Jean-Michel Jarre – Zoolook

"Zoolook" versions peculiarities

This album has four main editions:

- The first edition is dated from 1984. The CD track listing and mixes are loyal to the first French LP issue.

- The second edition is dated from 1985 onwards and features the 7" inch versions of "Zoolook" and "Zoolookologie". The second edition also swaps these two track positions. Furthermore you may find out that in this version some mastering error resulted in some copies with outstanding track volume differences, being the Brazilian (1989) and French CDs (1985, 1992) examples of that flaw: "Ethnicolor" and "Diva" are close to 89dB whereas "Zoolookologie" spikes up to 96dB, probably being noticeable and compromising the listening experience. Some German versions don't have this flaw and "Ethnicolor" and "Diva" have proper volume levels. You can determine (and correct) which version you have by using ReplayGain and software tools.

- Be careful that some reissues in 1992/1994 may state the record as remastered, but in reality, the audio source is the same as previous issues. You also may encounter pressings with the above mentioned flaw under the "digitally remastered" banner.

- The Brazilian LP Reissue of unknown date but that was probably pressed around 1991, is one of the examples in which the first French LP was kept being replicated, ignoring completely the instated remixes after 1985 even on LPs (Please refer to some LPs pressed in 1985 in which you can see the remixes as the canonical versions).

- The third edition is from the remastered Sony/Epic series and was released in 1997 (this series is also known as the Masterdisk remasters). Most noticable sonic differences are added bass in the equilizing and the drums being more prominent in the mix. It features new mixes for "Zoolook" and "Zoolookologie" plus new edits on "Ethnicolor", "Diva" and "Blah Blah Cafe". Concerning tracks "Zoolook" and "Zoolookologie": one used to the originals may find disturbing differences from those of 1984. "Zoolook" new mix is more wide open and have a different acoustic mix, the drums being the most notable sonic difference (it also add one more verse at the end, resulting in being some 7 seconds longer); "Zoolookologie" inherits the same pitch from the 7" inch remix, which is higher than the 1984 track, but its structure remained very similar to the original when compared with the 7" inch remix which has more bass riffs in-between the structure of the song. Both tracks now are placed back in their original positions in the track list.

- The fourth edition is from 2014, remastered by Dave Dadwater. This version is heavily compressed compared to the previous ones, resulting in loss of detail in favour of bigger overall loudness. It contains new edits for "Ethnicolor" and "Diva". "Zoolook" retains some elements of the remix version (slap bass fills at the beginning of the track). It maintains the original versions for "Zoolook" and "Zoolookologie". Some track names are written differently: "Ethnicolor" now is named "Ethnicolor 1" and "Ethnicolor II" drops its roman numeral, being referred now as "Ethnicolor 2". "Blah-Blah Cafe" loses its hyphen, however the hyphen was already omitted here and there in different pressings, compared to the first French LP issue.

- The fifth edition is from 2024. Like the 2014 edition, it is heavily compressed, with almost every track featuring identical dynamic ranges between the two releases. The exceptions are "Wooloomooloo", which is slightly more dynamic on the 2024 edition, and "Ethnicolor II", which is slightly more compressed. "Ethnicolor" and "Ethnicolor II" revert to their pre-2014 names, while "Blah Blah Cafe" retains its 2014 moniker. This reissue additionally features "Moon Machine" as a bonus track; the song was recorded during the album sessions and was considered for inclusion back in 1984, but was dropped. Prior to being featured on this edition, the song resurfaced on a flexi-disc included with the March 1986 issue of Keyboard Magazine, as a B-side on the 12" edition of "Fourth Rendez-vous", and as a rarity on Images.

Source: Wikipedia English and self-research listening & observing details of several pressings.

Catalog # of commercial releases:

LP:
France: FDM 18118, DLP 2002, 824 750-1,
Australasia, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Italy, Netherlands, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan: 823 763-1
Argentina: 27235; Australasia: MX -63377; Canada: JAR 5; Ireland: POLH 15; Israel: 881540-1, 823723; Japan: 28MM 0413; Korea: SEL-RG 752; Mexico: LPR 16540, LPE 1196; Peru: Y-POL-8237631.6; South Africa: POLY 5656; UK: POLH 15; US: 422-823 763-1 Y-1; Venezuela: 30514-L, 30.514; Yugoslavia: 2222876
Europe: 19075843751

Cassette:
France: FDM 40-18118, DMC 2002, 824 750-4, FDM 36145-4
Australasia, Brazil, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Thailand: 823 763-4
Argentina: 67235; Canada: JAR4 5, FDM 36145-4; Chile: 185057; Ireland: POLHC 15; Korea: CG 236; Mexico: MCE 1196; Peru: Z-POL 8237634.6; Poland: FDM 36145-4; Russia: 488140 4; South Africa: MC POLY 5656; Turkey: 823763; UK: POLHC 15; Ukraine: 488 140 4; US: 823 763-4 Y-1; Yugoslavia: 5721784

CD:
France: FDM CD-18118, DCO 2002, 824 750-2, FDM 36145-2
Brazil, Germany, UK, US: 823 763-2
Bulgaria: CDP112; Canada: FDM 361-45-2; Japan: P33P 50006, P28P 20170; Russia: 88875046352; US: FDM 36145-2
Europe: 488 140 2, 88875046352

Minidisc: none

Related singles:
Zoolook
Zoolookologie