Released by Cherry Red Records’ imprint, Demon Music Group, this wasn't a cynical cash-grab. It was an archaeological expedition. A three-disc (or digital) treasure chest that didn't just remaster the original album—it reanimated an entire era. To hold it, or even to queue it on a streaming service, is to open a time capsule from 1986-1987, when hi-NRG beats ruled the clubs, gated reverb was king, and a 19-year-old woman with a leather jacket and a defiant sneer took control of her own narrative. The first disc presents the original Touch Me album, but not as you remember it. Remastered from the original master tapes by acclaimed engineer Tim Debney, the sonic upgrade is startling. The low-end on “Touch Me (I Want Your Body)” no longer sounds like it’s fighting through a transistor radio; the bass synth now thumps with a physical weight. Samantha’s voice—a surprisingly capable, husky alto often overshadowed by her image—sits front and center. You hear the confidence in her delivery on “I’m All You Need,” the playful desperation on “Holding,” and the genuine soulful ache on the ballad “Want Me to Want You.”
In the sprawling landscape of 1980s pop music, few stories are as uniquely captivating as that of Samantha Fox. She was an anomaly: a working-class London teenager who skyrocketed from tabloid pin-up to legitimate international pop sensation. Her 1986 debut album, Touch Me , was the sonic artifact of that transformation—a brash, glittering, and surprisingly resilient collection of dance-pop that sold over five million copies worldwide. But for decades, the album existed in a kind of purgatory: a relic of its era, available only in crackling vinyl rips or tinny CD transfers, its B-sides, remixes, and extended 12” cuts lost to time. Samantha Fox - Touch Me -Deluxe Edition-
Interviews with the producers reveal the studio tension: they knew she had a raw, untrained voice, so they built the songs around her limited range but powerful attitude. They treated her like a punk-frontwoman, not a diva. The famous spoken-word intro to “Touch Me”— “Go on, touch me, I’m yours. Tonight.” —was reportedly recorded in one take, with Fox half-laughing, half-snarling. That authenticity cuts through the gloss. In an era of cynical “remastered” reissues that add one bonus track and call it a day, the Touch Me – Deluxe Edition is a labor of love. It argues for Samantha Fox as more than a nostalgia act or a tabloid footnote. It presents her as a genuine pop architect of the late 80s—one who helped bridge the gap between the post-disco sound and the emerging house music explosion. Released by Cherry Red Records’ imprint, Demon Music
Hearing the “Extended Club Mix” of “Touch Me” is a revelation. It adds a full minute of percussive intro—cowbells, rimshots, a throbbing synth bassline—before Samantha even utters a word. It’s no longer a pop song; it’s a command. Similarly, the “Hot Tracks Mix” of “Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me)” strips the song down to a frantic, piano-driven garage-house beat, showcasing how Fox’s music was embraced by the early house and LGBTQ+ club scenes. To hold it, or even to queue it
For the casual fan, “Touch Me” is still a karaoke staple and a queer anthem. For the collector, this Deluxe Edition is the final word. For the music historian, it’s a primary source document. And for Samantha Fox herself, it’s the ultimate vindication—proof that her music, divorced from the sensationalism, stands on its own as a thumping, joyful, defiant piece of pop perfection. The deluxe treatment finally gives Touch Me the respect it always deserved: not as a side project of a model, but as a landmark debut of a survivor. And yes, you will still want to touch her. But now, you’ll also want to listen.