Tag: Marsheaux (Page 11 of 12)

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 30 SONGS OF 2012

12 December 2012 /


It was a weak year musically overall, but a number of acts with great potential emerged.

However, in stronger years, a fair number of these acts would not have been shortlisted, it has to be said.  So here are ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 30 Songs of 2012, listed in alphabetical order.

All have been released either in physical formats or digitally as purchasable or free downloads during the calendar year. However, the list is limited to one song per artist. It also does not include tracks which are exclusive to streams and videos or DJs only promos…

AUTOMATIC WRITING Continuous

Consisting of the Merrick Brothers, AUTOMATIC WRITING are the angry OMD! Their sombre Eno influenced template is like Wirral’s finest have been given a contemporary anthemic facelift by having WHITE LIES’ Harry McVeigh recruited as lead vocalist! ‘Continuous’ whirs and spins while driven by mutant motorik beats and dysfunctional claustrophobia. The flip ‘Falling’ is a more mid-tempo cousin.

Available as a download single via http://automaticwriting.bandcamp.com/

http://www.facebook.com/automaticwriting

BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT Immature

BRIGHT LIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT is Welsh songwriter/producer Rod Thomas who adopted his ‘Gremlins’ referencing moniker to prevent being mistaken for an acoustic folk act. As the opener to the long awaited album ‘Make Me Believe In Hope’, ‘Immature’ is a great start as it rhythmically percolates in the manner of THE POSTAL SERVICE before a terrific synth section unexpectedly lifts the whole piece several notches. This is a superbly emotive and sensitive piece of pop.

Available on the album ‘Make Me Believe in Hope’ via The Blue Team/Aztec Records

http://www.brightlightx2.com/

CLAUDIA BRÜCKEN Everyone Says Hi

From ‘The Lost Are Found’ album produced by Stephen Hague which also features versions of songs originally by PET SHOP BOYS and DUBSTAR among others, Claudia Brücken’s lively reinterpretation of Bowie’s ‘Everyone Says Hi’ from ‘Heathen’ unveils a previously hidden heartfelt connection, a call for contact like Major Tom in ‘Space Oddity’. Dressed with catchy synth riffs and fuzzy shades, it combines ice maiden chill and organic warmth for an artful sound.

Available on the album ‘The Lost Are Found’ via There (there)

http://www.claudiabrucken.co.uk/

CHVRCHES Lies

Robyn doing an electro cover of ‘The Whole Of The Moon’ may not sound immediately appealing in concept but that’s how this punchy number starts before elevating into a rousing, spirited synth anthem. CHVRCHES could become the next electro combo to shake up the mainstream pop world since LA ROUX. A great song with great melodies and weird noises, herein ‘Lies’ the bridge between leftfield and bubblegum pop.

Available as a free download via Neon Gold

http://www.facebook.com/CHVRCHES

VINCE CLARKE Featuring ANE BRUN Fly On The Windscreen

Novelist Tonya Hurley commissioned her brother-in-law Vince Clarke to record a stark cover of his former band’s ‘Fly On The Windscreen’ with vocalist Ane Brun as part of promotion for her literary trilogy ‘The Blessed’. While the guitar-like textures appear to have been borrowed from the original in an act of artistic continuity, the rest of the arrangement is quite different as the vulnerable feminine twist acts as the ‘Twilight’ Generation’s perfect introduction to DEPECHE MODE.

Available as a download single via iTunes and Amazon

http://www.vinceclarkemusic.com/

http://anebrun.com/

COMPUTE Light As A Feather

COMPUTE is Ulrika Mild, a Gothenburg girl who discovered synthpop via DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Speak and Spell’. ‘The Distance’ is a follow-up to the debut album ‘This’ and from it, ‘Light As a Feather’ is a bouncy but melancholic ditty which suggests a snow mountain of vulnerability. That is certainly apparent in Ulrika’s sweet, fragile voice. It’s beautifully sequenced with layers of eerie string machine for that distinctive Nordic chill.

Available on download album ‘The Distance’ via iTunes and Amazon

http://www.compute.se

CURXES Spectre

Roberta Fidora shows yet another fine turn of aggressive resignation like SIOUXSIE SIOUX in a padded cell while instrumentalist Macaulay Hopwood picks out his unsettling bass notes to full effect. While this CURXES tune is perhaps more guitar driven than what would normally be expected of most electronica, ‘Spectre’ is positively Spartan with symphonic synth stabs and industrial beat snaps…it’s the sound of the overground or Goth ‘n’ Bass…or even Gotham Bass; geddit? Simply exhilarating!

Available as a download single via Amazon and iTunes

http://www.curxes.com

DIVINE KNIGHTS Clouds (THE SANFERNANDO SOUND remix)

Goth laden PET SHOP BOYS from the theatrical Aussie duo dreamily remixed by THE SANFERNANDO SOUND. This is richly synthesized with lashings of atmosphere and accessible melancholy. The extrovertly camp pair have even subverted the realm of the talent show by getting into the semi-finals of ‘Australia’s Got Talent’. Dannii Minogue said: “I think DIVINE KNIGHTS are brave for coming on a show like this because not everybody is going to get them…but I really hope they do well!”

Available as a download single via Amazon and iTunes

http://www.divineknights.com.au/

http://www.facebook.com/thesanfernandosound

ELEVEN:ELEVEN No Words

Texan duo ELEVEN:ELEVEN comprise the feline vocals of Sicca with the instrumentation of Jake Childs and throw in a variety of influences including Italo Disco, Hi-NRG and Electroclash. ‘No Words’ recalls MISS KITTEN & THE HACKER, capturing a tense nightlife seediness. Short but sweet with a swirling middle section, who needs an extended dance mix when the point is made in two and a half minutes?

Available as a free download via http://weare1111.com/

GAZELLE TWIN Changelings (JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS remix)

Stark and mysterious, the living art of GAZELLE TWIN is the moniker of Elizabeth Walling, the Brighton based songstress whose brooding, unsettling Hauntronica has impressed in all the right circles. JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS’ version of one of her best tracks ‘Changelings’ sees Mr Foxx adding his own Cathedral Oceans sweeps to Benge’s Mathematical solutions. In an productive year profile wise, her music was used in the promotion for the film ‘Prometheus’.

Available on the album ‘The Entire City Remixed’ via Anti-Ghost Moon Ray Records

http://www.gazelletwin.com/

GRIMES Oblivion

GRIMES is the kooky Montreal sensation that is Clare Boucher and this Lykke Li fronting KRAFTWERK tune is sumptuously infectious. Despite almost unintelligible vocals, ‘Oblivion’ is probably the most immediate track on the ‘Visions’ album although other tracks like ‘Genesis’ and ‘Be A Body’ explore similarly accessible synthesized avenues. ‘Oblivion’ is ideal for those looking for subtler percussive colours and synthesized tapestries in a leftfield lady meets pop princess fusion.

Available on the album ‘Visions’ via 4AD Records

http://www.grimesmusic.com

HUSKI Close To The Edge

HUSKI first came to public attention on the trendy Shoreditch electro scene back in 2007 with ‘Take Me Your Picture’.  The late lamented Word magazine described ‘Close To The Edge’ as sounding “not unlike how Clare Grogan might if she took a guest slot with THE HUMAN LEAGUE”. As both THE HUMAN LEAGUE and ALTERED IMAGES worked with the late Martin Rushent, that is not as peculiar as it first sounds and it brims with a cutesy allure.

Available on the album ‘H’ via Amazon and iTunes

http://www.huskimusic.com/

IAMAMIWHOAMI Drops

IAMAMIWHOIAMI is the enigmatic electronic multimedia project fronted by Jonna Lee. From her first full length album ‘Kin’, ‘Drops’ is uptempo but almost trancelike. The beats are subtle with just layers of ice and chill to compliment. The clattering fits of noise and metallic textures add to the hypnotism. Jonna Lee’s piercing larynx will polarise listeners but this is Nordic weirdness in all its wonderful glory.

Available on the album ‘Kin’ via To Whom It May Concern

http://www.towhomitmayconcern.cc/

INJE Kofein I CO2

Hailing from Belgrade and featuring the nucleus of vocalist Jelena Miletić and instrumentalist Jovan Vesić, INJE have supported HURTS and FAITHLESS in their home country. Their chromatic East European charge will almost certainly please followers of LADYTRON. The excellent ‘Kofein I CO2’ is sort of DUBSTAR in Serbo-Croat meets David Lynch soundtrack, possessing an aural magnetism that is gorgeously layered with an air of wispy innocence.

Available as a free download from http://inje.rs/

KOVAK Killer Boots

‘Killer Boots’ is cooing new wave electropop with an immediately catchy Italo vibe…think ‘Self Control’ or even ‘Touch Me’! Appropriately decadent and sexy, this catchy song is produced by Gary Numan collaborator Andy Gray. Colourful, energetic and glamourous, KOVAK are like BLONDIE meeting DRAGONETTE and Gwen Stefani through a TUBEWAY ARMY voltage controlled filter.

Available as a download single via 74 Music

http://kovak.co.uk/

LITTLE JINDER Keep On Dreaming

Is it dubstep or is it electro? ‘Keep On Dreaming’ actually sounds more like the latter. When the half beat/two step influences kick in, luckily they do so without the irritating, skipping CD nightmares that devilishly plague most dubstep. But like with all crossover songs, it is the flavour rather than the full blown experience that often wins favour. Confused? Just enjoy… this number by young Stockholm songstress Josefine Jinder features lots of lovely synths!

Available as a download single via Trouble & Bass

http://www.facebook.com/littlejinder

LOVELIFE Brave Face

From the creative minds of former MIRRORS man Ally Young and Lee Newell from one-time indie darlings VIVA BROTHER, ‘Braveface’ is a chilling but uplifting piece of mood music which comes over like OMD fronted by HARD FI! With its Cool Britannia meets Synth Britannia fusion via the Big Apple, LOVELIFE’s genre blend may be confusing indie and electronic music fans alike but at least it’s different.

Available on the free download EP ‘El Regreso’ from http://www.lvlf.info/

https://www.facebook.com/LVLFinfo/

MIRRORS Between Four Walls

Since slimming down to a trio, MIRRORS have been heading for a sparser, textural direction which is perhaps less immediate than their debut album ‘Lights & Offerings’ but nevertheless rewarding with further listens. The beautifully stark drama of ‘Between Four Walls’ is sublime and full of post 3am drama. It is high end atmospheric electronic balladry at its best. “Do you ever wonder how you’ll ever get there when you never turn back around?”

Available as a download single via http://mirrorsofficial.bandcamp.com/

http://www.facebook.com/theworldofmirrors

MODOVAR Clearly

Comprising of Glen Wisbey on synths and the suave persona of Christopher Beecham on vocals, MODOVAR’s most immediate number is the emotively rousing ‘Clearly’. Beecham is a man with a self-confessed admiration of Alison Moyet so ‘Clearly’ connects as a song of love in the first degree. It is just one of their “melodic, anthemic, chorus led songs, lyrically focused on the undercurrents of love and the human condition”. Also check out their cover of ROXY MUSIC’s ‘Same Old Scene’.

Available on the download EP ‘Clearly’ via Amazon and iTunes

http://modovar.com/

MOTOR featuring MARTIN L GORE Man Made Machine

MOTOR’s electro stomper ‘Man Made Machine’ features vocals by DEPECHE MODE’s Martin Gore in a collaboration that sounds not unlike a camp IGGY POP being backed by an angry GOLDFRAPP. In the absence of DM material in 2012, this has been a worthy substitute with Gore luring nervously over the duo’s brand of harder edged techno electro. Incidentally, the same titled parent album also features guest such as Gary Numan and Douglas J McCarthy.

Available on the album ‘Man Made Machine’ via CLR

http://www.wearemotor.com/

THE MYSTIC UNDERGROUND Remember Me

New York domiciled Anglophile duo THE MYSTIC UNDERGROUND’s make “pop songs for the disenchanted, disillusioned and disenfranchised”. Featuring Vladimir Valette on vocals and Benedetto Socci on keyboards, their “life…set to a dance beat” touches a nerve and now more so than the NEW ORDER influenced ‘Remember Me’. An emotive guitar assisted number in the vein of ‘Leave Me Alone’, it is slightly mournful and despaired but melodically secure.

Available on the download EP ‘Dreamers & Lovers’ via Stereosonic Recordings

http://www.themysticunderground.com

KARIN PARK Thousand Loaded Guns

Bjorne goes synthy via THE KNIFE on ‘Thousand Loaded Guns’, a danceable tune that provides a degree of accessibility into the world of darker Nordic climes. Hailing from the forests of Djura in Sweden, Karin Park is yet another child of Drejer-Andersson, straddling between electropop and artier aspirations. Her sound is sonically awkward, albeit in a liberating artistic way. Scandinavia is a great place to be musically at the moment.

Available on the album ‘Highwire Poetry’ via State Of The Eye Recordings

http://www.karinpark.com/

QUEEN OF HEARTS Neon

Following her Arrival in 2011, QUEEN OF HEARTS graced the music world with a glitzy slice of electro schaffel appropriately entitled ‘Neon’. On first hearing this live, t ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gleefully pronounced that this managed to out Goldfrapp GOLDFRAPP. While this had the obvious hallmarks of Lady Alison’s glam stomp, Queenie added her own cooing poptastic flavour, recalling RACHEL STEVENS’ under rated and great lost album ‘Come & Get It’.

Available on the download EP ‘Neon’ via All Things Go Records

http://www.iamqueenofhearts.com/

RITUALS James

Hailing from downtown Los Angeles, RITUALS comprise vocalist Neil Popkin and electronic producer Julian Denis. ‘James’ is rousing neo-NEW ORDER meets THE BRAVERY (remember them?) stomper which is only slightly short of being outstanding due to its demo-ish production…but the song resonates with an appealing doom. ‘Walk Away’ from their 2011 debut EP is another fine example of their potential.

Available as a free download via http://ritualsla.bandcamp.com/

http://ritualsla.com/

SIN COS TAN Trust
SIN COS TAN is the new mathematically charged project of ace producer Jori Hulkkonen and VILLA NAH’s Juho Paalosmaa, “a synthesized duo of great promise, broken dreams, and long nights”. They have certainly delivered with ‘Trust’, all draped in melancholy with emotive vocals haunted by the ghost of Billy Mackenzie. This is subtle, hypnotic dance music with layered strings, sampled cimbalom and Cold War dramatics, it is one of the songs of the year.

Available on the album ‘Sin Cos Tan’ via Solina (Europe) and Sugarcane Recordings (Rest of World)

http://www.facebook.com/homeofsincostan

SINESTAR Hurricane

Bristol’s SINESTAR are a full blown five-piece band with drums, bass and guitar as well as synths and their MESH derived synthesized rock has the potential to crossover into several electronic sub-genres. With a so far small but impressive body of work as showcased on the ‘I Am The Rain’ EP, the terrific ‘Hurricane’ is like FAITHLESS gone rock! Catchy, tuneful and anthemic, they just need to work on the production.

Available on the download EP ‘I Am The Rain’ via Dead Rat Recordings.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sinestar/310216912403126

STRANGERS Safe/Pain

STRANGERS have been perilously close to COLDPLAY territory on occasions. But on ‘Safe/Pain’, a moody slice of sweeping synth noir with a lonely piano intro, the big surprise comes when a series of rave stabs cut in for the ultimate euphoric lift, crossed with a bit of dubstep! The BBC loved ‘Safe/Pain’ and used it for a clip of Team GB’s immense cycling achievements at the end of the London 2012 Olympics, while they got support slots with BLANCMANGE under their belt.

Available as a download single via Beatwolf

http://strangers.co.uk

TITANS It’s Dark

‘It’s Dark’ could be RAMMSTEIN reincarnated as DEPECHE MODE with fewer the flame throwers! TITANS’ vocalist Dan Von Hoyel sounds like a lower register Dave Gahan winning a fight with a less Teutonic Till Lindemann. In an electronic sub-genre known for its shouting, ‘It’s Dark’ manages to sound menacing without forcing the aggression. The edgy electronic backing from Fredrik Mattsson and Jimmy Svensson blends marvellously with the band’s doompop manifesto.

Available on the download album ‘For The Long Gone’ via Progress Productions

http://www.facebook.com/TitansOfficial

ULTRAVOX Live

There were so many songs that could have been chosen but with this opener from their err… Brilliant comeback album was ULTRAVOX’s optimistic message of intent. Musically, ‘Live’ is ‘Dancing With Tears In My Eyes’ without the imminent nuclear holocaust! The instrumental breakdown, which drops to a magnificent pulsing sequence, piano and lone bass drum before the climax, is pure LA DÜSSELDORF and really is something to be savoured.

Available on the album ‘Brilliant’ via Eden Recordings/EMI Records

http://www.ultravoxbrilliant.com/

SAORI YUKI Yoake No Scat (MARSHEAUX remix)

While recording their long awaited new album ‘Inhale’, MARSHEAUX added to their remix portfolio with a terrific reworking of a track dating back to 1969 by Japanese classic singer Saori Yuki. Adding incessant beats, infectious pulsing synth and melancholic washes of sound to the more organic re-recording with PINK MARTINI from 2011, this brings Kayokyoku (a style of Japanese music thatabsorbs various Western styles) into the electro age with a Melody For a New Dawn.

Available as a download single via EMI Japan

http://ameblo.jp/saori-yuki

Text by Chi Ming Lai
12th December 2012

Introducing TWINS NATALIA

9 August 2012 /

TWINS NATALIA are an Anglo-German collective of creative minds from various artistic fields “working together in order to create some beautiful, catchy yet melancholic and substantial electropop”.

The brainchild of Steve Lippert, they also feature Marc Schaffer, Dave Hewson, Julie Ruler, Sharon Abbott and Marc Schaffer.

Incidentally, the latter three are also part of the cult synth act POEME ELECTRONIQUE who released a single ‘The Echoes Fade’ in 1982 which found a champion in the late John Peel.

Speaking about TWINS NATALIA, Dave Hewson told Burning Flame: “it’s a kind of electronic co-operative. Marc sends me a demo of a track – and I then transform this into a finished song with lyrics from Sharon, Sharon sings lead vocals and Julie sings backing, although this is never set in stone.”

In 2008, this ensemble issued a fabulous single ‘When We Were Young’ b/w ‘Kleiner Satellit’. Rich in vintage machinery and deep resigned female vocals with glorious Weimar overtones a la GINA X, the two tracks were weirdly technostalgic but mysteriously futuristic at the same time. Indeed, there were even echoes of TECHNO TWINS’ lost 1982 electro cover of ‘Falling In Love Again’ which was made famous by MARLENE DIETRICH. But then this was not wholly unsurprising as TECHNO TWINS’ instrumentalist and unpictured third member was Dave Hewson!

Composed using drum machines such as the Boss Doctor Rhythm, Roland TR-606 and TR-808 alongside synths like the wonderfully ‘swimmy’ Crumar Performer, Korg MS-20, Korg Poly-61 and Roland SH-2, the metronomic structures of TWINS NATALIA’s songs are the backbone to a strangely humanic sound brimming with neu romance.

Releasing their work on Marc Schaffer’s own Anna Logue Records who issued the lost POEME ELECTRONIQUE material as a collection entitled ‘The Echoes Fade’, TWINS NATALIA’s only other recording so far has been the gorgeously sequenced ‘Destiny’ on ‘The Anna Logue Years – Fifth Anniversary Compilation’ from 2010 which celebrated the label’s back catalogue and included cult acts such as CAMERA OBSCURA (the Minimal Wave duo, NOT the hipster Glaswegians!)

But all that is about to change thanks to a union with Greek synth maidens MARSHEAUX. Marianthi and Sophie declared ‘When We Were Young’ their favourite song of 2008 and have sweetly covered it for a special split ‘AA’ sided 7 inch single.

In reciprocation, TWINS NATALIA have recorded ‘Radial Emotion’ from ‘Lumineux Noir’ in their own inimitable style, adding a more Teutonic demeanour and fiercer euro-rhythmics. Incidentally, another split ‘AA’ release ‘I Avoid Strangers’ on 12 inch is due for release in mid-August with (you’ve guessed it!) POEME ELECTRONIQUE who contribute  ‘I Wouldn’t Change Me For Anyone’.

TWINS NATALIA’s debut album, which provisionally features songs such as ‘C’est La Weekend’, ‘Freedom’, ‘In My Arms Again’ and ‘Scary Monster’, is expected to be completed later in the year. Based on what previews there have been so far, it’s all sounding very good!

TWINS NATALIA / MARSHEAUX ‘Radial Emotion’ / ‘When We Were Young’ is released as a 7 inch vinyl limited edition of 500 copies on 7th June 2012 by Anna Logue/Undo Records. It features a full colour outer sleeve with a printed embossed inner.

http://twinsnatalia.blogspot.de/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Twins-Natalia/207356979275587

http://soundcloud.com/twins-natalia

Meanwhile, POEME ELECTRONIQUE themselves have a new version of ‘She’s An Image’ available at: http://davehewson.bandcamp.com/album/shes-an-image

http://www.poeme-electronique.com/

http://soundcloud.com/davepoemeelectronique

To purchase physical releases from the TWINS NATALIA and POEME ELECTRONIQUE catalogue, please visit: http://annaloguerecords.blogspot.co.uk/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
9th August 2012

MARSHEAUX The E-Bay Queen Is Dead

9 July 2012 /

‘The E-bay Queen Is Dead’ is a fantastic collection of rarities, covers and unreleased tracks from the MARSHEAUX archives.

Although the artwork pays tribute to THE SMITHS’ ‘The Queen Is Dead’, content wise, the album probably has more in common with the Manchester foursome’s ‘Hatful Of Hollow’. Housed in two different vinyl replica gatefold sleeves featuring Marianthi and Sophie in that iconic pose made famous by Alain Delon, these CDs are worth the purchase price for that alone…but what about the content?

As can be expected from the Athens synth maidens, the quality is top notch. ‘Do You Feel?’ and ‘Inside’ aka ‘Thirteen/True’, which were recorded during the sessions for their upcoming new album ‘Inhale’, are a fine indicator of what could be expected from this highly anticipated fourth long player. Previewed online earlier this year, they reveal the high standards of MARSHEAUX’s output even though this pair will not be included on the final tracklisting.

The ‘Breakthrough’ B-side ‘How Does It Feel?’ is a suitably strange mechanised addition to the tradition with its wobbly effects and chopped up breathy samples. ‘Sadly’ is another fine tune originally recorded for their second album while there is also the brilliant FRONT 242 influenced ‘Bizzare Love Duo’ which was previously a vinyl only release coupled with ‘Ghost’.

Meanwhile, ‘Ghost’ itself makes an appearance in the form of a great Smash Up with FOTONOVELA’s ‘Hammer’, turning the song into a more dance laden cocktail. And despite being a slightly more throwaway offering, the ironically titled ‘Fischerprice’ is good fun although unlikely to win any songwriters awards.

MARSHEAUX are known for their charmingly delightful synthpop covers and THE HUMAN LEAGUE’s ‘Empire State Human’, Billy Idol’s ‘Eyes Without A Face’ and a solo interpretation of OMD’s ‘She’s Leaving’ are all present and correct. However, their version of DEPECHE MODE’s ‘New Life’ from Undo’s ‘A Greek Tribute To Depeche Mode’ CD is absent and would have been preferable to the shortened stripped down alternate strings mix of NEW ORDER’s ‘Regret’ from ‘Peek ABoo’.

Of the little heard archive recordings included, the electroboppy instrumental ‘Now & Never’ is a very promising demo that would make Vince Clarke proud while the two short variations of a theme entitled ‘Fly Away’ and ‘Cosmogirl’ indicate the potential for a magnificent full length composition. ‘The E-bay Queen Is Dead’, despite the disparate sources of the tracks, delivers a mostly cohesive listening experience and will become a highly collectable artefact. So don’t hesitate… if you see it, buy one. Or two if you fancy owing the set!

‘The E-bay Queen Is Dead’ is released by Undo Records and will be available as a CD and download

For the girls’ liner notes on the tracks, please view their blog entry at: http://marsheaux.wordpress.com/2012/05/22/e-bay-queen-is-dead-but-sophie-says-she-isnt/

http://www.marsheaux.com

http://www.facebook.com/marsheaux

https://twitter.com/marsheaux

Text by Chi Ming Lai
9th July 2012

A Short Conversation with MARSHEAUX

15 April 2012 /

Comprising of Marianthi Melitsi and Sophie Sarigiannidou, the name MARSHEAUX is actually derived from the first syllable of each of their names.

Originally from Thessaloniki, the girls moved to Athens and came together to further their appreciation of electronic pop music. Brought up to the sound of the synthesizer and learning to dance to the beat of electronic drums, Marianthi and Sophie lived on a healthy diet of DEPECHE MODE, HUMAN LEAGUE, OMD, SPARKS, SOFT CELL, DURAN DURAN and NEW ORDER.

They released their first studio album’ e-Bay Queen’ in 2004. MARSHEAUX’s irresistible mix of classic pop hooks and virtual analogue synthesis has seen them stretch their sophisticated appeal across Europe.

2007’s ‘Peek ABoo’ made a great bleep forward but it was their third opus ‘Lumineux Noir’ that was considered to be MARSHEAUX’s most accomplished work to date. Well received appearances at festivals including Pluswelt and Amphi have gained them a loyal, enthusiastic following. In addition, MARSHEAUX have also played prestigious support slots for OMD, ROISIN MURPHY and CLIENT. As well as recording original material, MARSHEAUX have remixed for other artists from DEPECHE MODE, THE HUMAN LEAGUE and OMD to Moby, Katy Perry, Mylène Farmer and Andy Bell.

In a break from recording their fourth album, ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK were kindly granted an audience with MARSHEAUX and chatted to us about their upcoming campaign.

The new album has taken longer perhaps than the fans were expecting. What has been happening since ‘Lumineux Noir’ in 2009?

There may have been three years since the last album but it doesn’t mean though that we haven’t done any other work! We did a lot of remixes and collaborated with other artists too. The truth is though that we work with our own time schedule. We don’t put deadlines and we don’t want to get stressed about it. Also, the last two years of the crisis happening here in Greece, it would have been a lie if we’d said that it didn’t affect us.

How do you look back on ‘Lumineux Noir’? Many considered it your most accomplished piece of work, your ‘Violator’…

Ha! Ha! We’d rather say that ‘LN’ was our ‘Low Life’ and that now, we are releasing ‘Technique’. So you have to be patient about our diamond ‘Power Corruption & Lies’. ‘LN’ was literally a wonderful album. We had great critics coming from all over! Our new album though is going to be even better than that!

Have your writing and recording methods changed much since Lumineux Noir? Where has there been the biggest development in your opinion?

We haven’t changed much. The way we write songs is exactly the same as before… the only thing that has changed is that we have better sound cards and mixer!

Have you purchased any new toys or instruments to help you along?

We’ve bought some old drum machines like Linn Drum LM2 and Oberheim DMX. Also the Korg PSS50 Super Section that Martin Rushent once advertised which we bought from Dean Honer of I MONSTER who did the production for THE HUMAN LEAGUE’s ‘Credo’. We also want to buy the Dave Smith Tempest designed by Roger Linn!

You have been unfairly criticised for your lyrics in the past… I would like to see these people write in Greek. How are you finding this aspect of your songwriting now?

We never claimed to be the Leonard Cohen of electropop. A lot of wonderful phrases in Greek don’t sound as great in English or even worse sound silly when written down on paper. You have to think and write like you are English, which is really difficult as we are not brought up there! We’ve made an extra effort on the new album though!

What new musical influences have there been? FEVER RAY seems to be one, but are there any others?

If you are referring to’ Can You Stop Me?’, you may be right, but it is the only song written in that style. We really love FEVER RAY but she’s never been of our main influences! We prefer THE KNIFE. We haven’t been influenced by any in particular in this album.

You had over twenty songs to choose from for this album? How did you come to your final selection?

It’s been really hard because the three years that have passed since ‘LN’, we’ve written a lot of demos. The twenty songs we’ve come down with are considered to be the ones that have the dynamic for a new MARSHEAUX album. Eleven of them made it to the album, some of rest remained really rough, some others were completed but were rejected. These ones are going to be put, among with other obscurities, in a compilation named ‘The eBay Queen Is Dead’, that will be only be available at our concerts.

How would you describe the sound of the new album? What makes it different to ‘Lumineux Noir’ and your other work?

Atmospheric electro pop… honestly it is difficult to tell the difference from our other albums. All of the albums are our children. Each one of them symbolizes a different time period in our lives. ‘eBay Queen’ has the naivety of the beginner, ‘Peek ABoo’ has all our optimism and a very good mood while ‘LN’ is a bit darker. The new one has our feelings more exposed and is more daring.

What are your favourite songs from the new album and why?

‘Self Control’, ‘Alone’, ‘Inhale’, ‘End Is A New Start’ and ‘Come On Now’ are some but we won’t say more, because we don’t want to spoil it!

How is the packaging looking for the new album? What crazy proposals did you consider and reject?

We really don’t know yet. We’ve already discussed some ideas with Undo, the only thing for sure is that we are going to use our own images on the cover. We’d really love to have a colorful 7’’s box. We love to have vinyl. We believe it would work with our aesthetics. Undo is going to release all of our three past albums in vinyl in 2012.

Which festivals and countries do you hope to be playing as part of this forthcoming album campaign?

We already have Spain, France, Portugal, Sweden, Canada and USA booked. We have to wait though first for the album to come out so that we later can announce our tour! Another difference from the other albums is that we have decided to tour for this one, something we’ve never done before!

Your favourite songs or albums by other artists at the moment?

Has ORBITAL’s album been released? We’ve great expectations from this one! We’re also waiting for the new HOT CHIP. The 2BEARS side project was really good. Thomas Dolby’s album was a surprise! WASHED OUT are great! Same goes for John Maus. We were expecting much more from GRIMES and of course we have to mention THE SOUND OF ARROWS and Johan Agebjörn’s ‘Casablanca Nights’, their work that got stuck on our players. We also love ECHOES, they are going to remix our new single and we recently heard STILL CORNERS ‘Creatures Of an Hour’! Great work too!

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its sincerest thanks to MARSHEAUX and Undo Records.

http://www.marsheaux.com

http://www.facebook.com/marsheaux

https://twitter.com/marsheaux

http://marsheaux.wordpress.com/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
15th April 2012

A Beginner’s Guide To The MARSHEAUX Remixes

3 December 2011 /

In these days of modern remixing, recordings are often reworked to oblivion with the end result being a pointless club track that bears little relation to the original.

In these types of reinterpretations, vocal samples might occasionally appear but everything else is as good as rendered unrecognisable. One of the worst early examples of this indulgence was the Transcendental Constant Viper Mix of OMD’s ‘Stand Above Me’ by Phil Kelsey from 1993… that case was made even worse because what had actually been reworked was another track altogether, namely ‘Dream Of Me’!

Who these versions are aimed at is often a mystery although an excellent article on How The Major Labels Sold ‘Electronica’ To America sheds light on how this madness may have started. And now today with reciprocal remix arrangements being used as part of a dual marketing tool, sometimes quite incongruous pairings are procured with the final outcome getting a mixed reception and often alienating both sets of fanbases.

However, some artists take a more sympathetic approach to the remix opportunity and offer beat enhancements, extra melodic parts and instrumental breakdowns to compliment a track in a far more classic tradition. Richard X, Mark Reeder, PET SHOP BOYS, THE MANHATTAN CLIQUE and FREEMASONS have proved to be fine purveyors of this more accessible song based interplay. But one duo who outstrip them all with their digi-electro style are Athens based synthgirls MARSHEAUX.

Together with their producers FOTONOVELA, Marianthi Melitsi and Sophie Sarigiannidou combine their best synthpop sensibilities with both feet on the dancefloor to deliver some of the best received pop styled remixes of the last ten years with many established artists among their portfolio. These include official commissions, such as one for Katy Perry which has since become the biggest selling single recording that MARSHEAUX have been involved in, as well as bootlegs for their own club DJ sets.

The gift Sophie and Marianthi have when remixing is they always manage to enhance a song with their stamp while retaining the core essence of the original – simple in theory but in reality, not an easy thing to do! But when MARSHEAUX had a go at remixing OMD’s comeback single ‘If You Want It’, even their dainty craft work couldn’t turn that particular donkey into a racehorse!

So with a new album from Sophie and Marianthi still a while away, here then are MARSHEAUX’s best 18 remixes to check out, in alphabetical order by artist. ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK believes this impressive collection would make a rather good compilation album. Perhaps it could be called ‘Dream Of A Disco’?

CLIENT Its Not Over (2008)

MARSHEAUX took their visual inspiration from CLIENT so when they toured Germany together in 2008, it was a most perfect pairing. On ‘It’s Not Over’, some Hellenic shine is added to CLIENT’s Cold War chic for a slice of electro perfection. Sarah Blackwood’s vocal is given space to breathe while the sharpened glitterball backing retains the fuzzy edge of the original but with some additional Eurocentric riffage.

Available on the CD EP ‘It’s Not Over’ via Out Of Line Records Germany. Listen on YouTube http://youtu.be/P1A9d6kU7JE

www.client-online.eu

www.eblackwood.com

DAYBEHAVIOR It’s A Game (2011)

This synth trio hail from Stockholm but with singer Paulinda’s Italian heritage, a Mediterranean flavour colours their cooler Nordic spirit. So with that in mind, come the bouncy remix of an already brilliant track, this version of ‘It’s A Game’ could easily be mistaken for one of Sophie and Marianthi’s own recordings.

Available on the download single ‘It’s A Game’ via Graplur Records Sweden

www.daybehavior.com

DEPECHE MODE A Pain That I’m Used To (2007)

Already a magnificent brooding epic in its original form, this mighty opener to the ‘Playing The Angel’ album boasted “pain and suffering in various tempos” was brilliantly transformed by MARSHEAUX. They adding their own sparkling top end dynamic as well as an ominous bass rumble. Although never officially released, this was voted top remix in a poll of DEPECHE MODE fans.

www.depechemode.com

ELECTROBELLE Mirrorball (2008)

The original first appeared in 2008 on an EMI Greece related compilation as part of the lead up to a full single release by Undo Records. However, this did not materialise and it wasn’t until Autumn 2010 that it was issued in its own right as an independent EP. The original was good but MARSHEAUX’s remix was even better. The girls toughened ‘Mirrorball’ up to an EU friendly dancefloor splendour with additional air-synth riffage and interluding attacks that added some extra energy to proceedings.

Available on the CD EP ‘Mirrorball’ via Eden Records

https://www.facebook.com/electrobelle

MYLÈNE FARMER N’aie Plus D’amertume (2011)

Gallic songstress Mylène Farmer is her country’s equivalent of Madonna if slightly less controversial and diva-ish. Her sound does seem to benefit from disco enhancements, having already scored a No1 in her own country with the MOBY / MANHATTAN CLIQUE collaboration ‘Crier La Vie’. Almost translating as “do more bitterness”, this ballad is given a dreamy uptempo facelift by MARSHEAUX which is pop perfection.

www.mylene.net

THE HUMAN LEAGUE Sky (2011)

Like a post mid-life update of 1984’s ‘Louise’ for the new millennium, Philip Oakey says ‘Sky’ is about “meeting dead girls in bars”. Suitably sombre and monotone synthpop for ‘The Vampire Diaries’ generation, ‘Sky’ is proof that Da League can still come up with great tunes. MARSHEAUX’s busy pulsing adds more fortified Italo elements without disrupting the original’s wonderful melancholy and livens the tempo.

www.thehumanleague.co.uk

HURTS Better Than Love (2010)

Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Adamson’s HI-NRG ditty underwent many manifestations having been originally part of their previous band DAGGERS’ live set. The fastest paced song in the HURTS catalogue, MARSHEAUX’s version hypnotised with its frenetic dancefloor friendliness and sequencing. Again retaining all the best euphoric elements of the song, this remix simply sparkles with optimism.

www.informationhurts.com

IN-VOX featuring ANDY BELL Will I Ever? (2004)

Ever wondered how ERASURE would have sounded doing ‘Go West’? Here it is in this highly uplifting collaboration with Greek duo IN-VOX. The original was fairly guitar driven but MARSHEAUX’s remix, which incidentally was their first, added a distinct electronic sheen to make it a pop masterpiece. Much better than the cover versions which Andy and Vince were attempting at this point.

Available on the CD single ‘Will I Ever?’ via Sony Music Greece and Columbia Records Austria.  Listen on YouTube http://youtu.be/YvkwXKlvZwk

www.myspace.com/invox1

www.andybell.com

KID MOXIE Medium Pleasure  (2009)

KID MOXIE give a cynical snarl waxing lyrical about how society accepts the culturally mundane and mediocre. With a tedious evening led by COLDPLAY, SNOW PATROL and ELBOW for Children In Need warmly received by the masses, this just rings so true. Thankfully, MARSHEAUX’s interpretation of ‘Medium Pleasure’ is anything but mundane and mediocre, with rhythmical life enhancement through exposure to cool female fronted electro guaranteed.

Available on the Greek CD edition of ‘Selector’ via Undo Records. Listen on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRRrL0pWyrk

www.myspace.com/kidmoxie

MESH Crash (2006)

Adding some light into the dark industrialists’s repertoire, this bleepy reworking emphasises MESH’s sometimes hidden knack for rousing and catchy electronic tunes. With some of the rockier tendencies stripped away, it becomes club friendly gothic pop that retains the all the dynamic tension and synth soloing of its parent recording. It’s almost like DEPECHE MODE go disco, complete with a lift from ‘It’s No Good’!

Available on the Greek CD edition of ‘We Collide’ via Undo Records.

www.mesh.co.uk

MIRRORS Into The Heart (2011)

Christened the ‘Greek Girls Are Not Easy’ mix, Sophie and Marianthi turned MIRRORS’ most accessible track into a sensational neo-robotic danceathon. The as-yet-unreleased extended version added even more sharp synth counterpoints to the majestic singalong with the whole package proving that classic Synth Britannia influences are nothing to be ashamed of.

Available on the Greek CD edition of ‘Lights & Offerings’ via Undo Records. Listen on YouTube https://youtu.be/77f812hkDBg

www.theworldofmirrors.com

MOBY Lift Me Up (2005)

The original version was used as the theme for the UK’s Formula 1 coverage for a few years in the noughties and while it doesn’t have the instant resonance that FLEETWOOD MAC’s ‘The Chain’ has in its association with motorsport, it is certainly an energetically rousing anthem. At a less frantic pace, MARSHEAUX’s remix with its firm octave shift drive is a regular staple in their DJ sets and always well received by clubbers.

www.moby.com

OMD She’s Leaving (2008)

Technically, this is not a remix as it started life as a cover version of the ‘Architecture And Morality’ classic. However, a new vocal by Andy McCluskey was added and this delightfully rounded with the angelic melancholy of MARSHEAUX’s own sweet timbres. Given a modern discofied softsynth facelift, this pretty duet is a fine example of how yesterday’s tomorrow can successfully meet the present and the future.

Unreleased at time of writing, listen on YouTube http://youtu.be/ly6JDo8o1I0

www.omd-messages.co.uk

KATY PERRY Hot ‘N’ Cold (2009)

Katy Perry kissed a girl and liked it, but behind all the shock tactics was some quality songs written by Cathy Dennis and in the case of ‘Hot ‘N’ Cold’, Swedish megapop producer Max Martin. Taking its cue from the PET SHOP BOYS remix of THE KILLERS’ ‘Read My Mind’, this superb reworking by MARSHEAUX can only be described as truly banging! When presented to Katy Perry’s management, they were none too pleased but the lady herself loved it and sanctioned its release.

Available exclusively as an iTunes download single via EMI Records Greece

www.katyperry.com

SAKIS ROUVAS Shake It (2004)

MARSHEAUX went to the Eurovision Song Contest with their electro assisted radio mix of this saucy uptempo number. Sakis Rouvas, who could be considered Greece’s own Ricky Martin, came 3rd in proceedings and went to No1 in his home country. While ‘Shake It’ is not exactly a work of genius, it is good fun and did considerably better than the UK’s entry which came 16th.

Available on the CD Single ‘Shake It’ via EMI Records

http://www.sakisrouvas.com/

SALLY SHAPIRO Jackie Jackie (2010)

SALLY SHAPIRO is the Queen of Scandinavian electropop and has won many admirers. With her wispy vocal and discotheque tendencies, she shares a musical affinity with MARSHEAUX. Interestingly though, the original of this was more of a pretty crystalline ballad. So MARSHEAUX added a 2010 percussive backbone to give it disco potential and thereby construct an uplifting anthem in time for the new decade.

www.facebook.com/shapirosally

TAREQ Mosquito (2011)

Greco Jordanian Tareq Souleiman was previously the lead singer of TECH SOIR and his vocal timbres make him electro’s answer to INXS’ Michael Hutchence as his cover of ‘Need You Tonight’ indeed shows. ‘Mosquito’ with its relaxed but pacey drum ‘n’ pop was the superb highlight from his first solo album ‘Cocoon’. Here though, MARSHEAUX take the pace down to a slower off-beat groove for an even greater chilled mood with Marianthi’s soft vocals, symphonic strings and KRAFTWERK’s Vako Orchestron choirs from ‘Radio-Activity’ added to the mix.

http://www.facebook.com/Tareqdisco

TIGER BABY Girlfriend (2006)

Dream laden electro from Copenhagen, TIGER BABY are another act who could be mistaken for MARSHEAUX with that synthpop vibe combined with sweetly gorgeous vocals from Pernille Pang. Stylistically, this has all the impressive hallmarks of the MARSHEAUX sound combined with the unmistakeable melodic sensibility that Scandinavian pop acts seem to naturally possess.

Available on the CD single ‘Girlfriend’ via Gunhero Records Denmark

www.tigerbaby.dk

With thanks to MARSHEAUX, all at Undo Records and EMI Greece

A selection of MARSHEAUX’s remixes can be heard at:
https://soundcloud.com/marsheauxremixes/

http://www.marsheaux.com

http://www.undorecords.com

Text by Chi Ming Lai
3rd December 2011

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