Category: Lists & Beginner’s Guides (Page 11 of 24)

A Beginner’s Guide To VANGELIS

12 August 2018 / electricityclub

Photo by Ian Cook

Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou, otherwise known as VANGELIS, is the Greek Maestro who first made his name as the keyboard player of prog rockers APHRODITE’S CHILD whose lead vocalist was the late Demis Roussos.

However, VANGELIS first sprang to fame in his own country writing a song called ‘Summer Dream’ which was used in the 1968 film ‘Operation Apollo’.

APHRODITE’S CHILD were a cult success in Europe. But when the quartet later disbanded, VANGELIS considered an offer from Jon Anderson to join YES as a replacement for Rick Wakeman, but opted to venture out on his own. With a four album deal from RCA, Vangelis embarked on a remarkable solo career where he played virtually everything including guitar, various ethnic instruments, drums and percussion.

Photo by Ian Cook

He established his iconic Nemo Studios complex near London’s Marble Arch at Hampden Gurney Street which at its peak was equipped with a Minimoog, SCI Prophet 10, Roland SH3a, Roland Jupiter 4, Roland Promars MRS2 Compuphonic, Roland VP330 Vocoder Plus, Roland System 100, Yamaha CS40M, Yamaha CS80, Fender Rhodes, Elka Rhapsody 610, Roland SH2000, Emulator, Yamaha GS2, Yamaha DX7, Roland Juno 106, Roland CR5000 Compurhythm, Drumulator and Linn Drum Computer.

His symphonic electronic style as exemplified by wonderful iconic works such as ‘Pulstar’, ‘Theme From The TV Series ‘Cosmos’ (Movement 3)’ and ‘To The Unknown Man’ won him many admirers. The latter track from 1977 became one of his most captivating recordings. Divided into three parts over nine minutes, it was here that he fully exploited the synthesizer that was to become his signature instrument, the Yamaha CS80.

Considered the Japanese company’s flagship electronic keyboard at the time, as well as being incredibly complex, the Yamaha CS80 boasted a ribbon controller which allowed for Vangelis to apply pitch-bends and glissandos polyphonically, while also boasting velocity-sensitive and after-touch qualities.

Despite the progressive and esoteric nature of his work which often had more in common with classical music, VANGELIS even had a couple of UK Top10 hit singles in ‘I Hear You Now’ and ‘I’ll Find My Way Home’ as part of a successful partnership with Jon Anderson, while another of their songs ‘State of Independence’ from the album ‘The Friends Of Mister Cairo’ was an international hit for Donna Summer; Michael Jackson borrowed the bassline from ‘State of Independence’ and slowed it down for ‘Billie Jean’!

Of course, VANGELIS is best known for his award winning soundtrack work. But such is the timeless quality of his compositions, his music has appeared in period dramas like ‘1492: Conquest of Paradise’ as well as cult science fiction films, most notably ‘Blade Runner’.

But it was with ‘Chariots Of Fire’, a fact-based film about two British athletes in the 1924 Paris Olympics that set him on the path towards a lucrative career in cinema. Composed after watching three run throughs, the film’s opening ‘Titles’ became widely known as ‘Chariots Of Fire’ with its memorable six note melodic phrase. But for the actual ‘Chariots Of Fire’ album, the music was all re-recorded. “A record is something other than a film” VANGELIS said, “There have to be changes – not least of all for artistic reasons.”

Released simultaneously, there was also a vocal adaptation sung by Demis Roussos as ‘Race To The End’ with lyrics by Jon Anderson which VANGELIS produced, while later ‘Chariots Of Fire’ was used for various TV shows, slow-motion sequences and parodies, including the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games for a live comedy sequence involving Mr Bean!

But where there’s a hit, there’s a writ and with VANGELIS’ newly acquired worldwide profile came trouble. Greek composer Stavros Logarides claimed ‘Chariots Of Fire’ was plagiarised from his 1975 composition ‘City Of Violets’. Logarides had been a member of the group HUMANITY who VANGELIS had written a song called ‘Bird Of Love’ for, under his pseudonym of Richard Broadbaker which he used several times in his career.

Logarides’ case was not helped by him admitting he hadn’t complained earlier because he had forgotten his own composition, while ‘City Of Violets’ was not officially released until 1987! It was noted that elements had been previously used by VANGELIS in ‘Wake Up’ for APHRODITE’S CHILD that predated ‘City Of Violets’, while ‘Movement 3’ from VANGELIS’ own 1975 album ‘Heaven & Hell’ had similarities to ‘Chariots Of Fire’ too. Thus the judge was satisfied that the key musical sequence where there was a clear similarity was already common in music and the case was resolved in favour of VANGELIS.

Unlike his French contemporary Jean-Michel Jarre, VANGELIS preferred to keep a low profile and eschewed the cityscape concert spectacular as a means of presenting his art. This made him an ideal film composer, with ‘Missing’, ‘Antarctica’, ‘Bounty’, ‘Bitter Moon’, ‘El Greco’ and ‘Alexander’ among his other movie credits.

But while he had a highly prolific period undertaking soundtrack work, VANGELIS found time to work on other projects as well, producing Milva, Ronny, Irene Papas, Montserrat Caballé and naturally, his long-time friend Demis Roussos.

Although his more recent works like ‘Mythodea (Music for the NASA Mission: 2001 Mars Odyssey)’ and ‘The 2002 FIFA World Cup Official Anthem’ had a classical approach, 2016’s ‘Rosetta’ saw him return to the electronic sound that many knew him best for, while the 2017 ‘Delectus’ thirteen disc boxed set lavishly celebrated the first stage of his solo career between 1973 to 1985.

So here are twenty snapshots from the vast catalogue of VANGELIS; not a best of but a listing to capture the diversity of a musician and composer who was a fine trailblazer for electronic music. Presented in chronological order with a limit of one track per album or film project, here is A Beginner’s Guide To VANGELIS.

APHRODITE’S CHILD Spring, Summer, Winter & Fall (1970)

Formed in 1967, as well as Demis Roussos, APHRODITE’S CHILD also included Loukas Sideras and Silver Koulouris. The band attempted to relocate to London but got stuck in Paris, remaining there for several years. Signing to Mercury Records, their 1972 album ‘666’ is now considered a progressive rock landmark although the band had already split by the time of its release. But ‘Spring, Summer, Winter & Fall’ was an earlier non-album single that was a No1 in Italy.

Available on the album ‘It’s Five O’Clock’ via Esoteric Recordings

https://www.facebook.com/DemisRoussosOfficial/

VANGELIS La Petite Fille De La Mer (1970 – released 1973)

While in APHRODITE’S CHILD, VANGELIS was recorded music for a wildlife documentary series directed by Frédéric Rossif for French TV. He recorded a suite of music without seeing any footage and left it to the film makers use as they wished. Very electro-acoustic and ambient in nature, the beautiful ‘La Petite Fille De La Mer’ utilised electric piano, vibes, acoustic guitar and subtle synths. Later pieces like ‘Hymn’ and L’Enfant’ from other Rossif projects formed ‘Opera Sauvage’.

Available on the album ‘L’Apocalypse Des Animaux’ via Esoteric Recordings

https://www.facebook.com/VangelisOfficial/

VANGELIS 12 O’Clock (1975)

A concept album based on duality, ‘Heaven & Hell’ was ambitiously presented as two full side suites in a vibrant orchestral style with choirs alongside the synths and an array of classical percussion, recorded in VANGELIS’ newly established Nemo Studios in London. Epic and Morricone-like with a haunting vocal from Vana Veroutis, ‘12 O’Clock’ from ‘Heaven & Hell Part II’ showcased a template that would be reprised on ‘Rachel’s Song’ with Mary Hopkin for ‘Blade Runner’.

Available on the album ‘Heaven & Hell’ via Esoteric Recordings

http://elsew.com/

VANGELIS Pulstar (1976)

With elements of electronic jazz fusion, ‘Albedo 0.39’ was VANGELIS’ first musical adventure into the cosmos as a concept album themed around space physics. Beginning the album, the cosmic ‘Pulstar’ saw a prominent use of sequencers and a symphonic brass line augmented by synthesized stabs before ending with a burst of the General Post Office speaking clock. Gary Numan sampled the synthesized stabs for the ‘Strange Charm’ title song in 1986.

Available on the album ‘Albedo 0.39’ via Esoteric Recordings

http://www.vangeliscollector.com/

CHRISMA Amore (1976)

Produced by VANGELIS’ younger brother, the late Niko Papathanassiou, the Latin-tinged ‘Amore’ was co-written for the quirky Italian husband and wife duo CHRISMA by him under his alias of Richard Broadbaker with their vocalist Christina Moser. CHRISMA recorded their 1977 debut album ‘Chinese Restaurant’ at Nemo Studios and while there were further rumours that VANGELIS worked again with CHRISMA thanks to his brother’s involvement, these were neither confirmed or denied.

Originally released as a single via Polydor Records, currently unavailable

http://www.krismatv.net/

VANGELIS Dervish D (1977)

With Jean-Michel Jarre hitting the mainstream with his six-part synthesized symphony ‘Oxygene’, VANGELIS proved he could do a lively electronic pop instrumental too with ‘Dervish D’. Using a spinning Roland System 100 sequencer core and a catchy synthesizer melody, this slice of robotic funk grooved with a brilliantly played jazz-inflected solo using Vangelis’ newly acquired Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer and all the manual control features it had at his disposal.

Available on the album ‘Spiral’ via Esoteric Recordings

https://twitter.com/ElsewDotCom

MAMA ‘O Red Square (1978)

VANGELIS did his own ‘Popcorn’ with ‘Red Square’, a fun chromatically flavoured electronic disco cover of ‘Waves Of The Danube’ composed in 1880 by the Romanian composer Ion Ivanovich, credited as Branovitch! The other credits were full of playful mystique too, with the track credited to Mama ‘O and produced by Mr Broadbaker, both known VANGELIS pseudonyms; he was nicknamed Papa ‘O as an affectionate abbreviation of his lengthy surname.

Originally released as a single via Logo Records, currently unavailable

https://www.discogs.com/Mama-O-Red-Square/release/1287115

VANGELIS The Tao Of Love (1979)

VANGELIS had never been to China at the time the album was recorded, but he had developed a passionate fascination for its people, culture and landscape, noting a connection between ethnic Greek and Chinese music. Using traditional elements alongside synthesizers, ‘The Tao Of Love’ was a meditative pentatonic piece inspired by a quote from philosopher Zhuang Zhou. The ‘China’ album was one of the few that VANGELIS promoted with concert appearances.

Available on the album ‘China’ via Esoteric Recordings

http://www.nemostudios.co.uk/vangelis/

JON & VANGELIS I Hear You Now (1979)

Having declined an invitation by Jon Anderson to replace Rick Wakeman in YES, the pair formed a friendship that also led to collaboration. ‘So Long Ago, So Clear’ was the first fruit of labour in 1976, but the dreamy ‘I Hear You Now’ in 1979 with its unusually long instrumental intro and distinctive Anderson falsetto that presented an unexpected hit single. ‘I Hear You Now’ was the template used for the theme tune to the TV soap opera Brookside which first broadcast in 1982.

Available on the album ‘Short Stories’ via Universal Music

https://www.facebook.com/JonandVangelis/

RONNY Compare Me With The Rest (1981)

With an air of European cabaret, chanson stylings, Eno and subtle Hellectro in the ultimate ‘Song For Europe’ driven by a Linn Drum Computer and featuring a number of his trademark sounds, VANGELIS produced and wrote the music for the second single by Rusty Egan’s androgynous protégée Ronny. Despite her first single being produced by Midge Ure and her third helmed by Peter Godwin, Ronny never did achieve the chart success some felt she deserved.

Originally released as a single via Polydor Records, currently unavailable

http://www.vangelismovements.com/ronny.htm

JON & VANGELIS I’ll Find My Way Home (1981)

Having scored an unexpected UK hit with the beautiful synth laden ‘I Hear You Now’, the pair did it again with a song that had not been included on the final tracklisting of their second album ‘The Friends Of Mister Cairo’. Anderson’s lyrics were almost spiritual while the widescreen sonic backing from his Greek chum complimented the mood. Meanwhile, VANGELIS himself was about to enter his most high profile period composing soundtracks for ‘Chariots Of Fire’ and ‘Blade Runner’.

Available on the album ‘The Friends Of Mister Cairo’ via Universal Music

http://www.jonanderson.com/

VANGELIS End Titles From Blade Runner (1982 – Released 1989)

Dramatic, tense and melodic, VANGELIS’ closing theme succeeded in orchestrating a score using just synths and samples to maintain the futuristic unsettlement of the story based on Philip K Dick’s ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’. However, it was not actually released for the first time until 1989 on the ‘Themes’ compilation; despite being nominated for a BAFTA and Golden Globe for ‘Best Original Score’, a soundtrack album did not see the light of day until 1994.

Available on the album ‘Blade Runner’ via Warner Music Group

https://www.warnerbros.com/blade-runner

VANGELIS Main Theme From Missing (1982 – released 1989)

With beautiful piano and his trademark synths, VANGELIS recorded the soundtrack for ‘Missing’, an American historical drama film directed by Costa-Gavras based on the true story of journalist Charles Horman, who disappeared in the aftermath of the US-backed Chilean coup of 1973 that deposed the democratically elected Salvador Allende. The Main Theme music was particularly moving as it progressively added further layers to its repeating elegiac motif.

Available on the album ‘Themes’ via Polydor Records

http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/vangelis

VANGELIS Theme From Antarctica (1983)

VANGELIS applied various pentatonic textures to his icy score for the Japanese film ‘Antarctica’. Directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara, the true story focussed on an ill-fated Japanese scientific expedition to the South Pole and their rescue. In the aftermath, the expedition’s team of dogs were left behind. The movie was a dramatic reconstruction of how the two dogs Taro and Jiro survived in the chilling landscape and greeted their owners when they returned 11 months later.

Available on the album ‘Antarctica’ via Esoteric Recordings

https://www.discogs.com/artist/7027-Vangelis

https://letterboxd.com/director/koreyoshi-kurahara/

IRENE PAPAS & VANGELIS Resurrection (1986)

Greek actress Irene Papas was best known for her role alongside Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn and David Niven in ‘Guns Of Navarone’. In 1972, she appeared on APHRODITE’S CHILD’s ‘∞’ and began her musical association with VANGELIS. Their first album together ‘Odes’ comprised of Greek folk songs. Meanwhile their second album ‘Rapsodies’ offered electronic renditions of Byzantine hymns of which, ‘Resurrection’ was the most dramatic with its distinct VANGELIS aesthetic.

Available on the album ‘Rapsodies’ via Esoteric Recordings

https://europe-greece.com/greek-culture/irene-papas-actress/

VANGELIS Conquest Of Paradise (1992)

Following ‘Blade Runner’, VANGELIS teamed up with director Ridley Scott again for a fictionalised story of Christopher Columbus’ travels to the New World. Based on a chord progression from Vivaldi’s ‘La Follia’, the brooding ‘Conquest Of Paradise’ saw The English Chamber Choir make their presence felt over an epic backdrop of synthesized orchestrations, electronic melodies and piano. Such was its rousing qualities, it has been used by both politicians and sports teams!

Available on the VANGELIS album ‘1492: Conquest of Paradise’ via EastWest

https://cinapse.co/1492-conquest-of-paradise-ridley-scotts-dry-run-for-his-later-epics

VANGELIS with STINA NORDENSTAM Ask The Mountains (1995)

Developing on the choral assisted anthemic drama of his soundtrack work, VANGELIS naturally recorded an album called ‘Voices’ which also threw bagpipes into the mix. Vocalists included Caroline Lavelle and Paul Young, but providing her characteristic Nordic idiosyncrasies on ‘Ask The Mountains’ was Stina Nordenstam. A distinct ‘Twin Peaks’ vibe presided over its eight minutes with haunting electronics, piano runs and bursts of abstract sax adding to the airiness.

Available on the VANGELIS album ‘Voices’ via EastWest

https://www.facebook.com/Stina-Nordenstam-155962937816805/

VANGELIS Fields Of Coral (1996)

With its seabound ambience, ‘Oceanic’ was nominated for a Grammy Award in the ‘Best New Age Album’ category. More sedate than previous albums, there were no guest singers and only orchestrated instrumentals with occasional rhythmic passages, bubbling sequences and uses of choir samples. With its harp and flute textures, the lovely drifting nautical presence of ‘Fields Of Coral’ ended up being used in a 1998 documentary ‘Deep Sea, Deep Secrets’.

Available on the VANGELIS album ‘Oceanic’ via EastWest

http://www.vangelishistory.com/

VANGELIS Rosetta (2016)

Launched in 2004, Rosetta was built by the European Space Agency to perform a detailed study of comet 67P while flying past Mars and several asteroids along the way. VANGELIS was inspired to compose a thematic album following a video call with Dutch astronaut André Kuipers from the International Space Station. Courtesy of a dreamy harpsicord motif, the ‘Rosetta’ title track was highly reminiscent of John Barry and Roy Budd’s classic aesthetics.

Available on the album ‘Rosetta’ via Decca Records

https://www.vangelisrosetta.com/

VANGELIS The Stephen Hawking Tribute (2018)

One of VANGELIS’ most recent compositions was a fitting tribute given exclusively to guests attending the Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey when the late Stephen Hawking’s ashes were interred. Featuring a poignant speech from Professor Hawking himself, Vangelis’ melancholic synth shimmers were a fine musical eulogy. He said: “Through sound and music, the language that I know best, I pay tribute and express my high esteem and respect to this extraordinary man”.

Not commercially available

http://www.hawking.org.uk/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
12th August 2018

25 FAVOURITE ITALO DISCO FLAVOURED TRACKS

12 May 2018 / electricityclub

The recent documentary ‘Italo Disco Legacy’ and its accompanying soundtrack allowed a much maligned if cultishly celebrated form of electronic pop to be artistically re-evaluated.

Arguably pioneered by Italian producer Giorgio Moroder via his various projects using the then-new sequencer technology, Italo Disco coincided with the growing use of synthesizers, vocoders and drum machines within dance music and became a distinct sub-genre with its own electro heart.

Despite its name, Italo was not strictly a native affair; the form became a stylistic phenomenon in territories such as Spain, Greece and France, parts of the USA such as New York and Los Angeles, Sweden and Germany. In fact, it was the German record label ZYX Music who coined the term and were particularly key in taking the music out of Italy, leading it to become a rogue gene in House music before eventually mutating into Eurodance.

One of the countries not to truly embrace Italo Disco was the UK where club audiences preferred the more soulful adrenalin rush of HI-NRG. However, it literally came in through the back door when it was a key influence in the music of PET SHOP BOYS and NEW ORDER, particularly in their use of very Eurocentric octave shift basslines and easy-to-dance-to beats.

Highlighting the British hypocrisy of only accepting Italo Disco provided it was fronted by the aloof cool of a Neil Tennant or a Bernard Sumner, in a 1986 issue of Record Mirror discussing PET SHOP BOYS’ ‘Suburbia’, the reviewer confessed: “Despite the fact that I love the PET SHOP BOYS as much as I loathe MODERN TALKING, I have to admit that musically, they’re not that different!”

Comprising of ridiculously tanned singer Thomas Anders and musician Dieter Bohlen, MODERN TALKING’s overtly catchy Italo-inspired tunes like ‘You’re My Heart, You’re My Soul’, ‘Cheri Cheri Lady’ and ‘Brother Louie’ ensured they were simultaneously the most successful and most hated pop duo in West Germany. Bohlen later gained notoriety as a judge on ‘Deutschland Sucht Den Superstar’, taking on the role of Germany’s answer to Simon Cowell.

Italo went global with Laura Branigan whose two biggest hits ‘Gloria’ and ‘Self Control’ were covers of Italian artists Umberto Tozzi and Raf respectively, while Samantha Fox and Sabrina were two of the more noticeable figures in pop who used it as a springboard for their own high profile careers.

One key aspect of Italo Disco was that the majority of its artists used very English names in an attempt to hide their origins. However, the charming accents often captured an amusing vocal detachment while the frequent “woah-oh” refrains, abundance of catchy melodies and timing mistakes also contributed to its escapist appeal.

Providing the soundtrack to many a Mediterranean summer holiday, the zenith of Italo Disco’s ubiquity (and some would say banality) was probably Baltimora’s ‘Tarzan Boy’, the worldwide hit fronted by the late Northern Irish model Jimmy McShane, although the lead vocals were performed by one Maurizio Bassi in a practice that was exploited frequently by the sub-genre’s producers.

Longevity was very rare in Italo Disco, so its history is represented more by a number of great records rather than great artists, although several such as Fancy, Savage, Bobby O and Ryan Paris have entered into music folklore. Latterly, Anglo-Argentine duo HEARTBREAK revived the form with a much harder sound and KNIGHT$ has added his own Home Counties take on the form labelled as Britalo. Meanwhile Italo Disco’s continuing influence can be heard within most types of modern electronic music including Synthwave.

In these darker, more turbulent times, the sunnier disposition of Italo Disco is just what the Doctor Rhythm ordered. So here are 25 nominally Italo flavoured tracks which have brought a smile to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s face, with a restriction of one track per artist in chronological and then alphabetical order.

KLEIN & MBO Dirty Talk (1982)

KLEIN & MBO were formed by Italian producer Mario Boncaldo and American arranger Tony Carrasco. Like a blueprint of early house music, their rhythmically hypnotic neo-instrumental ‘Dirty Talk’ with its orgasmic vocal interludes by jazz singer Rossana Casale proved to be a big influence on NEW ORDER for ‘Blue Monday’. Meanwhile MISS KITTIN & THE HACKER covered the track for their ‘Champagne’ EP in 1998.

Available on the KLEIN & MBO single ‘Dirty Talk’ via Tirk Recordings

https://www.facebook.com/KleinMbo-90283074783/

BOBBY O I’m So Hot For You (1982)

Italian-American producer Bobby Orlando is credited as one of the founding fathers of Hi-NRG dance music thanks to his work with Divine, but operating at a more Ttalo disco friendly 122BPM, ‘I’m So Hot For You’ was ‘Don’t You Want Me?’ taken on a New York subway ride with its rolling bass lines and Latin beats. The track was later sampled in 2003 for ‘Da Hype’ by Junior Jack featuring Rober Smith of THE CURE!

Available on the BOBBY O album ‘The Best Of’ via High Fashion

http://www.bobby-orlando.de

THE FLIRTS Passion (1982)

THE FLIRTS were an interchangeable girl trio of one redhead, one blonde and one brunette under the control of Bobby Orlando, whereby those who did the personal appearances had no relation to those who had sang on the tracks. ‘Passion’ was a favourite of PET SHOP BOYS so much so that it was the inspiration for ‘In The Night’ while Felix Da Housecat ripped it lock, stock and barrel for ‘Silver Screen – Shower Scene’.

Available on THE FLIRTS album ’10 Cents For A Dance’ via High Fashion

http://www.theflirtsband.com

GINO SOCCIO Remember (1982)

A Canadian disco producer of Italian heritage, Gino Soccio’s finest moment came with ‘Remember’, a pulsating sequencer assisted number featuring some vocoder augmentation and the sexy nonchalant voice of Marie-Line Vasseur over a fabulously retro-futuristic string machine. Ahead of its time, this was a forerunner of what was to emerge as Electroclash while techno DJ Jeff Mills sampled it for 1995’s ‘Black Is The Number’.

Available on the GINO SOCCIO album ‘Face To Face’ via Rhino Atlantic

https://www.discogs.com/artist/75922-Gino-Soccio

CHARLIE Spacer Woman (1983)

A project helmed by Maurizio Cavalieri of the Italian group FIREFLY and co-written with Giorgio Stefani, ‘Spacer Woman’ featured a mysterious Gina X styled lead vocal over some electro break beats that unlike other Italo Disco recordings, used more colder synth sounds that were more associated with UK acts like THE HUMAN LEAGUE. Picked up by ZYX Music for international release, this was to be the only CHARLIE track released.

Available on the CHARLIE single ‘Spacer Woman’ via Mr Disc

https://www.discogs.com/artist/15971-Charlie

MR FLAGIO Take A Chance (1983)

The project of Italian duo Flavio Vidulich and Giorgio Bacco (hence the moniker), the futuristic robotic vocoder opera of ‘Take A Chance’ had a subtle tinny banality that made it extremely appealing. PET SHOP BOYS borrowed its feel for the early B-side ‘A Man Could Get Arrested’ while its use of choppy minimal rhythmic guitar and throbbing sequencers clearly had an effect on NEW ORDER’s Bernard Sumner.

Available on the MR FLAGIO single ‘Take A Chance’ via The Saifam Group

https://www.discogs.com/artist/15976-Mr-Flagio

HIPNOSIS Pulstar (1983)

A project led by KOTO’s Stefano Cundari, he hit upon the idea of covering the prog synth epic ‘Pulstar’ by Vangelis as a disco number. Recording it with KOTO bandmate Anfrando Maiola and producer Alessandro Zanni, the track actually worked with a bouncy octave bassline and a backbone at 122BPM. Less successful was its B-side ‘End Title’ from ‘Blade Runner’ which tried to add a squelchy electro-funk groove while blipping the main theme.

Available on the HIPNOSIS album ‘Hipnosis’ via ZYX Music

https://www.discogs.com/artist/15973-Hipnosis

IVAN Fotonovela (1984)

Ivan was the stage name of Spaniard Juan Carlos Ramos Vaquero and he naturally found a home for his music in Spanish speaking territories like Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Chile. The sunny octave vibe of ‘Fotonovela’ with its bells, strings and accordions was to be his greatest moment; indeed the Greek production duo of George Geranios and Nick Bitzenis’ who are the production team behind MARSHEAUX are named after this song.

Available on the IVAN album ‘Lo Mejor De’ via Sony Music

https://www.discogs.com/artist/81599-Ivan-4

P.LION Happy Children (1983)

Italian musician and singer Pietro Paolo Pelandi named himself P.LION thanks to only having Ps in his name while with his aristocratic background, his family coat of arms was a lion. Featuring an anti-war and anti-greed lyric, the optimistic synth brass laden ‘Happy Children’ was to be his biggest song, becoming popular in France and later in the colder climes of Sweden where Italo Disco was to find an unexpected audience.

Available on the P.LION single ‘Happy Children’ via Nocolors

http://www.plionproject.com/English/New_Release.html

ALEXANDER ROBOTNICK Problèmes D’amour (1983)

Born Maurizio Dami, the Italian electronic musician was a founder member of the quirky art cabaret trio named AVIDA. ‘Problèmes D’amour’ with its clattering drum machine, swirling analogue synths and cutesy female voiced counterpoints found a cult audience. Later working in soundtracks and world music, Dami continues making electronic dance music in the present day under the Alexander Robotnick moniker, remixing ‘Stuck On Repeat’ for LITTLE BOOTS in 2009.

Available on the ALEXANDER ROBOTNICK single ‘Problèmes D’Amour’ via Materiali Sonori

https://www.alexander-robotnick.it

RYAN PARIS La Dolce Vita (1983)

While his real name was Fabio Roscioli, his huge hit ‘La Dolce Vita’ was written and produced for him by Pierluigi Giombini, who not only wrote songs exclusively in English but was keen to move the established Italian singer away from rock. Paris recently returned to the spotlight with ‘Love On Ice’ in collaboration with Johan Agebjorn and Sally Shapiro, a song from the soundtrack for the Swedish thriller ‘Videomannen’.

Available on the RYAN PARIS album ‘The Best Of’ via Dvmor

http://www.ryan-paris.com

SAVAGE Don’t Cry Tonight (1983)

Despite having a long music career which continues to this day, Tuscan native Roberto Zanetti is still best known for debut single ‘Don’t Cry Tonight’, a moody slice of disco lento that was hugely successful across Europe. Named after the American comic character Doc Savage, one notable fan was Chris Lowe, who used the song to open his playlist in PET SHOP BOYS ‘Back To Mine’ double mixtape collection in 2005.

Available on the SAVAGE album ‘Don’t Cry – Greatest Hits’ via ZYX Music

http://www.savage-music.it

VALERIE DORE Get Closer (1984)

The alluring tones of VALERIE DORE were actually masterminded by producer Roberto Gasparini and fronted by Monica Stucchi who lip-synched on public appearances to the vocals of Dora Carofiglio on the first two hits ‘The Night’ and ‘Get Closer’. Stucchi herself voiced her recordings after 1986 and continues performing as Valerie. Meanwhile ‘Get Closer’ itself was covered by Marc Almond with STARCLUSTER in 2016.

Available on the VALERIE DORE album ‘The Best Of’ via ZYX Music

http://www.valeriedore.it

FANCY Slice Me Nice (1984)

Under the stage name of Fancy, Manfred Alois Segieth cut a striking androgynous figure within Italo Disco, scoring an international hit with the extremely saucy ‘Slice Me Nice’. The German-born Spaniard even made headway in the US Billboard Dance Charts in 1985 with ‘Chinese Eyes’ and ‘Come Inside’, while ‘Bolero’ hit No1 in Spain. At the age of 70 in 2017, he took the Guinness world record for the highest ever pop concert in La Paz, Bolivia!

Available on the FANCY album ‘The Original Maxi-Singles Collection’ via Pokorny Music Solutions

http://fancy-online.com

OP.8 Butterfly (1984)

Originally released on Milan’s Discomagic Records, ‘Butterfly’ was Moroder influenced Italo Disco with an oriental flavour and a catchy refrain derived from Puccini. It’s so obscure that there is virtually no information about it, although it was written by Ronald Hanson, Michele D’Alessandro and Massimo Parretti while progammed by Piero Cairo. ZYX Music dug it out of obscurity for a compilation in 2010.

Available on the OP.8 single ‘Butterfly’ via ZYX Music

https://www.zyxmusic.com/

RAF Black & Blue (1984)

Raffaele Riefoli actually lived in London before starting out his musical career. He scored a domestic hit with his co-write ‘Self Control’, but hit paydirt when it was covered by Italian pop enthusiast Laura Branigan. ‘Black & Blue’ was a highlight from his debut album ‘Change Your Mind’ featured slap bass and all the then-modern technological trimmings which wouldn’t have sounded out of place on PET SHOP BOYS’ Spaghetti Records imprint.

Available on the RAF album ‘Self Control’ via East West Italy

http://www.raf.it

CLIO Faces (1985)

The vehicle of Italian singer Maria Chiara Perugini, the sophisticated and stylish aura of CLIO’s ‘Faces’ was written and produced by Roberto Ferrante who later founded Planet Records. With its pretty colourful melodies and punchy rhythms, it could have been mistaken for early Madonna. The track was covered by Canadian synth duo ELECTRIC YOUTH in 2011 for the ‘Valerie & Friends’ compilation..

Available on the compilation album ’80’s Dance Story Original Italo Hits’ (V/A) via Hot Hits

https://www.discogs.com/artist/154990-Clio

BRIAN ICE Talking To The Night (1985)

Singer and actor Fabrizio Rizzolo was the man behind the ice and ‘Talking To The Night’ was apparently composed and written in just a few minutes, using just about every Italo Disco cliché in the book, especially with its “woah-oh” vocals. A limited edition 12 inch issued on ZYX Music played from the label outwards! He later co-wrote ‘Never Be Lonely’ for Gloria Gaynor and continues a successful career in Italian TV and theatre.

Available on the BRIAN ICE album ‘Greatest Hits & Remixes’ via ZYX Music

http://www.fabriziorizzolo.it

GRANT MILLER Colder Than Ice (1985)

Sensing he could achieve another massive hit if the song had an extremely handsome frontman, Fancy made the idea reality when Indiana-born model Grant Miller-Benton was introduced to him by Divine. Produced by Fancy under his Tess Teiges moniker, Miller scored a debut hit in Germany when it was released by ZYX Music. A later single ‘Doctor For My Heart’ released in 1986 was produced by Dieter Bohlen of MODERN TALKING.

Available on the GRANT MILLER album ‘The Maxi-Singles Hit Collection’ via ZYX Music

http://grant-miller.blogspot.co.uk

CC CATCH Cause You Are Young (1986)

Caroline Catharina Müller was a German domiciled Dutch pop singer who was a member of the girl group OPTIMAL and had the domestic hit ‘Er War Magnetisch’. Spotted by Dieter Bohlen of MODERN TALKING, he signed her to Hansa Records and launched her solo career. A breathy vocal and an enticing lead synth line plus a fabulous catchy chorus laced with orchestra stabs ensured that ‘Cause You Are Young’ was a big European hit.

Available on the CC CATCH album ‘The 80’s Album’ via Edel Records

http://www.cccatch.de

EDDY HUNTINGTON USSR (1986)

Hailing from Peterlee in County Durham, Cliff Richard fan and model Edward Huntington sought fame and fortune as a pop singer in Italy. Discovered by Baby Records, they took him to Milan to record the catchy ‘USSR’, written by the same production team behind Den Harrow. Released in the rest of Europe by ZYX Music, the song unexpectedly became a hit in the Soviet Union. Huntington later returned to the UK to become a teacher.

Available on the EDDY HUNTINGTON album ‘Bang Bang Baby’ via Baby Records International

https://www.facebook.com/Eddy-Huntington-Italo-Disco-138800969576918/

PAUL REIN Lady-O (1986)

Sweden’s Paul Rein was their home grown Italo Disco star and ‘Lady-O’ showed that cold weather and dark nights was no barrier to producing upbeat electronic dance music. He has since continued a career as a songwriter for artists like Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore, but perhaps as a reaction to his fame, his daughter Joanna is now making waves in EBM, having opened for DAF in 2016!

Available on the PAUL REIN album ‘Communicate’ via 22:22 Music

https://www.discogs.com/artist/116266-Paul-Rein

FRED VENTURA Wind Of Change (1986)

Italo Disco legend Federico Di Bonaventura began his music career with a 4 track cassette machine, a Roland Juno 60, an Oberheim DX and a passion for NEW ORDER. ‘Winds of Change’ was a rousing Italo Disco track with cowbells and big digital drums that brought him European success. He continues making music today with Paolo Gozzetti as ITALOCONNECTION who have remixed THE HUMAN LEAGUE, HURTS and KNIGHT$.

Available on the FRED VENTURA album ‘Disco Modernism (1983 – 2008)’ via Clone Classic Cuts

https://www.facebook.com/italoconnection/

LINDA JO RIZZO You’re My First, You’re My Last (1986)

Linda Jo Rizzo was an Italian-American who worked in Milan as a fashion model. A former member of THE FLIRTS, she combined her Sicilian temperament with a New York sass. Moving to Germany, on the energetic ‘You’re My First, You’re My Last’ produced by Fancy under his Tess pseudonym. As well other singles like ‘Heartflash (Tonight)’ , as per the time, she would also provide uncredited vocals for another Italo artist Mona Lisa.

Available on the LINDA JO RIZZO album ‘Greatest Hits & Remixes’ via ZYX Music

https://lindajorizzo.com/

DEN HARROW Don’t Break My Heart (1987)

A play on the Italian word “denaro” meaning money, this project was the brainchild of producers Miki Chieregato and Roberto Turatti. Fronted by fashion model Stefano Zandri, it was however American singer Tom Hooker who voiced the biggest hit ‘Don’t Break My Heart’. Despite Zandri admitting in 2012 that he did not sing on any of the records, he makes public appearances as Den Harrow having taken singing lessons in 1998.

Available on the DEN HARROW album ‘I Miei Successi’ via DV Digital

http://www.denharrow.it

‘Italo Be Thy Name’, a Spotify Playlist compiled by ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK of related tracks can be listened to at: https://open.spotify.com/user/theelectricityclub/playlist/3uUHPnMSOsUegDSnnFr7Fn

The ‘Italo Disco Legacy’ soundtrack is released by Private Records as a 2LP + DVD package, available from https://www.juno.co.uk/products/italo-disco-legacy-soundtrack/672465-01/

https://www.facebook.com/ItaloDiscoLegacy/

http://www.italo-interviews.com/

Text by Chi Ming Lai with thanks to Grit Cheraka and Viola Anastasia
12th May 2018

A Beginner’s Guide To RICHARD X

7 May 2018 / electricityclub

Photo by Miles Aldridge

Producer and remixer Richard Philips, better known as Richard X, began his musical career creating bootlegs or mash-ups.

This was an illegal creative practice of combining two existing and often incongruous records to make an entirely new track. The fusion of disparate elements, where often the vocals of one recording from a particular genre were placed over the instrumental backing from another.

This became a fashionable practice in clubs; Belgium’s 2 Many DJs were among one of the more notable exponents alongside Richard X. Influenced by THE HUMAN LEAGUE and KRAFTWERK in particular, Richard X’s first notable mash-up under the name GIRLS ON TOP was ‘I Wanna Dance With Numbers’ in 2001; it dropped Whitney Houston over KRAFTWERK and inspired by the apparent elitism of the electronica scene at the start of the 21st Century.

But it was when he placed ‘Freak Like Me’ by R ‘n’ B artist Adina Howard over TUBEWAY ARMY’s ‘Are Friends Electric?’ for a bootleg entitled ‘We Don’t Give A Damn About Our Friends’ that figures within the music business realised Richard X’s Frankenstein vision might have commercial potential. Ironically, one person who didn’t was Adina Howard herself who refused permission for her vocal to be used on an officially sanctioned release. Instead, the British female pop trio SUGABABES recorded a cover version of the mash-up produced by Richard X and the rest is history.

Since then, Richard X has been approached to work with many artists, but remains selective, declining most of what he is offered and often only working on individual tracks, thanks to his own artistic assertion that “I’ve always been about singles…”

Richard X created his own production umbrella Black Melody to oversee his work and even released a collection of demos by THE HUMAN LEAGUE as ‘The Golden Hour Of The Future’ which had been shelved by Virgin Records back in 1981. Meanwhile as well as ERASURE, NINE INCH NAILS, GOLDFRAPP, MIRRORS, SAY LOU LOU and NEW ORDER, his productions and remixes have encompassed artists such varied as Will Young, Roísín Murphy, Rachel Stevens, Sam Sparro, Tiga, Jarvis Cocker and Lana Del Rey.

As a result of often working on just singular tracks with artists, Richard X has a large and diverse portfolio; ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK lists eighteen of his most notable tracks, with a limit of one track per artist and presented in chronological and then alphabetical order…

SUGABABES Freak Like Me (2002)

When Richard X dropped ‘Freak Like Me’ over ‘Are Friends Electric?’, a crossover hit was just waiting to be unleashed… enter SUGABABES, modern pop’s equivalent of ‘Charlie’s Angels’. This was a period when Gary Numan was being sampled left, right and centre by the likes of BASEMENT JAXX and DJ Armand Van Helden, so this Diabolus In Musica urban hybrid helped bring him to a curious new audience.

Available on the SUGABABES album ‘Overloaded: The Singles Collection’ via Universal Music

http://sugababesmusic.com

RICHARD X vs LIBERTY X Being Nobody (2003)

A huge fan of THE HUMAN LEAGUE, Richard X continued his mash-up magic, albeit in a more reproductive manner. When the appropriately monikered LIBERTY X came knocking, he took inspiration from the various versions of ‘Being Boiled’ and put Chaka Khan’s electro-funk classic ‘Ain’t Nobody’ over the top, helped by the fact that both tunes ran at a very similar BPM of 103/104.

Available on the LIBERTY X album ‘Being Somebody’ via V2 Records

https://www.facebook.com/libertyxofficial/

RICHARD X in collaboration with DEBORAH STRICKLAND-EVANS Lemon / Lime (2003)

Deborah Evans-Strickland was best known for her deadpan vocal on THE FLYING LIZARDS’ very unusual cover of ‘Money’. Richard X dragged her out of retirement for a bizarre reinterpretation of ‘Walk On By’ as well as the Trans-Commuter Express job spec art piece ‘Lemon / Lime’. Stern but strangely alluring in her posh Essex accent, she came over like the scary HR Manager who everyone is secretly attracted to.

Available on the RICHARD X album ‘Presents His X Factor Vol1’ via Virgin Records

http://blackmelody.com

RACHEL STEVENS Some Girls (2004)

Co-written with Hannah Robinson and based on real-life music industry anecdotes, Richard X’s GOLDFRAPP-styled production on ‘Some Girls’ saw Rachel Stevens playing a wannabe on pop’s casting couch. Driven by having his GOLDFRAPP remixes rejected, it was ‘Some Girls’ that first put the icy glam electro sound into the mainstream consciousness before GOLDFRAPP themselves.

Available on the RACHEL STEVENS album ‘Come & Get It’ via Polydor Records

http://www.rachelstevensofficial.com

NINE INCH NAILS Only – Richard X Remix (2005)

“There is no you, there is only ME!” exclaimed an angry and provocative Trent Reznor on ‘Only’, but Richard X smoothed things down, brought forward the chorus and took it down the discotheque, albeit a dark gothic one! With a frantic marimba line added and an increased dance tempo, this was one of Richard X’s best crossover reworkings that still retained the original’s heavy spirit of frustration expressed as part of Reznor’s battle with alcoholism and substance abuse.

Available on the NINE INCH NAILS EP ‘Everyday Is Exactly The Same’ via Nothing Records

http://www.nin.com

LUKE HAINES Off My Rocker At The Art School Bop – Richard X Mix (2006)

Once referred to as the Adolf Hitler of Britpop by the music press, Luke Haines’ memoir ‘Bad Vibes: Britpop & My Part In Its Downfall’ declared that BLUR’s Damon Alban deserved far more to be nominated for that title! An installation of danceable pop terrorism by THE AUTEURS and BLACK BOX RECORDER leader with a full fat electro mix by Richard X, this gleefully satirised the Shoreditch club scene with an attack on its array of poseurs.

Available on the LUKE HAINES album ‘Off My Rocker At The Art School Bop’ via Fantastic Plastic

http://www.lukehaines.co.uk

PET SHOP BOYS Fugitive – Richard X Extended Mix (2006)

Although the ‘Fundamental’ album was produced by Trevor Horn, Richard X powerfully extended ‘Fugitive’ as a limited edition exclusive for the fittingly titled ‘Fundamentalism’ bonus album. PET SHOP BOYS’ own post-9/11 song, Neil Tennant recently revealed in the reissued booklet notes:“It’s about a terrorist, a terrorist whose ideology is that he believes that by killing the enemy he’s going to go to heaven”.

Available on the PET SHOP BOYS album ‘Fundamental: Further Listening 2005 – 2007’ via EMI Records

http://petshopboys.co.uk

ANNIE Songs Remind Me Of You (2009)

Having worked on-and off with Anne Lilia Berge Strand since 2004 including her breakthrough song ‘Chewing Gum’, ‘Songs Remind Me Of You’ was another fabulous tune from the Richard X / Hannah Robinson songbook. Filled with high octane electronic dance flavours, “How does it feel…to hear your songs on the radio?” asked the Norwegian songstress wispily with an exquisite devenir a gris lilt inside a spiky synthesized mix.

Available on the ANNIE album ‘Don’t Stop’ via Smalltown Supersound

https://www.facebook.com/anniemelodymusic/

ANTHONIO Annie (2009)

Conceived as a jokey publicity stunt for the Italo disco flavoured Annie single ‘Anthonio’, Richard X used its backing track to create a brilliant tongue-in-cheek response to her tale of broken holiday romance. As a modern exponent of Italo, HEARTBREAK’s charismatic vocalist Sebastian Muravchik amiably played the role of the disimpassioned Latin lover. The B-side featured a cover of THE GLITTER BAND’s ‘Angel Face’.

Available on the ANTHONIO single ‘Annie’ via Pleasure Masters

http://lexprojects.com/sebastian-is-anthonio/

SAINT ETIENNE Method Of Modern Love (2009)

With some slight similarities to Kylie Minogue’s ‘The One’ and recorded by SAINT ETIENNE for an updated singles compilation, ‘Method Of Modern Love’ was again written by Richard X with Hannah Robinson alongside Matt Prime. A long-time fan of the trio, it had only been intended for Richard X to remix ‘This Is Tomorrow’, but he ended up producing them as they opted for ‘Method Of Modern Love’ as a new single after hearing the demo.

Available on the SAINT ETIENNE album ‘London Conversations: The Best Of’ via Heavenly Records

http://www.saintetienne.com

ROÍSÍN MURPHY Parallel Lives (2009)

A superb collection of soulful 21st century electronic disco, ‘Overpowered’ was the second solo album from Roísín Murphy who found fame with MOLOKO and struck big with the international club smash ‘Sing It Back’. The Richard X helmed ‘Parallel Lives’ penetrated with some steady and deep sub-bass, providing a nice bonus to an album where Murphy had gloriously sounded not unlike Lisa Stansfield fronting PET SHOP BOYS.

Available on the ROÍSÍN MURPHY album ‘Overpowered’ via EMI Records

https://www.roisinmurphyofficial.com

DRAGONETTE Pick Up The Phone – Richard X Remix (2010)

DRAGONETTE were fronted by singer-songwriter Martina Sorbara and while ‘Pick Up The Phone’ was a summery upbeat tune, the Canadian popsters took a breather from their usual Euro-leaning sound with electric guitars subbing for the usual synths. But this made things perfect for a superior Richard X remix to stick back in all the electronic dance elements that the band were actually best known for.

Available on the DRAGONETTE album ‘Mixin To Thrill’ via Dragonette Inc

http://www.dragonetteonline.com

GOLDFRAPP Alive (2010)

From ‘Head First’, the poppiest album in the GOLDFRAPP catalogue, the Richard X assisted ‘Alive’ allowed Alison Goldfrapp to explore her Olivia Newton-John fixation with a tune that recalled ‘I’m Alive’, a song by ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA for the film ‘Xanadu’. The synth solo was big and fat with power chords plus a great middle eight to boot. With references to Billy Joel as well, ‘Alive’ sounded slightly more Oberheim than Korg…

Available on the GOLDFRAPP album ‘Head First’ via Mute Records

https://www.goldfrapp.com

THE HUNDRED IN THE HANDS Young Aren’t Young (2010)

Hailing from Brooklyn, THE HUNDRED IN THE HANDS possessed a sultry new wave fusion with occasional gothic overtones. Despite having aspirations to be more like Warp Records label mates BROADCAST, Richard X produced a number of key songs on their self-titled debut. ‘Young Aren’t Young’ was a dreamy NEW ORDER influenced number layered with Bernard Sumner styled frenetic guitar playing.

Available on THE HUNDRED IN THE HANDS album ‘The Hundred In The Hands’ via Warp Records

https://www.facebook.com/thehundredinthehands/

SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR Starlight (2011)

Sophie Ellis-Bextor once fronted an indie rock band called THEAUDIENCE. Yet another Richard X and Hannah Robinson co-composition, the glitterball sparkle of ‘Starlight’ utilised a Linn Drum led rhythm section and sweeping synth strings for a dreamy electronic pop concoction. Alluringly finding “heaven in the dark”, it was one of those catchy Kylie-esque summer holiday disco anthems.

Available on SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR album ‘Make A Scene’ via EBGB’s

http://sophieellisbextor.net

MIRRORS Into The Heart – Richard X Radio Mix (2011)

With a determined art for art’s sake concept for their ‘Lights & Offerings’ long player, the original sessions with Richard X were abandoned when MIRRORS chose to produce themselves, although he did contribute a Radio Mix for the reissued single ‘Into The Heart’; less intense and claustrophobic than the quartet’s album version, the majestic singalong proved that Synth Britannia influences were and still are nothing to be ashamed of.

Available on the MIRRORS single ‘Into the Heart’ via Skint Records

https://www.facebook.com/theworldofmirrors/

THE SOUND OF ARROWS Lost City (2011)

THE SOUND OF ARROWS are Stefan Storm and Oskar Gullstrand, a Swedish electronic pop duo described as “Disney meets Brokeback Mountain” and “the HURTS you can dance to” by Popjustice. Like PET SHOP BOYS fed with Fox’s Glacier Mints, the Richard X produced widescreen instrumental ‘Lost City’ was fittingly dramatic, although its main melodic theme may have been a bit too ‘Top Gun’ with synths for some listeners…

Available on THE SOUND OF ARROWS album ‘Voyage’ via Skies Above

http://www.thesoundofarrows.com

ERASURE Sacred (2014)

Produced by Richard X, ‘The Violet Flame’ saw ERASURE return to form with their fourteenth album and express an infectious zest for the future with songs seeded via Vince Clarke’s pre-recorded dance grooves. With ‘Sacred’, this was another classic ERASURE pop tune, although the bizarre phrasal spectre of ‘Sweet Child O Mine’ by GUNS N ROSES could be found in the verse of Andy Bell’s vocal topline!

Available on the ERASURE album ‘The Violet Flame’ via Mute Artists

http://www.erasureinfo.com

NEW ORDER Plastic (2015)

For the Mancunians’ first album of new material without estranged founder member Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner promised a return to electronic music. That was certainly delivered on with ‘Plastic’, a full-on throbbing seven minute electro number in the vein of Giorgio Moroder, solidly mixed by Richard X with blippy echoes of ‘Mr Disco’. Dealing with the issue of superficiality in relationships, it declared “you’re like plastic, you’re artificial…”

Available on the NEW ORDER album ‘Music Complete’ via Mute Artists

http://www.neworder.com

NINA Beyond Memory (2016)

Produced by Richard X and Sunglasses Kid, a nocturnal warmth exuded from ‘Beyond Memory’, demonstrating how German songstress NINA’s pulsating electronic pop acted as a bridge between the sub-genres of synthwave and synthpop. With her vocals deliciously slicing the moonlit atmosphere with a superbly breathy chorus, ‘Beyond Memory’ reflected on the lifelong impact of past relationships.

Available on the NINA album ‘Sleepwalking’ via Aztec Records

http://www.ninamusic.co.uk/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
7th May 2018

A Beginner’s Guide To COLIN THURSTON

6 April 2018 / electricityclub

While Colin Thurston is perhaps not as lauded as Conny Plank, Giorgio Moroder and Trevor Horn, he undoubtedly helped shape the sound of a pioneering musical era.

A jingle writer and jobbing musician, legend has it that he bluffed his way into audio engineering before securing a job with Tony Visconti. Working alongside the legendary producer during his sojourn at Hansa Tonstudio in the Kreuzberg district of West Berlin by the Wall, he experienced a baptism of fire.

There he worked on what became two legendary albums, David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ and Iggy Pop’s ‘Lust For Life’. He impressed enough to be recommended to Virgin Records signings MAGAZINE when they approached Tony Visconti as producer for the follow-up to their debut album ‘Real Life’.

It was this connection to Virgin Records that also led Thurston to work with THE HUMAN LEAGUE on their debut album ‘Reproduction’. Working together on classic League tracks such as ‘Empire State Human’, ‘Almost Medieval’, ‘Blind Youth’, ‘The Path Of Least Resistance’ and a stark cover of ‘You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling’, while the union was not a commercial success, Phil Oakey, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh gained valuable experience that would ultimately progress their music careers.

But it was Thurston’s work with DURAN DURAN that was to have the biggest worldwide impact. John Taylor said: “without Colin’s depth of vision, we would never have become the band we became” – under Thurston’s production guidance, DURAN DURAN grew from being a promising New Romantic band with a JAPAN fixation into becoming one of the UK’s biggest music exports to North America.

This was thanks in part to the striking videos accompanying songs such as ‘Girls On Film’, ‘Hungry Like The Wolf’ and ‘Save A Prayer’ directed by the likes of Godley & Crème and Russell Mulcahy, all gaining regular rotation on MTV, although DURAN DURAN’s willingness to undertake long periods of Stateside touring also helped their cause.

After working with DURAN DURAN, Thurston also produced albums by TALK TALK, KAJAGOOGOO, and CAMOUFLAGE, although a reunion with THE HUMAN LEAGUE in 1985 on what was intended to be ‘Crash’ came to nought when Virgin Records rejected the results of the recording sessions.

Thurston became an in-house producer for the Canadian label Brouhaha and latterly undertook only occasional production work. There had been talk of Thurston working together again with DURAN DURAN when the classic line-up of Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Roger Taylor and Andy Taylor reunited in 2001, although this came to nothing. Sadly after a long illness, he passed away in January 2007, aged 59.

His portfolio indeed reads like a Who’s Who? of popular music. An under rated figure in the successful application of electronic instrumentation within a studio environment, ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK looks back at the career of Colin Thurston via 18 tracks presented in chronological order, with a limit of one track per album project.

IGGY POP Tonight (1977)

Featuring David Bowie on ARP Solina and providing his very distinct backing vocals to compliment Iggy Pop’s brooding baritone, ‘Tonight’ was a reflective number dealing with the spectre of heroin addiction. Recorded in Berlin as the follow-up to ‘The Idiot’, Thurston co-produced and engineered the parent ‘Lust For Life’ album under the collective name of Bewlay Bros with his two star performers.

Available on the IGGY POP album ‘Lust For Life’ via Virgin Records

http://iggypop.com

DAVID BOWIE Heroes (1977)

Engineering alongside producer Tony Visconti, Thurston found himself working with Brian Eno and Robert Fripp to help fully utilise the Frippertronics tape looping technique that provided the celestial triple guitar signature. Melting in alongside swooping EMS Synthi AKS, stabbing Chamberlain brass and swimmy ARP Solina string machine textures, coupled to a most passionate vocal performance, the train ride that was ‘Heroes’ became one of the most iconic David Bowie recordings.

Available on the DAVID BOWIE album ‘Heroes’ via EMI Records

https://www.davidbowie.com

THE MEN I Don’t Depend On You (1979)

As a disco flavoured experiment helmed by Thurston, THE HUMAN LEAGUE recorded ‘I Don’t Depend On You’ under the pseudonym of THE MEN using a drummer, bassist and female backing vocalists, planting the seed for HEAVEN 17 when Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh left in 1980. Released before the ‘Reproduction’ album, while the single wasn’t a hit, a certain Nick Rhodes was listening and included it in his DJ sets at The Rum Runner.

Available on THE HUMAN LEAGUE album ‘Travelogue’ via Virgin Records

https://twitter.com/martynware

MAGAZINE Rhythm Of Cruelty (1979)

Howard Devoto and co had initially suggested Tony Visconti as producer of their second long player, but were very happy to have his engineer as a substitute. But nervous about his credentials, Thurston did not reveal this was his first full album production. ‘Rhythm Of Cruelty’ captured the art rock virtuosity of Barry Adamson and John McGeoch, while allowing Dave Formula’s keyboards to shine.

Available on MAGAZINE album ‘Secondhand Daylight’ via Virgin Records

https://www.facebook.com/magazineofficial/

THE HUMAN LEAGUE Circus Of Death (1979)

With a manifesto of “synthesizers and vocals only”, Colin Thurston was the man behind the desk for THE HUMAN LEAGUE’s eagerly awaited debut album. Eerily intro-ed with a taped announcement from Peter Lewis of London Weekend Television that Steve McGarrett from ‘Hawaii Five-O’ was about to arrive on a Hawker Siddeley Trident, the clattering synthetic dystopia and narcotic doom of ‘Circus Of Death’ was delivered with a charismatically sombre baritone by Phil Oakey.

Available on THE HUMAN LEAGUE album ‘Reproduction’ via Virgin Records

http://www.thehumanleague.co.uk

LANDSCAPE European Man (1980)

Electronic pioneer Richard James Burgess said: “I think we all embraced this new direction because of our raw excitement over the new technology…We discussed it in the band and everyone was on board so I started working on the lyrics that became ‘European Man’”. Colin Thurston was ideally the man to assist in realising this new direction and interestingly, the rear artwork of the first issue featured an early use of the term “electronic dance music” while the catalogue number was EDM1.

Available on LANDSCAPE album ‘From The Tea-rooms Of Mars To The Hell-holes Of Uranus’ via Cherry Red Records

https://twitter.com/Landscape_band

CLASSIX NOUVEAUX Never Again (1981)

CLASSIX NOUVEAUX flirted with New Romanticism and while the eventual third album ‘La Verité’ was self-produced by Solo, the Colin Thurston steered ‘Never Again’ was the lead single. Written by bassist Mik Sweeney, it showcased Sal Solo’s passionate falsetto amongst a barrage of period Simmons drums, synths, octave bass and flanged guitars. While just missing out on being a Top 40 single, it paved the way for ‘Is It A Dream?’ to reach the No11 spot six months later.

Available on the CLASSIX NOUVEAUX album ‘La Verité’ via Cherry Red Records

https://www.salsolo.com

DURAN DURAN Planet Earth (1981)

After seeing DURAN DURAN open for Hazel O Connor, Colin Thurston found his perfect band, one that appealed to both his electronic and art rock sensibilities. Combining the disco sequencer drive of Giorgio Moroder, the funkier groove of CHIC and the anthemic qualities of glam rock, Messrs Le Bon, Rhodes, Taylor, Taylor and Taylor were to be the new romantics who moved beyond “looking for the TV sound” as they became one of the biggest bands on ‘Planet Earth’.

Available on the DURAN DURAN album ‘Duran Duran’ via EMI Records

http://www.duranduran.com

OUR DAUGHTER’S WEDDING Target For Life (1981)

“We were proud of our musicianship, that we could play complicated parts with precision and speed” said Scott Simon of OUR DAUGHTER’S WEDDING and having supported DURAN DURAN, they summoned the services of Colin Thurston for their ‘Digital Cowboy’ EP . Eschewing machine percussion for a live drummer in Simon Phillips who played on Thurston’s session with THE MEN, ‘Target For Life’ was the frantic highlight from the five track offering.

Available on the OUR DAUGHTER’S WEDDING album ‘Nightlife – The Collection’ via EP Music

https://www.discogs.com/artist/106443-Our-Daughters-Wedding

TALK TALK Talk Talk (1982)

It’s bizarre to think now that when TALK TALK first appeared, they were dismissed as nothing more than DURAN DURAN copyists, thanks to their double name, patronage by EMI and production on their debut album ‘The Party’s Over’ by Colin Thurston. Utilising synths and Simmons drums, their eponymous signature song was not actually a hit first time round and following a number of disagreements, Thurston’s name was taken off the credits of the album.

Available on the TALK TALK album ‘The Party’s Over’ via EMI Records

https://www.discogs.com/artist/60480-Talk-Talk

DURAN DURAN Rio (1982)

Based around a frantic arpeggio sourced from Nick Rhodes’ Roland Jupiter 4, ‘Rio’ is possibly Colin Thurston’s finest moment as a producer. From utilising a reversed slowed down tape of metal rods being dropped on a grand piano’s strings for the intro and capturing some amazing funky bass work from John Taylor, to the quintet locked in full flow with a rousing chorus and sax driven middle section, it was to become an iconic work both musically and visually.

Available on the DURAN DURAN album ‘Rio’ via EMI Records

https://www.facebook.com/duranduran/

KAJAGOOGOO Too Shy (1983)

Look past the silly haircuts and what you see in ‘Too Shy’ is a very well-produced and well-written pop tune. Limahl had handed over a demo to Nick Rhodes while working as a waiter at London’s Embassy Club. Curious, he took the tape to Colin Thurston and when the band signed to EMI, they were embraced by a teenybop audience. Less happy were the other members of KAJAGOOGOO and the result as a coup d’état with Limahl ousted as lead singer.

Available on the KAJAGOOGOO album ‘White Feathers’ via EMI Records

http://limahl.com

KISSING THE PINK The Last Film (1983)

A catchy militaristic tune with a profound anti-war statement, London-based combo KISSING THE PINK had wanted Brian Eno as producer, having worked with Martin Hannett on their debut single ‘Don’t Hide In The Shadow’. But their then-label Magnet Records suggested that Colin Thurston would give a more commercial sound and they were proved right when ‘The Last Film’ become a UK Top 20 single, although it was to be the band’s only chart hit.

Available on the KISSING THE PINK album ‘Naked’ via Cherry Red Records

https://www.facebook.com/kissingthepink/

HOWARD JONES New Song (1983)

Notably High Wycombe’s most famous son, Howard Jones said of working with Thurston on his debut single: “Warners wanted me in the studio as quick as possible to get something going and Colin was doing very well with DURAN DURAN and KAJAGOOGOO”. With a catchy new song that sounded like a synthpop version of Peter Gabriel’s ‘Solsbury Hill’, Jones got that first hit twhich his label desired although he and Thurston were not to do any further work together.

Available on the HOWARD JONES album ‘Best: 1983 – 2017’ via Cherry Red Records

http://howardjones.com

KAJAGOOGOO Big Apple (1984)

With Limahl gone and working with Giorgio Moroder, Thurston stuck with KAJAGOOGOO, now led by bassist and Chapman stick player Nick Beggs. ‘Big Apple’ was a rousing funky pop punctuated by brass section that allowed the band to show off their musical virtuosity. Interest in KAJAGOOGOO waned afterwards, although Beggs was to become a noted sessioneer, working with Gary Numan, Howard Jones, Steve Hackett and Steven Wilson.

Available on the KAJAGOOGOO album ‘Islands’ via EMI Records

http://www.kajagoogoo.com

GARY NUMAN Your Fascination (1985)

Having had an unhappy experience working with Bill Nelson on ‘Warriors’, Gary Numan was open to sharing the studio with an outsider again when the name of Colin Thurston was suggested. The first fruit of labour was the excellent and uncluttered PPG dominated ‘Your Fascination’. However, there was to be no further productions with Thurston as he was in the middle of working with THE HUMAN LEAGUE on the first version of ‘Crash’, which was later scrapped.

Available on the GARY NUMAN album ‘New Dreams For Old’ via Eagle Records

https://garynuman.com

FLIP That’s What They Say About Love (1986)

As synthesizers became more passé with the advent of MTV and a desire for American success, Thurston found himself working with more guitar oriented acts like IMMACULATE FOOLS, WESTWON and ATLANTIC while adding his modern studio sheen. One of his more successful productions in this period was with Aylesbury AOR band FLIP whose appealing FM friendly number ‘That’s What They Say About Love’ was a minor hit in The Netherlands.

Originally available on the FLIP album ‘Flip’ via CBS Associated Records, currently unavailable

https://www.discogs.com/artist/878940-Flip-17

CAMOUFLAGE Heaven (1991)

In order to move away from the DEPECHE MODE derived sound of their first two albums ‘Voices & Images’ and ‘Methods Of Silence’, Marcus Meyn and Heiko Maile enlisted session drummer Gavin Harrison and Thurston to capture more of a live feel to their music. ’Heaven’ was certainly looser than previous CAMOUFLAGE recordings although like with DEPECHE MODE not long after, the use of live drums ironically took some of soul and tension out of the band’s sound.

Available on the CAMOUFLAGE album ‘The Singles’ via Polydor Records

http://www.camouflage-music.com/en/News

In Memory of Colin Thurston 1947-2007

https://www.discogs.com/artist/60619-Colin-Thurston

Text by Chi Ming Lai
6th April 2018

A Beginner’s Guide To NEW ORDER Collaborations + Projects

24 March 2018 / electricityclub

Like PET SHOP BOYS, NEW ORDER collaborated with other artists from quite an early stage in their career, as well as later working on their own various projects during the band’s recurring hiatuses.

Even in the JOY DIVISION era, Ian Curtis, together with manager Rob Gretton produced ‘Knew Noise’ by SECTION 25 in 1979. Following the passing of the charismatic front man, NEW ORDER underwent a well-documented transformation.

Aided by the advancements in technology, while NEW ORDER began with electronic instruments such as the Doctor Rhythm DR-55 drum machine, ARP Quadra and Sequential Pro-One, their synth armoury would expand to a Moog Source, Emulator, several Prophet 5s and an Oberheim DMX.

Bernard Sumner in particular relished the opportunity to further his craft by recording with other artists. Although more naturally inclined to the live environment, Peter Hook did bring his experience into the studio as well, while Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert primarily found an outlet for their knowhow within television. The compilation boxed set ‘NEW ORDER Presents Be Music’ released on Factory Benelux gathered many of these works.

But there are still a significant number of tracks which featured the artistic input and involvement of a NEW ORDER member that are worthy of discovery and recognition. So here are 20 tracks which encapsulate the spirit of NEW ORDER through the medium of collaboration and joint working, restricted to one track per project and presented in chronological order.

MARTHA Light Years From Love (1983)

Martha Ladly had produced the paintings for the Peter Saville Associates artwork of ‘Temptation’ and the ‘1981-1982’ EP. Formally of MARTHA & THE MUFFINS, she teamed up with fellow Canadian Brett Wickens on this charming pop tune that echoed THE HUMAN LEAGUE’s ‘Open Your Heart’. Peter Hook provided his distinctive melodic six-string bass and dynamic production came from Steve Nye. The promo video was directed by Midge Ure and Chris Cross of ULTRAVOX.

Originally released as a single on Island Records, currently unavailable

http://samemistakesmusic.blogspot.com/2009/01/charmed-life-of-martha-ladly_22.html

52ND STREET Cool As Ice (1983)

While the trailblazing electro of ‘Cool As Ice’ was solely produced by Donald Johnson, Bernard Sumner contributed the synth basslines which were from a Moog Source run from a Powertran 1024 sequencer; it was to become the trademark feature on many of the NEW ORDER front man’s productions. The hybrid of authentic Manchester soul courtesy of Beverley McDonald’s vocals and New York urban influences was unsurprisingly a cult success across the Atlantic.

Available on the compilation boxed set ‘‘NEW ORDER Presents Be Music’ (V/A) via Factory Benelux

https://www.discogs.com/artist/11896-52nd-Street

MARCEL KING Reach For Love (1984)

One of Bernard Sumner’s productions for with Donald Johnson, ‘Reach For Love’ featured the late Marcel King who was in SWEET SENSATION, a vocal group who won ‘New Faces’ and had a No1 with ‘Sad Sweet Dreamer’. With its distinctive Moog bassline programming, this was a vibrant electro disco tune. Shaun Ryder of HAPPY MONDAYS remarked that if this had been released on a label other than Factory Records, it would have been a hit!

Available on the compilation boxed set ‘NEW ORDER Presents Be Music’ (V/A) via Factory Benelux

https://www.discogs.com/artist/36617-Marcel-King

NYAM NYAM Fate/Hate (1984)

Despite Peter Hook’s more rock inclined sympathies and productions for acts like STOCKHOLM MONSTERS and THE STONE ROSES, he showed that he knew his way around the dancefloor as well with this Moroder-esque offering by Hull combo NYAM NYAM which he produced. Featuring a Roland TR808 plus NEW ORDER’s Emulator and Prophet 5 amongst its instrumentation, ‘Fate/Hate’ deserves to be as lauded as SECTION 25’s ‘Looking From A Hilltop’.

Available on the compilation album ‘NEW ORDER Presents Be Music’ (V/A) via Factory Benelux

http://www.ltmrecordings.com/nyam_nyam.html

SECTION 25 Looking From A Hilltop – Restructure (1984)

In a change of direction where founder member Larry Cassidy stated “you can’t be a punk all your life”, Factory Records stalwarts SECTION 25 recruited vocalist Jenny Ross and keyboardist Angela Cassidy to go electro. Produced by Bernard Sumner and Donald Johnson, the clattering drum machine accompanied by ominous synth lines and hypnotic sequenced modulations dominated what was to become a much revered cult club classic.

Available on the SECTION 25 album ‘From The Hip’ via Factory Benelux

http://www.section25.com

PAUL HAIG The Only Truth (1984)

Possibly the best NEW ORDER song that NEW ORDER never recorded, although ex-JOSEF K front man Paul Haig demoed the song to an almost complete standard, when as Haig told ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK: “Bernard Sumner and Donald Johnson started adding more to it like extra guitar, bass and percussion. We spent a long time on the sound of the percussion”. ‘The Only Truth’ was like a brilliant cross between ‘Blue Monday’ and ‘Temptation’, and the 12 inch version was almost as long!

Available on the PAUL HAIG album ‘At Twilight’ via Les Disques Du Crepuscule

http://www.rolinc.co.uk

SHARK VEGAS You Hurt Me (1986)

Mark Reeder moved from Manchester to Berlin in 1978 and was for a time Factory Records’ representative in Germany. Reeder often sent records to Bernard Sumner from the emerging electronic club scenes around the world. His own Deutsche musical journey started with DIE UNBEKANNTEN, who mutated into SHARK VEGAS; the sequencer heavy ‘You Hurt Me’ was produced by Sumner at Conny Plank’s studios near Cologne.

Available on the MARK REEDER album ‘Collaborator’ via Factory Benelux

https://www.facebook.com/markreedermusic/

REVENGE Jesus I Love You (1989)

The aptly named REVENGE was Peter Hook’s response to Bernard Sumner’s ELECTRONIC. Comprising of Hook, Dave Hicks and Chris Jones, the single ‘Seven Reasons’ backed with the edgy gothique of ‘Jesus I Love You’ got in the shops a few weeks before ‘Getting Away With It’. Coming over like early SISTERS OF MERCY with some extra raw power, it was a promising calling card. However, as things progressed, the output of REVENGE was not particularly well-received by the music press.

Available on REVENGE album ‘One True Passion V2.0’ via LTM Recordings

http://www.ltmrecordings.com/revenge.html

THE BEAT CLUB Security – Remix (1990)

Miami duo THE BEAT CLUB were the husband and wife team of producer Ony Rodriguez and singer Mireya Valls. The Bernard Sumner remix of ‘Security’ was the first ever release on Rob’s Records, the imprint of Rob Gretton. Sumner’s creative additions saw an overhaul of the original version with the crucial addition of his own vocal contribution, giving it an unsurprisingly NEW ORDER-like feel along the lines of ‘State Of The Nation’.

Available on the compilation boxed set ‘NEW ORDER Presents Be Music’ (V/A) via Factory Benelux

http://www.ltmrecordings.com/the_beat_club.html

808 STATE Spanish Heart featuring BERNARD SUMNER (1991)

Having been largely instrumental and sample based on their debut ‘90’, the Manchester dance collective used guest vocalists on their more melodic second long player ‘Ex:El’; while Björk contributed to ‘Ooops’, Bernard Sumner added his voice to the dreamy Balearic of ‘Spanish Heart. A less frantic cousin of ‘Mr Disco’ from ‘Technique’ with its holiday romance subject matter, ‘Spanish Heart’ had a blissful feel not too distantly related to ELECTRONIC’s ‘Some Distant Memory’.

Available on the 808 STATE album ‘Ex:El’ via ZTT Records

https://www.808state.com

ELECTRONIC Some Distant Memory (1991)

Frustrated with the conflicts within NEW ORDER, Bernard Sumner had planned a solo album. But on bumping into Johnny Marr who had just departed THE SMITHS, it was turned into a collaborative project with the occasional guests including Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe and later Karl Bartos. It was ELECTRONIC not just in name but also in nature. The beautiful closing section of ‘Some Distant Memory’ featuring the oboe of Helen Powell enhanced the string synth melancholy.

Available on the ELECTRONIC album ‘Electronic’ via EMI Records

http://www.electronicband.com/

THE OTHER TWO Tasty Fish (1991)

Having done the music for the BBC shows including ‘Making Out’ and ‘Reportage’, Gillian Gilbert and Stephen Morris began turning their stockpile of unused material into songs when NEW ORDER went into hiatus. With Gilbert on lead vocals and amusingly titled after a fish and chip shop near Stockport, ‘Tasty Fish’ was a catchy electropop single that should have been a big hit.

Available on THE OTHER TWO album ‘And You’ via LTM Recordings

http://www.ltmrecordings.com/the_other_two.html

A CERTAIN RATIO Shack Up – Radio Edit (1994)

Smoother, tighter, speedier and dancier plus more ELECTRONIC in both name and nature, industrial funksters A CERTAIN RATIO reconfigured and re-recorded their 1980 signature cover which had come out on Factory Benelux with Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr at the production controls. Originally a rare groove track by BANBARRA from 1975, this was part of a 1994 updates retrospective for Creation Records.

Available on the A CERTAIN RATIO album ‘Looking For…’ via Creation Records

https://acrmcr.com

MONACO What Do You Want From Me? (1996)

With the demise of REVENGE and seemingly NEW ORDER, Peter Hook regrouped with guitarist David Potts to form MONACO, a combo very much in the mould of the latter. Proudly embracing his signature melodic bass sound, the first single ‘What Do You Want From Me?’ sounded like it could have come off ‘Technique’, with Hook’s Curtis-like baritone and Potts’ Sumner-esque refrain enabling a prompt audience acceptance for the duo.

Available on the MONACO album ‘Music For Pleasure’ via Polydor Records

http://peterhook.get-ctrl.com/#/

THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS featuring BERNARD SUMNER Out Of Control (1999)

‘Out Of Control’ was THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS’ sonic template actually fulfilling its potential within a song based format with Bernard Sumner as the willing conspirator. With echoes of NEW ORDER’s 12 inch only excursions like ‘Blue Monday’, ‘Confusion’ and ‘Thieves like Us’, ‘Out Of Control’ had everything from a bombastic backbeat, cerebral sequences and bizarre lyrics, especially when Sumner resigned to the fact that “Maybe my moustache is too much…”

Available on THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS album ‘Singles 93-03’ via Virgin Records

http://www.thechemicalbrothers.com/

BLANK & JONES featuring BERNARD SUMNER Miracle Cure (2008)

Having worked with Robert Smith of THE CURE, German trance duo Piet Blank and Jaspa Jones had Bernard Sumner high on their list for their album ‘The Logic Of Pleasure’, which also featured Claudia Brücken. The track managed to fill the electronic dance gap that had opened up with NEW ORDER’s more rock focused albums ‘Get Ready’ and ‘Waiting For The Siren’s Call’, while the single release came with excellent remixes from Mark Reeder and Paul Humphreys from OMD.

Available on the BLANK & JONES album ‘The Logic Of Pleasure’ via Soundcolours

http://www.blankandjones.com/

FACTORY FLOOR A Wooden Box – STEPHEN MORRIS remix (2010)

Some say the music of FACTORY FLOOR is genius, others a load of repetitive bleeping to an incessant four-to-the-floor beat. Stephen Morris was a fan, hearing kindred spirits in their use of sequencers next to live drums and guitars, sometimes on the brink of post-industrial noise chaos. With his remix of ‘Wooden Box’, Morris brought out its more tuneful elements and added some vocoder processing. He continued to work with the band as the producer of 2011’s ‘(Real Love)’.

Available on the FACTORY FLOOR single ‘A Wooden Box’ via Blast First Petite ‎

https://www.facebook.com/factoryfloor/

WESTBAM featuring BERNARD SUMNER She Wants (2013)

Techno DJ WESTBAM celebrated 30 years in the music business with an intriguing mature collection of songs under the title of ‘Götterstrasse’ which featured Iggy Pop, Brian Molko and Hugh Cornwall. ‘She Wants’ saw the return of Bernard Sumner on a new electronic recording. With the guitar driven BAD LIEUTENANT having been his main vehicle over the intervening years, it was great to hear him on something approaching the sound of synth-centred NEW ORDER again.

Available on the WESTBAM album ‘Götterstrasse’ via Vertigo Germany

http://www.westbam.de/dt/en/

NEW ORDER featuring BRANDON FLOWERS Superheated (2015)

Brandon Flowers named THE KILLERS after a fictional band in the ‘Crystal’ video while his own combo covered the JOY DIVISION standard ‘Shadowplay’ for the ‘Control’ film. So a collaboration was not totally unexpected in this union of the sorcerer and the apprentice. A Stuart Price production featuring Flowers on the chorus, ‘Superheated’ was a slice of supreme pop which despite the frantic drum ‘n’ bass elements, sounded more like THE KILLERS than it did NEW ORDER.

Available on the NEW ORDER album ‘Music Complete’ via Mute Artists

http://www.neworder.com

KOISHII & HUSH featuring GILLIAN GILBERT Lifetime – FM ATTACK Remix (2016)

Simon Langford and Alex Sowyrda are the British-Canadian duo KOISHII & HUSH whose tracks have featured unusual vocalists ranging from DURAN DURAN’s John Taylor to actress Joanne Whalley. Gillian Gilbert lent her voice to ‘Lifetime’, sounding not unlike Sarah Blackwood who incidentally sang on their 2015 offering ‘Rules & Lies’. The remix from FM ATTACK aka Canadian synthwave exponent Shawn Ward added a serene crystalline quality to proceedings.

Available on the KOISHII & HUSH single ‘Lifetime’ via Grammaton Recordings

http://www.koishiiandhush.com

RUSTY EGAN featuring PETER HOOK The Other Side (2017)

With the opening salvo ‘The Otherside’ featuring Peter Hook on Rusty Egan’s debut solo album, sonic comparisons with NEW ORDER were inevitable and the song’s melodic basslines showed how much his sound was a vital part of the band. The Bass Viking’s vocals also exuded a vulnerability that listeners could empathise with. But with Hooky touring the JOY DIVISION and NEW ORDER back catalogue, new material has been rare.

Available on the RUSTY EGAN album ‘Welcome To The Dance Floor’ via Black Mosaic

http://rustyegan.net

FREEBASS You Don’t Know This About Me – Remix Instrumental (2017)

A Mancunian supergroup of three bassists Hooky, Mani and Andy Rourke that spent five years in gestation before imploding. Producer Derek Miller aka OUTERNATIONALE was a fan and told ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK: “Really liked this song despite Hooky’s project falling apart on him! As you know, I’ve started and thought it deserved a proper release, albeit belatedly! So, I’ve been back in the studio with it and totally overhauled it sonically. There’s also a surprisingly punchy instrumental mix now”

Available on the FREEBASS single ‘You Don’t Know This About Me’ via 5 Pin Din Recordings

http://www.5pindinrecordings.co.uk

Text by Chi Ming Lai
24th March 2017

Category: Lists & Beginner’s Guides (Page 11 of 24)

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