Freedom (New Sound Dub)

About

Freedom (New Sound Dub) appears on CD3 of the 25th anniversary edition of Life Thru a Lens, within the Work in Progress disc that collates early remixes, demos and alternate versions from Robbie Williams’ first solo recordings. The mix dates from 1996 and was created during the promotional cycle surrounding Freedom, Williams’ debut solo single.

The New Sound Dub was produced by Arthur Baker, the American producer and remixer known for his work with New Order and the Pet Shop Boys. His version radically reconfigures the song, extending it to over ten minutes and largely removing conventional song structure. Vocals are sparse and delayed, with long instrumental passages dominating the track.

Musically, the remix leans towards club and dub aesthetics rather than pop. Layers of synths, percussion and looping motifs replace the direct momentum of the single version. Williams’ vocal is treated as a textural element rather than a narrative lead, reinforcing the sense that this was a studio experiment rather than a commercial release.

I was open to anything at that point, just seeing what could happenRobbie Williams

Freedom (New Sound Dub) was never intended for mainstream radio play, but its inclusion on the anniversary edition provides important context. It documents the breadth of approaches applied to Williams’ earliest solo material and illustrates how his debut single was tested across multiple formats and scenes. As an archival recording, it reflects a period of uncertainty, curiosity and creative freedom at the very start of his solo career.