THE MIX (USA, 1991) Promo
Elektra 60869-4


Here's a US edition of The Mix, which is a bit different. It's The Mix, in a promotional edition known as a "title sleeve" version.


The "title sleeve" promo is normally a grey or white simple design with track list on the front, instead of the standard picture design used on the corresponding commercial releases. It looks like it's been fairly common for record companies to send out these sort of promos before the normal versions were ready, or maybe they are sent out to recepients who need not concern themselves with the picture covers? Ie. if these were sent out to enigineers to check if they sounded right, or radio stations where they might appreciate an edition in neutral sleeve to give the impression that the music speaks for itself...


So as I say, you can find similar promo items from the late 80s and up through the nineties, and I suppose they are related to the more recent CD-R promos, which typically come in a white paper insert with titles in black. I haven't seen that many "title sleeve" promo cassettes for Kraftwerk though, and this one is also a bit confusing - since the back flap has the words "limited edition, promotional copy not for sale". Now, both "Not for sale" and "Promotional copy" are common terms for these kind of items, but "limited edition" is something I'm used to seeing as a sales factor... It's commonly seen on hype stickers, for the buyer to grab the item lest the chance is missed, something I wouldn't expect to be a factor with promotional items? The "title sleeve" for Electric Cafe does not have any such hype...


Apart from that though, the whole idea is that the J-card is fairly pedestrian - black text on grey background on the front, a orange-ish red spine and backflap, and white on-body print on clear cassettes (repeating the "promo only" legend on the cassette itself as well, these are not the same cassettes the common buyer would find in shops!). The rarity and the different design - even if it's more a case of a lack of design - sets the item apart and makes the collector happy to own one!







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