| abstract
| - %22Close (to the Edit)%22 was a single by Art of Noise, released on various formats in May 1984. It was closely related to their earlier single (and hip-hop club hit) %22Beat Box%22, though the two tracks were developed as separate pieces from an early stage.The first release of a version of %22Close (to the Edit)%22 was as a nominal remix of %22Beat Box%22 under the title %22Beat Box (Diversion Two)%22. This was then re-edited and partly remixed with different effects applied, to become the version of %22Close (to the Edit)%22 which appeared on the subsequent album Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise?. Paul Morley's sleevenotes for the single simplify the relationship between %22Diversion Two%22 and %22Close%22, noting only that 20 seconds were %22snipped out%22.The song takes its title from Close to the Edge by Yes, and also samples %22Leave It%22 by the same group. The single heavily features the recorded sample of a car, a Volkswagen Golf owned by a neighbour of band member J. J. Jeczalik, stalling and restarting. It also contains a (re-sung) vocal sample from the song %22Beer Barrel Polka%22, as performed by The Andrews Sisters. The short spoken-word vocal and the %22Hey!%22 sample - used in a number of songs most notably in %22Firestarter%22 by The Prodigy and %22Back in the Day%22 by Christina Aguilera (uncredited) - was the voice of Camilla Pilkington-Smyth.The single was released in the UK on what had become ZTT's customary array of formats: standard and picture disc 7%22s, three 12%22 singles (one a picture disc) and a cassette single, each featuring a number of unique mixes. The many remixes were given their own titles derived from the overall title, including %22Edited%22, %22Closely Closely (Enough's Enough)%22 and %22Closed%22. An extended version appeared on the album Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise?.The cassette single version, That Was Close, was a medley of a number of the mixes from the various formats, featuring Diversion Eight, Diversion Two, Closest, Close-Up, the album version of Close (to the Edit) and Closed. This medley lasted in excess of 20 minutes in length, repeated on both sides of the cassette, and featured the voice of character actor Chris Barrie. It appeared only in one other format at that time, a white label vinyl (which was actually pressed a bright green colour), and remained otherwise unavailable in any format until it was included in its entirety on the 2006 CD box-set compilation And What Have You Done with My Body, God?.The single was Art of Noise's first major UK hit, reaching number eight in the UK singles chart.
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