The trend, of remixing Bollywood's golden oldies, which started in '94 with Bally Sagoo's Chura Liya is at its peak with almost all the music companies churning out remix albums by the dozen.

"We have come a full circle," prophesises composer Leslie Lezz Lewis. "The trend is going towards melody and what better than a remix of the golden oldies in a new avtaar," he concludes. Lezz should know, his remix album, Rahul and I, released last year reigned supreme on the charts for a very long time. Interestingly enough, in recent times three to four remix albums have begun to figure in the top ten list and this occurence has become a norm rather than an exception. "Remixes are very much in demand," agrees Prakash, of Hiro Music. According to him there has been a reversal in the consumer's choice of music and remixes of old musical hits with their rich lyrical content and catchy, foot-tapping music are the `in' thing. Music arranger-director Tabun- who has done a lot of remix albums for T-Series- feels that their refined sound quality is playing a major role in the success of remix albums. "The sound quality of old recordings is not good as compared to present standards," he says. Today's generation is sensitive to the quality of sound. Spoilt as they are by CDs and LDs, they don't accept the poor sound quality transferred from old 78 rpm discs. Remix albums overcome this lacuna. When a particular song has to be remixed, its rhythm track is re-recorded and then a vocal track is added to it. If the music company has the rights to a song, then the original vocal track is used, if not, then the vocal track is also re-recorded.

Today, remixes are being played at dance parties, discotheques, street corners, rickshawallas and paanwallas. So what makes a remix album click? "A good selection of songs, remixed with groovy rythm and a good video to promote the album," says Shweta Agnihotri, Marketing Manager, HMV. The company joined the remix race a bit late but thanks to its vast repertoire, it was able to come up with the first `real' remix album — Mere Sapnon Ki Rani. For the first time, golden oldies were remixed in the voice of the original singers. The album — released in collaboration with MTV — was a reasonable success and according to Shweta sold approximately two lakh copies. The success of the album spurred HMV to come up with two more remix albums, Yeh Mera Dil and The Greatest Dance Mix Collection, of which the latter has already sold about three lakh units and is still hot on the racks. The company is now working on its next remix album.

When it began in the '80s the remix phenomenon was not as sophisticated or creative as it is today. Cashing in on the lack of quality music and the public's craze for `stereo' sound, the pirates used the `echo technique' to add beats, which were later popluarly known as jhankar beats. The pirates had a field day while the phenomenon lasted, as the only two established music companies, HMV and Polydor (now PolyGram), weren't interested with the `jhannkar beats' phenomenon.

In the early '90s, Bally Sagoo, a DJ (Disco Jockey) from London set the ball rolling again, with his remixes of popular Bollywood numbers and Punjabi folk songs. His single Chura Liya from Bollywood Flashback was an instant rage and the album was a sell-out. That was when several music companies, who had cropped up on the music scene by then, picked up the idea. T-Series, Tips, Venus... everone except HMV.

Since then remixes have emerged as a big idea. As compared to a couple of remix albums in '94, the last two years have seen over 100 remix albums hitting the music market. Music critic Amod Mehra explains, "A remix album not only offers better sound quality but also groovy tunes to dance to. Since it has become popular with today's youth almost all the music companies are coming up with remixes."

Agrees Vinay Sapru, Chief Programming, PolyGram, "Today's generation wants nothing but the best in terms of sound quality. When you remix a popular song of '50s or '60s with advanced technology, you give them a good quality product which is rich in lyrical content. It is like enhancing an already popular product. And what is more, not only the new but even the older generation enjoys it." PolyGram's recently released compilation of Bally Sagoo's remixes, Kinna Sohna has done reasonably well but their big seller still remains, Asha Bhosle's Rahul and I which sold in the vicinity of 5 lakh units.

Leslie attributes Rahul & I's success to Asha Bhosle who re-sung the songs. "This was my first remix album. I was a bit apprehensive at first but Ashaji told me that he (RD Burman) wanted me to do a remix album of his songs. It was a great honour for me." He feels that a remix is the reinterpretation of the song by restructuring tunes around it but at the same time keeping the essence of the song intact.

If Asha's voice was instrumental in selling R & I, HMV claims that their albums sold well because of the original soundtrack and voices. According to traders the fact that a singer of the calibre of Asha is resinging helps in selling the album. But cover remix versions also do well. Mehmood Curmally of Rhythm House agrees. "If the album is packaged well, the promos are good and the remixed version is catchy, it will sell." Curmally attributes the craze for remixes to changing tastes and the disco culture which is catching up even in smaller cities and towns.

NA Hashmi, General Manager recording, T-Series, also feels that remixes are the trend today as, "they add a new rhythm to popular old numbers and the end result is a catchy, peppy number to groove in to. People play them in the beer bars and discos and at dance parties."

But if you thought it was only the old numbers which were being remixed, think again. HMV's best remix seller so far, The Greatest Dance Mix Collection, is a collection of recent hit songs from films like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Hum Apke Hain Kaun and Darr. Tabun's remix of the recent Yeh ishq bada bedardi hai from Itihas is being appreciated and the songs of Indra Kumar's Ishq have also been remixed by him "to cater to the MTV and Channel [V] crowd."

What with songs of old and new films being remixed alike and everybody from the Big B (Eir, Bit, Fette) to Asha Bhosle going in for remixes, there is no doubt that remixes are here to stay. At least for the time being.