Bronski Beat release Age Of Consent deluxe reissue

Marking the close of Bronski Beat 40th anniversary celebrations, London Records has announced the release of Forbidden Fruit – The Age of Consent Remixes, landing July 11. This new collection brings together a fresh wave of electronic artists to reinterpret tracks from the group’s iconic 1984 debut, The Age of Consent. Available on crystal clear vinyl, CD, and digital formats, the album reframes the band’s trailblazing work for a new era.

Bronski Beat’s original lineup, led by Jimmy Somerville, only lasted 18 months, but the impact was lasting. Songs like “Smalltown Boy” gave voice to marginalized communities at a time when few others dared. Now, four decades later, those messages echo with renewed urgency.

The tracklist opens with two standout collaborations. Superchumbo’s extended remix of “Why?” includes vocals from Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys, while The Knocks and Perfume Genius join forces with Bronski Beat for a stirring update of “Smalltown Boy.” Elsewhere, Gareth Jones reshapes “Junk” into something bleak yet compelling, and Kinky Roland leans into shimmering retro flourishes on his reworks of “Love And Money” and “Need A Man Blues.”

Further in, listeners will find a reconstructed 16-minute version of “I Feel Love / Love To Love You Baby” featuring Marc Almond, built from archive tapes by Ted Carfrae and Barney Ashton-Bullock. Almond also appears on “Johnny Remember Me,” newly arranged with live piano and saxophone from Christopher Frost.

The CD edition features four bonus tracks, including Planningtorock’s rework of “Smalltown Boy” and a rare 1985 promo dub of “I Feel Love.”

Altogether, Forbidden Fruit doesn’t just remix the past – it reframes it with purpose. You can pre-order it here.