a reply stating "We have identified a problem with this disc & will get back to you". Good to hear that they are doing their best to sort this issue. I will update this review when I hear from Demon-Edsel again.
Suffice to say as it stands, one bad track does not spoil an otherwise excellent collection but it does seem odd that this track slipped through quality control to such a degree when the rest of the album & the 'Quick Step & Side Kick' CDs are uniformly excellent quality releases.
