London Records present a new version of Bronski Beat's 1984 album The Age of Consent. The album was a pioneering voice in the fight for queer liberation and equal rights, addressing the struggles and triumphs of LGBTQ+ communities at a time when such discussions were often silenced. Fast forward 40 years, and while some milestones such as equal marriage have been won, the fight for true equality throughout the LGBTQ+ community continues. The album’s themes of liberation and defiance remain as prescient today as they were then...

On the 1984 release, Bronski Beat took a sideswipe at the body politic by listing the ages of consent in every country around the world on the inside jacket - the album still serves as a reminder of both progress made and battles yet to be won by an increasingly marginalised LGBTQ+ community.

The 40th-anniversary reissue of The Age of Consent is available in a variety of physical and digital formats, including a 5-Disc Deluxe Edition (4CD+DVD): featuring 4 essays by Tom Rasmussen, Lesley Chow, Lucy Robinson, and Barney Ashton-Bullock, the original album, bonus tracks, remixes, rarities, early versions, and rare radio sessions. Its DVD comes with restored promo videos, Top of the Pops performances, and original TV adverts. Other formats include 2CD with new reworks, 2LP (with The Age of Consent and its neighbouring remix album Hundreds & Thousands, a yellow 1LP edition (Lexer Music Exclusive), and a Super Deluxe Edition exclusive Blu-ray edition featuring The Age of Consent and Hundreds & Thousands in Dolby Atmos & 5.1 mixes.

It was, and still is, an important album for the LGBTQ+ community, but more importantly it's a sold pop album from the '80s which still remains relevant today.

Alongside the original songs are a lot of remixes. Some take the original and alter it significantly, whilst others remain fairly faithful. What's important here is how new artists were inspired by the original material.

8

Nick Smithson