Author: electricityclub (Page 1 of 430)

“I don’t like country & western, I don’t like rock music… I don’t like rockabilly! I don’t like much really do I? But what I do like, I love passionately!!”: CHRIS LOWE

“Good taste is exclusive”: NICK RHODES

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 30 SONGS OF 2025

10 December 2025 /

Sometimes ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK does wonders what century it is living in?

One individual complained on social media that there were far too many women in ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 30 SONGS OF 2024 earlier this year; well they really are out of luck because this time round, only 8 out of the 30 songs listed are of an entirely male preserve as in 2025, the female side of synth was strong.

As in the past, ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK continues to curate its end of year summary around songs rather than albums as the best representation of an annual period thanks to the long gestation periods of many albums and EPs. Although the last 12 months were plagued with generic darkwave to take the place of the insipid synthwave that was prevalent for a period, there were glimmers of creative hope in electronic pop.

While this year’s list was quite straightforward compile, worthy mentions must be given to NNHMN and SIN COS TAN as well as Zanias and Kalipo who all had tracks that just missed out on inclusion in the final list of 30. Available on the usual online platforms with a restriction of one song per artist moniker and placed in alphabetical order, for better or for worse, these are ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 30 SONGS OF 2025…

ASSEMBLAGE 23 The Line

With its on-point social commentary, ‘Null’ ranks among Tom Shear’s best albums as ASSEMBLAGE 23. Galloping mightily to ‘The Line’, a blend of dark electronic pop influences provide an album standout full of resigned drama when “it doesn’t matter anyway…”; reflecting on political polarisation affecting friendships, he said “you have to evaluate whether you want to keep these people in your life or do you really need to let them go…”

Available on the ASSEMBLAGE 23 album ‘Null’ via Metropolis Records

https://www.assemblage23.com/

AUSTRA Math Equation

Back as AUSTRA, ‘Chin Up Buttercup’ was a cathartic record capturing the aftermath of Katie Stelmanis’ break-up with her long-term partner. Like a discontented ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’, the superb ‘Math Equation’ sees a sad but dancey syncopated dance tune with frank observations of navigating modern dating. “You said I needed my own friends and then you f*cked them” she despaired as elegiac synths mourn the end.

Available on the AUSTRA album ‘Chin Up Buttercup’ via Domino Recordings

https://austra.fyi/

TOBIAS BERNSTRUP Under Heavy Strobe Light

Swedish dark Italo artist Tobias Bernstrup is back with his seventh studio album ‘Shadow Dancer’. According to Bernstrup, it “explores the tension between appearance and reality—how we perform identity, desire, and memory in a world flooded with simulation”. On ‘Under Heavy Strobe Light’, the beats pump harder and the voice is deeper but as the title suggests, this throbbing excursion is made for “creatures of the night” who love the dancefloor.

Available on the TOBIAS BERNSTRUP album ‘Shadow Dancer’ via Nadanna Records

http://www.bernstrup.com/

CAUSEWAY featuring ENDLESS ATLAS Anywhere

Although CAUSEWAY maintained their cinematic dreamwave sound on the ‘Anywhere’ album, its title track was a key statement that went all Motorik and minimal with the guitar of Dale Hiscock from ENDLESS ATLAS contributing the West Coast meets Düsseldorf flavour. Eschewing the density of most of the tracks on the album, the duo’s Marshall Watson said “To me it feels very ‘out of the box’ for CAUSEWAY but it fits in our universe”.

Available on the CAUSEWAY album ‘Anywhere’ is released by Sprechen Music

https://www.facebook.com/wearecauseway

CLAUDIA BRÜCKEN Shadow Dancer

‘Night Mirror’ saw Claudia Brücken back working with John Williams who produced her third solo album ‘Where Else…’; with her characteristic ice maiden cool, the brilliant ‘Shadow Dancer’ turned the album on its head with an uptempo electronically driven number with minimal rhythm guitar and piano sparring off the synthetic stabs and metronomic rhythms. Here Claudia’s assuring poetry was supreme in this divine slice of avant pop.

Available on the CLAUDIA BRÜCKEN album ‘Night Mirror’ via Demon Music Group

https://www.claudiabrucken.co.uk/

COMPUTE Närmare

Through circumstance and by choice, Ulrika Mild is perhaps one of the best kept secrets in Swedish electronic pop. Under her alias of COMPUTE, she says “I’m just a girl standing in front of a machine asking it to go ‘bleep bloop’…” but there was a darker if still melodic presence on her ‘NKI’ EP. Its opening song ‘Närmare’ was a feisty club friendly track that acted as an observation about the world problems that threaten human existence.

Available on the COMPUTE EP ‘NKI’ via https://computopia.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/computopia

MARIE DAVIDSON Fun Times

Co-written and co-produced with SOULWAX, ‘City Of Clowns’ was the first album from Marie Davidson in over 4 years. More English than French but also more song-based, she had some ‘Fun Times’ on a spiky vibrant number about not having children and challenging the now-prevalent far right view that a woman’s only meaningful role in society is reproducing… why bother with all that when her babies can be her art and her fun?

Available on the MARIE DAVIDSON album ‘City Of Clowns’ via DEEWEE

https://www.facebook.com/mariedavidson.official

DIE SEXUAL Magic Never Dies

From out of the shadows to under the strobe lights, DIE SEXUAL are the erotically charged Los Angeles-based duo of Anton Floriano and his wife Ros. DIE SEXUAL’s dark electronic influences examine themes of domination and submission. The cut and thrust of ‘Magic Never Dies’ provided another throbbing banger for the alternative dancefloor to enable responsible misbehaviour and to dance like nobody’s watching.

Available on the DIE SEXUAL EP ‘Desire’ via https://diesexual.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/diesexualofficial/

DINA SUMMER Disco Goth

For the second DINA SUMMER album, there was a natural progression from the previous EP ‘Hide & Seek’, playing on its darker but still club friendly aesthetics. Straddling the worlds of electronic disco and alternative rock, ‘Disco Goth’ heads to the dancefloor as frantic throbbing electronics is accompanied commentary on how to get that look. There is an energetic thrill that comes from the decadent dance and being in the ‘Girls Gang’.

Available on the DINA SUMMER album ‘Girls Gang’ via Iptamenos Discos

https://dinasummer.berlin/

DLINA VOLNY Chant

Playing with the physics of sound while exploring a variety of introspective themes, exiled Belarusian trio DLINA VOLNY understandably now sound heavier than they ever have before, but have retained their all-important melodic contrasts to counter any possibilities of proceedings becoming too dirgey. Playing on their post-punk sensibilities, the exuberant if still sombre ‘Chant’ imagines Siouxsie gone Motorik…

Available on the DLINA VOLNY album ‘In Between’ via Italians Do It Better

https://dlinavolny.com/

EMMON & MAJESTOLUXE Blood On The Ceiling

As EMMON, Emma Nylen has evolved since her 2007 indie synthpop debut ‘The Art & The Evil’ into a more rugged EBM inclined direction as captured on the mighty ‘Blood On The Ceiling’, her collaboration with subarctic urban industrial artist MAJESTOLUXE. Suitably dark and complimented by chilling, mass murderer-themed lyrics, its hypnotic sonic carousel was inspired by German electropunk pioneers LIAISONS DANGEREUSES.

Available on the EMMON album ‘Icon’ via https://emmon.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/emmonsweden/

https://www.facebook.com/majestoluxe

GLITBITER Bury The Sky

The musical vehicle of LA-based New Yorker Florence Bullock, following the release of her debut EP ‘Short Stories’ in 2017, she went on to collaborate with BETAMAXX on ‘Skyhigh’ in 2019 before her most recent EP ‘Glass & Steel’ in 2021. ‘Bury The Sky’ is the first GLITBITER song in quite a few years and imagines a “girl on a mountain” in this delightful slice of fantasy futurism and fascinating rhythms that are fast if not furious.

Available on the GLITBITER single ‘Bury The Sky’ via https://glitbiter.bandcamp.com/track/bury-the-sky

https://www.facebook.com/glitbiter

ALISON GOLDFRAPP Hey Hi Hello

With the 20th Anniversary of ‘Supernature’, it seemed appropriate after the HI-NRG stomp of her debut ’The Love Invention’ that the new Alison Goldfrapp solo album would recall some of the serene avant pop that characterised that record. Co-produced by Stefan Storm of THE SOUND OF ARROWS, ‘Hey Hi Hello’ was exuberant but bittersweet pop and less full on, written during a period when she became single for the first time in years.

Available on the ALISON GOLDFRAPP album ‘Flux’ via AG Records

https://www.alisongoldfrapp.com/

ERIKA GRAPES & EUGENE Love Is A Bitch

A cover of American singer-songwriter Bill Dess, best known as Two Feet, the Italian pairing of Erika Grapes and Eugenio Valente acknowledged that ‘Love Is A Bitch’ in this slo-mo reworking of a modern blues number about how blindfolded love cam lead to a trail of toxic events. Seen through a twisted industrial lens in the wake of a heavy relationship breakup, the sub-bass tension and keyboard motifs exuded a glorious cinematic gothique.

Available on the ERIKA GRAPES & EUGENE single ‘Love Is A Bitch’ via https://erikagrapes.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ErikaGrapesMusic

https://www.facebook.com/eugenemusic

MARI KATTMAN Typical Girl

Self-producing for the first time, Mari Kattman decided it was the ‘Year Of The Katt’; what is now on offer is a collection of mostly catchy electronic songs with crossover potential for the dance floor. This was exemplified by this pumping industrial pop anthem where in a protest song against female stereotyping, our heroine rebels against cast being seen as “a difficult person” and a ‘Typical Girl’ to question “who’s gonna love you now…”

Available on the MARI KATTMAN album ‘Year Of The Katt’ via Metropolis Records

https://www.facebook.com/MariKattman/

KITE featuring NINA PERSSON Heartless Places

Now fully able to explore their position as the world’s leading dark synth duo, Nicklas Stenemo and Christian Berg pushed presentation boundaries during the KITE On Ice spectacular at Stockholm’s Avicii stadium. Featuring Nina Persson of THE CARDIGANS, the rumbling ‘Heartless Places’ utilised sinister vocal pitch shifts to capture a bleakness where a world of “hollow faces” are now “caught between hell and loneliness”.

Available on the KITE single ‘Heartless Places’ via DAIS

https://www.facebook.com/KiteHQ

https://www.instagram.com/theninapersson/

LADY GAGA How Bad Do U Want Me?

The ‘Mayhem’ album saw Lady Gaga her return to the glitzy electropop with which she found ‘The Fame’. With its array of classic influences, a Siouxsie interpolation figured on ‘Abracadabra’ while ‘Killah’ crossed DAF with Prince! But on ‘How Bad Do U Want Me?’, the diva born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta used a sample from ‘Only You’ by YAZOO and paid homage to Taylor Swift’s CHVRCHES inspired synthpop tunes!

Available on the LADY GAGA album ‘Mayhem’ via Interscope

https://www.ladygaga.com/us-en/

LADYTRON I Believe In You

With LADYTRON now slimmed down to a trio of Helen Marnie, Daniel Hunt and Mira Aroyo following the departure of co-founder member Reuben Wu, the great new first single from the reconfigured line-up has been described as “high-priestess disco”. ‘I Believe In You’ certainly possesses an infectious house groove previously not heard from LADYTRON while still undoubtedly recognisable as them as they head to dancier climes.

Available on the LADYTRON single ‘I Believe In You’ via Nettwerk

http://www.ladytron.com

ELA MINUS Onwards

Following up her 2020 long playing debut ‘acts of rebellion’, Colombian artist and producer Ela Minus presented ‘DIA’, an album about becoming. Having been weaned on FUGAZI and played in hardcore punk bands, she gradually drifted towards synthesizers as they allowed her to work alone and more swiftly. The thumping thrill of ‘Onwards’ did battle with drops galore while tuning signals acted as the hooks.

Available on the ELA MINUS album ‘DIA’ via Domino Recordings

https://www.elaminus.com/

PAGE Kan Inte Tänka På Allt

After a period of Numanisation across the last three PAGE albums with mixed results, Eddie Bengtsson and Marina Schiptjenko totally dialled down the Numan elements on the ‘Inget Motstånd’ album. The opening lead single ‘Kan Inte Tänka På Allt’ provided a good start, featuring incessant drum machine and an enticing cacophony of electronics to revisit the punkier poptronica ethos of the PAGE of old in its energetic pace.

Available on the PAGE album ‘Inget Motstånd’ via Energy Rekords

https://www.facebook.com/PageElektroniskPop/

PolyDROID Six Of One

What a 2025 Dubliner Brian O’Malley has had… not only did two thrillers ‘Nine Bodies In A Mexican Morgue’ and ‘Frauds’, which he directed 3 episode of each, both air on UK terrestrial television, he also returned to his solo electronica adventure PolyDROID with two new recordings; one was a vocoder-laden cover of ‘The Sound Of Silence’ but the other was ‘Six Of One’, an original instrumental inspired by Number Six from ‘The Prisoner’.

Available on ‘ICE MACHINES: The Album – For the Joy of Synths & Friendship’ (V/A) via https://icemachines.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/polydroid

R. MISSING & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN Fakesnow

With a deep bass and hypnotic loop attached to an Italo disco beat, the ever prolific Swedish producer Johan Agebjörn felt having mixed one of their tracks ‘Verónica Pass’ under the SALLY SHAPIRO banner back in 2022, that ‘Fakesnow’ would suit the vocal approach of the enigmatic New York darklings R. MISSING. The combination was a chilling match made in heaven. “Sharon Shy really turned it into a great song” Agebjörn said, “I’m really happy about it”.

Available on the R. MISSING & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN single ‘Fakesnow’ via https://agebjorn.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/r.missing/

RUTH RADELET, NAT WALKER & ADAM MILLER The Wild Unknown

A three quarters reunion of CHROMATICS saw Ruth Radelet, Nat Walker and Adam Miller record 4 tracks for a teenage adventure game soundtrack that revisited the dreamy synth and guitar sound that characterised songs such as ‘Shadow’ and resonated with the game’s Super 8 aesthetics. Complimented by Radelet’s forlorn vocals, ‘The Wild Unknown’ presented an ethereal soundscape punctuated by a glorious synthesizer solo to close.

Available on the album ‘Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Original Game Soundtrack’ (V/A) via Kid Katana Records

https://www.instagram.com/ruthradelet/

SALLY SHAPIRO Guarding Shell

Despite being said to be the darkest album of their career, ‘Ready To Live A Lie’, the fifth album from Swedish duo SALLY SHAPIRO paradoxically comes as a rather uplifting listening experience in its relatable themes. The marvellous ‘Guarding Shell’ though explores post-relationship trust issues while Johan Agebjörn drops in the same D-50 preset used on OMD’s ‘Big Town’ in the intro before hitting classic wispy Sally mode.

Available on the SALLY SHAPIRO album ‘Ready To Live A Lie’ via Italians Do It Better

https://www.facebook.com/shapirosally

SPARKS Porcupine

Following their rapturously received album ‘MAD!’ and its accompanying world tour, SPARKS got even ‘MADDER’ with their first ever EP. Throwing synths, glam and brass into the mix, ‘Porcupine’ appears to refer to a spiky woman who is “Not your cuddly kind” so “Save your Valentine”. Rather appropriately, the accompanying video shows British popster Self Esteem in bunny boiler mode running over The Mael Brothers in a excavator!

Available on the SPARKS EP ‘MADDER!’ via Transgressive

https://allsparks.com/

SPIKE Tiqutonne

Spike is the nom de théâtre of London-based singer-songwriter Hannah McLoughlin who delivers a brand of macabre disco dealing with the undead and the inhuman. Having impressed with a deadpan electronic cover of Warren Zevon’s ‘Werewolves Of London’, the melancholic Motorik rave of ‘Tiquetonne’ delightfully interpolated ‘Con Te Partiro’ aka ‘Time To Say Goodbye’ as made famous by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.

Available on the SPIKE EP ‘Spike’ via God Nation

https://www.instagram.com/__s.p.i.k.e.__/

SUND featuring KNIGHT$ I Die For This Love

A member of Swedish trio CRED who issued their debut single ‘Every Loss’ in 2022, ‘I Die For This Love’ was Bjarne Johansson Sund’s first solo effort. Teaming up with James Knights on vocals for this captivating Europop tune, a chunky bassline, icy strings and orchestra stabs complimented this emotive tale of yearning. The public response was so positive that the song now finds a place on the second KNIGHT$ album out in 2026.

Available on the forthcoming KNIGHT$ album ‘Supernatural Lover’ via Specchio Uomo

https://knights101.com/

A THOUSAND MAD THINGS Local Guys

Marrying the pleasure with the pain, A THOUSAND MAD THINGS is the solo synth artist William Barradale. Finding solace in untempered expression, his debut EP ‘Cry & Dance’ was one of the best releases of 2025. With his haunted demeanour and navigating young manhood as a tortured outsider, ‘Local Guys’ was embroiled in tension, showcasing his emotional range as he reflected on the violent turns of former acquaintances.

Available on the A THOUSAND MAD THINGS EP ‘Cry & Dance’ via Nettwerk

https://www.instagram.com/athousandmadthings/

UNIFY SEPARATE Slow Armageddon

In an increasingly dystopian world where the two biggest nuclear nations are being led by unhinged egomaniacs, the Scottish-Swedish duo of Andrew Montgomery and Leo Josefsson provided their “sanity clause” as UNIFY SEPARATE confronted an existential crisis that was more than about midlife. Swathed in rhythmically swung anguish like an electro-industrial MUSE, ‘Slow Armageddon’ was their most political and timely song yet.

Available on the UNIFY SEPARATE single ‘Slow Armageddon’ via https://unifyseparate.bandcamp.com/

https://www.unifyseparate.com/

PATRICIA WOLF Early Memories

Icelandic for “raven film”, Patricia Wolf composed the soundtrack for ‘Hrafnamynd’, an unconventional nature documentary by director Edward Pack Davee looking back on his childhood living in Iceland. Largely created using the UDO Super 6 binaural analog-hybrid synthesizer, it enabled Wolf to sound modern while also giving the emotive fuzzy tones heard on the album opener ‘Early Memories’ to correspond with the film’s nostalgic narrative.

Available on the PATRICIA WOLF album ‘Hrafnamynd’ via Balmat

https://www.facebook.com/patriciawolfmusic

A Time Called Then: ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s Oh 2025 Playlist containing over 190 tracks from the year can be listened to on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1xXptdmcHAvXnXni6hjVnA

Text by Chi Ming Lai
10th December 2025

KNIGHT$: The Supernatural Interview

5 December 2025 /

With one album ‘Dollars & Cents’ to his name, KNIGHT$ is the electrifying solo venture of James Knights.

He built his reputation with cult favourites SCARLET SOHO and also serves as one half of the current incarnation of BOYTRONIC with original front man Holger Wobker. Known as a charming but frenetic live performer who combines classic Italo, HI-NRG, synthpop and new wave like a fine flavour of gelato, KNIGHT$ has opened for DRAB MAJESTY, A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS, CHINA CRISIS and most recently Andy Bell of ERASURE, as well as headlining his own shows across Europe.

The start of 2026 sees the release of the second KNIGHT$ album ‘Supernatural Lover’; featuring the title song which was released as a single earlier in the year and ‘I Die For This Love’ (a collaboration with Bjarne Sund), there is also a cover of YAZOO’s ‘Goodbye 70s’ as well as five other new tracks, several of them venturing into previously uncharted territory for our shades donning hero.

An intimate document of struggle and survival, obsession and loss, turbulence and change, set mostly to uptempo dance rhythms, England’s very own “Disco Rampensau” chatted to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK about the making of ‘Supernatural Lover’.

How was the Andy Bell tour in Germany? How did his audience respond to you?

It was an incredible experience — so many great memories and new faces in the crowd singing along.

Did you have an idea of what you were trying to achieve with this second album? How was the writing and production process?

My first album, ‘Dollars & Cents’, was pure instinct — no expectations, and no real pressure after SCARLET SOHO ended. The second one came from a different place entirely. I’d lived more, and I knew some of that was going to surface in the writing whether I wanted it to or not. It’s a darker record, but I still wanted it to sound like KNIGHT$ — not weighed down by the themes.

While I was writing, I started revisiting albums I hadn’t played in a while — ‘Join Hands’ by SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES, ‘Secondhand Daylight’ by MAGAZINE — and then switching gears completely with THE ROCK STEADY CREW. That weird mix of moods and energy ended up shaping the album in unexpected ways. I probably overthought things at times — reworking vocals, tweaking mixes, questioning small details — but that focus helped me get closer to what I was really trying to do.

While side one is co-produced by your regular collaborator Martin Dubka, the second half features a whole side of outliers where you take some risks?

I saw side two as a chance to experiment a bit and step outside my usual setup. Working with Martin Dubka on side one gave the record its core identity, but I wanted the flip side to feel looser — a space to try new ideas and collaborate with different people. It’s more exploratory for sure, and in some ways, it hints at where things might head next.

You opted not to include songs from the previously issued ‘$auna Mu$ik’ EP or ‘Boom Bang Boom!’?

At first, I thought some of the ‘$auna Mu$ik’ and ‘Boom Bang Boom!’ tracks might make the cut, but as the album came together, I realised they didn’t quite fit the mood. That said, a few of them will appear as bonus tracks on the CD version, so fans will still get to hear them there.

On the opening song ‘Knightmares’, you adapted your vocal style slightly, how did it come about?

I hadn’t really noticed at the time, but it turns out I don’t have many songs in A minor. Singing in that key brought out a part of my voice I hadn’t explored much before, which gave the track a slightly different feel.

You channel your inner Patrick Cowley on the ‘Supernatural Lover’ title song, what was its genesis?

I always imagined the live show having a moment of pure euphoria, and this song became that. Lyrically, I’m drawn to the things we can’t fully grasp spiritually, and touching even a fraction of that feels incredibly powerful. Getting older has made me appreciate the idea that we’re part of something bigger — that there’s a connection beyond just ourselves.

You enter New York electro territory on ‘Bite The Nite’?

I’d been wanting to try a freestyle-style track for a while, and it’s definitely trickier than it seems. ‘Bite The Nite’ went through a lot of different versions before we landed on the final arrangement and vocal melody. We played it live in London recently, and it really came alive — it sounded massive!

‘Light The Fuse’ goes full Europop, were there any key influences on this?

For a while, I’d been hooked on ‘Pretty Face’ by the Italian band STYLOO, and I wanted ‘Light The Fuse’ to have that relentless, no-nonsense rhythm section that just keeps driving forward, similar to what they did. It wasn’t planned, but listening back now, I notice some held vocal notes in the chorus that oddly remind me of ELO. or even ‘Ulysses’, the 80s kids’ TV show theme — I’m not exactly sure why! Martin also filtered the synths in a way that echoes ALPHAVILLE’s ‘Forever Young’, which was his idea, and it really added to that Europop vibe.

There’s a HI-NRG cover of YAZOO’s ‘Goodbye 70s’, why did you choose to do this?

Growing up, my mum and I used to blast YAZOO in the car, so revisiting those songs is a nostalgic joyride. The idea for this HI-NRG take came from Gary Daly of CHINA CRISIS — he told me on tour in Derby that I sounded a bit like Alison Moyet, and it stuck with me. I worked with Swedish producer RetroTeque for this one-off version, and it brings a dynamic to the record.

‘I Die For This Love’ was not written by you and is a guest appearance on a solo track by Bjarne Sund of CRED, how did this come about and end up on the album?

Bjarne is a fantastic writer, and this experience reminded me that no matter how much you plan, you have to stay open to change when making an album. ‘I Die For This Love’ was released early in 2025, and the public’s response convinced me it deserved a place on the record. Once I found a natural spot for it, including it was a no-brainer.

‘DGD’ is very unusual, it’s sort of an experimental spoken word dance piece, so how did you get the idea?

Earlier this year, I got a Korg Prologue 8 and started experimenting with its arpeggiators. Tweaking a few things, I landed on a DAF-esque pulse that became the foundation for ‘DGD’. It gave me a solid sonic platform to explore something I’d been noticing lately — so-called politically left-leaning people casting judgment on others and wishing them harm, almost sounding right-wing all of a sudden. I found this deeply unnerving, and the track became my way of processing that.

Some will be surprised at the piano ballad ‘Can’t Cry Any Longer’ which closes the album?

Every batch of songs I write usually has one or two slower ideas, but I’m more drawn to tracks with pace, so I avoid crowding an album with too many slow songs. ‘Can’t Cry Any Longer’ was the perfect way to close this record — a softer moment that balances all the energy leading up to it.

The album is short and sharp, you’ve not stuffed it with 18 overlong tracks like some people have done, how do you sum up its making?

The idea was to keep it tight and meaningful — no filler, no overlong tracks. Each song has its own purpose, and together they make a record that’s concise but still rich in ideas.

What are your hopes and fears for the album?

The public will decide which songs endure, but I’m happy with what I’ve created. I see this album as a perfect bridge between the first record and what’s coming next.

What is next for you?

Next up is a tour of Germany in January with six headline shows in Berlin, Bochum, Leipzig, Erfurt, Frankfurt and Hamburg, followed by a one-off Paris date on February 12th. I’m sure there will be a London show in the spring, maybe some festivals, definitely a remixed version of the new album. Look out for my Andy Bell remix on ‘The Crown Jewels’ release on the 12th of December too!

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its special thanks to James Knights

The album ‘Supernatural Lover’ is released by Specchio Uomo on 5th February 2025 as a vinyl LP, CD and digital release, pre-order now from  https://knights101.bandcamp.com/

KNIGHT$ opens for THEN JERICO at Oxford O2 Academy on 19th December 2025

European live dates at the start of 2026 include: Rüsselsheim Das Rind (23rd January – with DELTA KOMPLEX), Erfurt Stadtgarten (24th January – with DJ set from Marcus Meyn from CAMOUFLAGE), Bochum Matrix (29th January), Hamburg Maria’s Ballroom (30th January – with IN CONTACT), Berlin DarkNights Festival (31st January – with BLUTENGEL, SOLAR FAKE, EISFABRIK + many more), Paris Atomic Cat (12th February), Leverkusen Shadow (20th February), Leipzig Darkflower (21st February)

http://knights101.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Knights101/

https://www.instagram.com/knights101/

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Ekaterina Yakyamseva
5th December 2025

The Electronic Legacy of LIVE ALBUMS

2 December 2025 /

Photo by Chi Ming Lai

The general purpose of a live album is to document a concert experience. But such is the average person’s equipment used for listening to music at home, in the car or on earphones, the capabilities of quality PA systems can never be replicated.

Something of a credible rock staple, live albums are often seen as profile builders and tour adverts, symbolic of an act hitting the big time while greatest hits collections can be perceived as an indicator of a career on the wane.

However, in the synth-laden electronic world, the live album is something of a polarising beast. With a significant number of acts reliant on tapes and latterly pre-programmed backing tracks, live albums can be rendered almost pointless with parts often sounding almost identical to the original record. In many cases, overdubs and new vocals are prevalent and essential.

But even some of the best known live rock albums such as THIN LIZZY ‘Live & Dangerous’ and KISS ‘Alive!’ were heavily tinkered with in the studio during post-production. Of the former, producer Tony Visconti reckoned the album was “75% recorded in the studio” with only the drums and audience noise remaining from the original live recordings. Meanwhile of the latter, Gene Simmons later said “Most people assume it was all live. It wasn’t” with only the drums remaining from the original shows recorded. On the opposite side of the coin, Joe Jackson recorded his ‘Big World’ live album in front of invited audiences who were instructed NOT to clap.

Photo by Chi Ming Lai

While the spirit of a performance is an essential ingredient on a live album, extra parts or arrangements not used in the actual shows can cause much head scratching, as can the inclusion of unrelated studio recordings. A concert is for a particular moment in time and for that reason, ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK is not generally enthusiastic of live recordings but accepts they have their place and can have their moments.

Not a best of, here are 20 records listing the good, the bad and the pointless to represent The Electronic Legacy of LIVE ALBUMS. These are subject to the conditions that they are standalone physical releases in their own right, not initially part of a corresponding live DVD or Bluray package, not a bootleg or a bonus CD in a deluxe boxed set; for this latter reason, OMD’s spirited 1983 ‘Dazzle Ships’ live presentation at Hammersmith Odeon that came with the ‘Souvenir’ career anthology is not included.

The albums are presented in yearly order and then alphabetical within…

TANGERINE DREAM Encore (1977)

‘Encore’ is seen as the definitive TANGERINE DREAM live album by the classic line-up of Edgar Froese, Christophe Franke and Peter Baumann. But as with their previous live release ‘Ricochet’, there were questions as to what was live and what was Memorex… opener ‘Cherokee Lane’ was edited together from several performances while on the second side, suspicions were raised that ‘Coldwater Canyon’ was a studio creation.

‘Encore’ was originally released by Virgin Records

https://www.tangerinedreammusic.com/

KLAUS SCHULZE …Live… (1980)

A trailblazer for The Berlin School, Klaus Schulze saw synthesizers as a route to creative freedom and his imperial works like ‘Timewind’, ‘Moondawn’, ‘X’ and ‘Mirage’ were largely improvised live. Concerts were seen as an opportunity to spontaneously compose new works. On his first live album featuring concerts in Amsterdam, Berlin and Paris, ‘Sense’ was a half hour ball of hypnotic energy with live drums from Harald Grosskopf.

‘…Live…’ was released by Brain Records

https://www.klaus-schulze.com/

YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA Public Pressure (1980)

Recorded as a six-piece, ‘Public Pressure’ captured YELLOW MAGIC ORCHESTRA walking a tightrope, utilising early synthesizer technology like syndrums, sequencers and a Moog modular out on the road. However, while fairly lively and with highlights like ‘Rydeen’ and ‘Tong Poo’, in the inevitable post-production, guitarist Kazumi Watanabe was mixed-out and replaced with more synths while most of Yukihiro Takahashi’s trademark on-off vocals were re-recorded.

‘Public Pressure’ was originally released by Alfa Records

http://www.ymo.org/

GARY NUMAN Living Ornaments 79 & 80 (1981)

A singular double LP boxed set, this live document captured highlights of Gary Numan during his imperial phase at Hammersmith Odeon during ‘The Touring Principle’ in 1979 and the 1980 ‘Teletour’. Engineered and co-mixed by Tim Summerhayes, this remains one of the best live releases of its type with ‘Living Ornaments 80’ just nudging ahead. The release coincided with Numan’s retirement from live work with three concerts at Wembley Arena… that retirement lasted just over a year!

‘Living Ornaments 79 & 80’ was originally released by Beggars Banquet

https://garynuman.com/

JEAN-MICHEL JARRE The Concerts In China (1982)

In 1981, Jean-Michel Jarre became the first Western rock musician to perform in China. The five live performances as a 4 piece ensemble included the debut of the Laser Harp. Jarre also composed new material for the occasion with highlights including the dramatic ‘Arpegiator’ and the elegiac studio closer ‘Souvenir Of China’. But one particular track stood out, a traditional rearrangement with The Peking Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra, retitled ‘Fishing Junks At Sunset’.

‘The Concerts In China’ was originally released by Polydor Records

https://www.jeanmicheljarre.com/

JAPAN Oil On Canvas (1983)

‘Oil On Canvas’ was a contractual obligation by the now-split up JAPAN. Only the drums came from the band’s run of Hammersmith Odeon shows during their final tour with other parts redone in the studio. The version of ‘Nightporter’ bore no relation to the actual arrangement performed while three unrelated ambient pieces were included instead of ‘Life In Tokyo’, ‘European Son’ and ‘Fall In Love With Me’ which were part of the live set!

‘Oil On Canvas’ was originally released by Virgin Records

https://sylvianvista.com/

ULTRAVOX Monument (1983)

Leaving listeners wanting more, ‘Monument’ originally only featured 6 tracks including the studio intro title track with the hits ‘Vienna’, ‘Reap The Wild Wind’ and ‘Hymn’. Superbly capturing ULTRAVOX on their 1982 ‘Quartet’ tour, the undoubted highlight was the elongated rendition of ‘The Voice’ with the energetic THIN LIZZY-inspired Simmons drum climax. ‘Monument’ has since been expanded into  8 track and later 9 track variants.

‘Monument’ was originally released by Chrysalis Records

https://www.ultravox.org.uk/

DURAN DURAN Arena (1984)

Released at the height of their worldwide fame, ‘Arena’ was sadly more ‘Oil On Canvas’ than either ‘Living Ornaments 79 & 80’, ‘Monument’ or ‘101’. Unlike the latter, it now symbolises the downfall of DURAN DURAN rather than the rise. The mix was muddy and not a patch on the subsequent soundtracks of the DVD releases of their Hammersmith Odeon 1982 and Wembley Arena 2004 shows. The incongruous inclusion of the single ‘The Wild Boys’ no doubt helped shift copies.

‘Arena’ was originally released by EMI Music

https://duranduran.com/

SIMPLE MINDS Live In The City Of Light (1987)

On the ‘Sparkle In The Rain’ and ‘Once Upon A Time’ tours, SIMPLE MINDS had been pompously bloating songs out for up to 10 minutes. The excesses were dialled down for this well-recorded if frustrating record. There was much post-production tinkering with ‘Someone Somewhere In Summertime’ featuring extra violin by Lisa Germano while uncredited, former bassist Derek Forbes was brought in replace John Giblin’s live take.

‘Live In The City Of Light’ was originally released by Virgin Records

https://www.simpleminds.com/

DEPECHE MODE 101 (1989)

“Who have thought DEPECHE MODE plink-plonking away would play in stadiums?” bemoaned Jim Kerr of SIMPLE MINDS in 2004; but ‘101’ recorded at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in 1988 affirmed their arrival into the stadium league. The audience was mixed so loud that the band were almost drowned out while Dave Gahan bellowing “YEAH!” was a frequent occurrence. In a drumhead free zone, this was an enjoyable set capturing more comparatively innocent times.

‘101’ was originally released by Mute Records

https://www.depechemode.com/

ASHRA @shra (1998)

Recorded on location in Tokyo and Osaka, this live collection saw Manuel Göttsching, Lutz Ulbrich and Harald Grosskopf reunite the 1979-80 band incarnation of ASHRA. Containing 3 lengthy tracks and the much shorter ‘Timbuktu’ in an energetic set with hypnotic blend of progressive guitar and electronics. The highlight was the magnificent sample-free take on 1990’s ‘Twelve Samples’. A second volume was issued in 2002.

‘@shra’ was originally released by Think Progressive

https://www.manuelgoettsching.com/

HEAVEN 17 How Live Is (1999)

In their heyday, HEAVEN 17 never toured. Recorded in Glasgow when the trio came out of hiatus and opened for ERASURE in 1998, the 50 minute set was very electronic, in line with their comeback album ‘Bigger Than America’. Packed full of their best known songs and a version of ‘Being Boiled’, some new arrangements fell under the spell of THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS but they impressed enough for repeat business and continue to play live regularly today.

‘How Live Is’ was originally released by Almafame

https://www.heaven17.com/

SOFT CELL Live (2003)

Reuniting as SOFT CELL first time round in 2001, this double live album caught Marc Almond and Dave Ball in support of their 2002 comeback album ‘Cruelty Without Beauty’. Almond was particularly animated and sounded like he was having fun while Ball’s solid electronics grooved. Almond’s motorbike accident in 2004 put a stop to performing but SOFT CELL reunited again in 2018 for ‘One Night Only’ at London’s O2 Arena.

‘Live’ was originally released by Cooking Vinyl

https://www.softcell.co.uk/

KRAFTWERK Minimum-Maximum (2005)

Featuring founder members Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider, this first official KRAFTWERK live album provided another “is it live or is it Memorex?” conundrum. Suspicions were aroused with the credits in both English and German language versions indicating that many of the tracks were recorded at the same venues! Regardless, the crisp versions on ‘Minimum-Maximum’ provided a far superior listening experience than 1991’s ‘The Mix’.

‘Minimum-Maximum’ was originally released by EMI Music

https://kraftwerk.com/

YAZOO Reconnected Live (2010)

YAZOO’s ‘Reconnected’ tour saw Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke completing unfinished business following their premature spilt in 1983. Clarke provided more analogue-tuned backing compared to the Fairlight-driven tracks of their 1982 tour while Moyet was in fine voice, to the point that you could be forgiven for thinking you were hearing the records if it wasn’t for her breaths. This was a wonderful souvenir for those who were there.

‘Reconnected Live’ was originally released by Mute Records

https://yazooinfo.com/

JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS Rhapsody (2013)

John Foxx’s 2002 live album ‘The Omnidelic Exotour’ with Louis Gordon had been recorded in rehearsals with no audience and ‘Rhapsody’ followed the same route. With a band featuring Benge with Serafina Steer and Hannah Peel, the quartet ran through highlights of the John Foxx portfolio alongside his ULTRAVOX! ballads ‘Hiroshima Mon Amour’ and ‘Just For A Moment’.

‘Rhapsody’ was originally released by Metamatic Records

http://www.metamatic.com/

HYPERBUBBLE Live In London (2015)

Texans HYPERBUBBLE may look like a mutant Country & Western duo but are actually synthpop’s answer to Carter & Cash. ‘Live in London’ was a high quality recording from The Lexington that captured the heart of their “part-performance art, kitsch cabaret pop”. Like a greatest hits set, it featured 45 minutes of fun uptempo numbers including ‘Candy Apple Daydreams’ and ‘Non-Biodegradable Hazardous Waste Disposal’.

‘Live In London’ was originally released by Pure Pop For Now People

https://www.hyperbubble.net/

NEW ORDER featuring LIAM GILLICK ∑(No,12k,Lg,17Mif) (2019)

Back in the day, NEW ORDER were a rather shaky live act which meant their live bootlegs provided unintended entertainment. Since relaunching in 2011 without Peter Hook, they have released 5 live albums. The most interesting was ‘∑(No,12k,Lg,17Mif)’ when NEW ORDER played Manchester’s Old Granada Studios accompanied by a 12 piece synth orchestra. Aside from the dreadful ‘Who’s Joe’ and ‘Guilt Is A Useless Song’, it was a choice selection of firm fan favourites.

‘∑(No,12k,Lg,17Mif)’ was originally released by Mute Artists

https://www.neworder.com/

KITE At The Royal Opera (2020)

Swedish duo KITE performed two theatrical shows at the Royal Swedish Opera augmented by a 16 piece orchestra and choir. Filmed for broadcast on SVT2, the performances were issued as a live double album featuring a lengthy impassioned rendition of the epic ‘Up For Life’. Never doing things by halves, KITE have since performed at the cavernous former limestone quarry Dalhalla and more incredibly, on ice at Stockholm’s Avicii Arena.

‘Kite At The Royal Opera’ was originally released by Astronaut Recordings

https://www.facebook.com/KiteHQ

HOWARD JONES Live At The O2 (2024)

Perhaps too ambitious in trying to take on the O2 Arena, OMD called on Howard Jones as opening act to help get bums on seats. The original solo synth man delivered an enjoyable 50 minute set with a band comprising right hand man Ronnie Bronnimann, the sadly missed Dan Clarke and KAJAGOOGOO bassist Nick Beggs; a cover of ‘Too Shy’ thrown in for good measure alongside ‘New Song’ and a danced-up ‘Things Can Only Get Better’.

‘Live At The O2’ was originally released by Cherry Red Records

http://howardjones.com/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
2nd December 2025

CHINA CRISIS: The Autumn Extras Interview

28 November 2025 /

The most recent CHINA CRISIS album ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood’ may be 10 years old but the background to its genesis now makes it seem like it has come from another era.

The follow-up to 1994’s ‘Warped By Success’, when it finally went public in 2015, it was only available as a CD or download via the now defunct crowdfunding platform Pledge Music and subsequently at CHINA CRISIS shows.

Curiosity was piqued by the light chamber recital that introduced opener ‘Smile’ before a fuzzy bass synth interjected while ‘Because My Heart’ showcased a Merseyside take on countrified Americana. A CHINA CRISIS album would not have been complete without a wistful number about ‘Being In Love’ but keener fans wanted to know how Howard Jones came to be playing on ‘Bernard’ and asked what happened to ‘Everyone You Know’, a sprightly pop tune gifted as a free download to all Pledgers when the campaign began in 2013.

A charming compendium of “adult contemporary soulful art pop…” that has grown in stature over recent years, as songs such as ‘Fool’, ‘Down Here On Earth’ and ‘My Sweet Delight’ became live favourites, interest was reignited in ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood’. The album got a limited self-reissue in 2020 with ‘Everyone You Know’ appended to a new vinyl edition, but that sold out a while ago.

Having reissued the debut CHINA CRISIS album ‘Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms – Some People Think It’s Fun To Entertain’ as well as the collections ‘China Greatness’ and ‘The Complete Sessions 1982-1983’, the ethically minded Independent record label Last Night From Glasgow has released an expanded version of ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood’ as a forest green double vinyl LP and CD, both containing 10 bonus tracks, as well as a single cloudy blue vinyl version for the more cautious consumer.

With the CHINA CRISIS nucleus of Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon now as busy on the live circuit as they were in their commercial heyday when their third album ‘Flaunt The Imperfection’ became their biggest seller, album number seven ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood’ can be yours to own and is available at gigs, in shops and online via the usual retail outlets.

Taking a short break from their live schedule, Gary Daly looked back at 10 years of ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood’ with ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK and chatted about the bonus tracks that are now on offer as part of this new 10th anniversary edition.

Even though ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood’ is now 10 years old, it’s still a bit of a best kept secret even among CHINA CRISIS fans, but now they are getting to find out?

Autumn was never “released”, not in the traditional way of a record company being involved… manufacturing and distribution, basically putting the album in shops around the world. ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood’ was one of the last great Pledge Music / fan funded albums, made and distributed by us, the band. It was thrilling and super exciting to be so involved but having said that, we are sooooo happy ‘Autumn’ is now going to be available again courtesy of Last Night From Glasgow record label…

‘Everyone You Know’ was the download only gift to Pledgers when you first crowdfunded the album in 2013, have you been able to find a place for it on this reissue, is this now an album track or an extra?

‘Everyone You Know’ is now both an album track and extra track, depending on what format you choose. The song itself was initially left off the CD, we felt it was, sonically, a little bit “stand alone”… of course we are now of a mind it’s a fantastic addition…

How did the idea for a deluxe edition with bonus tracks come about, are they all tracks from the original sessions or are there newly curated pieces?

Curated and very very relatable. Some of the songs are home demos and a couple are live in the studio piano / vocal performances. With it being the 10th anniversary, we saw it as a great opportunity to do an extended edition and make more ‘Autumn’ music available…

Are you yourself a fan of demos and alternative takes in the deluxe boxed sets of your favourite albums?

No, I’m not really but I must admit, I absolutely “love” our China demos…

The demo version of ‘Being In Love’ sounds like something that could have gone on your 2019 solo album ‘Gone From Here’?

Yeah, that was done with a buddy of mine Christopher Barlow in his home studio, we’ve worked a lot together these past 10 years. Chris is a real Bowie and vintage synths guy, he contributed to both ‘Autumn’ and ‘GFH’.

There are two versions of ‘Fool’, Eddie’s acoustic demo and an electronic instrumental “KRAFTWERK meets STEELY DAN” version which is fantastic. It shows where you can take a song… could you see the potential of ‘Fool’ almost as soon as the demo was presented to you?

‘Fool’ is very much an Eddie song, it was Brian McNeill who fashioned its feel, he realised its ‘Flaunt’ arrangement potential. And it was a colleague of Eddie’s, Paul Mitchell Davidson what did the fantastic brass and wind arrangement.

Two tracks ‘My Sweet Delight’ and ‘Bernard’ appear as live recordings made in North Wales but in solo piano-centric arrangements?

Bryn Derwen studio, Bethesda, North Wales… Andy Steele (of MUDDYHEAD) on piano and myself, lead vocal. These recordings are from sessions over the last few years, I would have just recorded them as songs in progress and would have been curious to hear them in a singer / songwriter setting.

‘Fall’ is like the theme to ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood – The Musical’ if one existed, was this overture a retrospective idea or something you had already considered when the album was being made?

‘Fall’ is basically Chloe Mullet’s wind and brass arrangement with additional soundscaping by engineer / producer Carl Brown. When Carl and Mark (Pythian, mix engineer) were mixing the track ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood’, they soloed Chloe’s arrangement and it was completely a work of some considerable sonic / melodic achievement. Worthy of a presentation as is, they sent it to me and I was blown away. It was always my intention to include in any re-release.

What’s the meaning behind the “Dutch Master” of ‘Down Here’?

‘Down Here’ / Dutch Master is Brian McNeill’s initial mix and was mixed in Holland… at this point, we was of a mind maybes it was time to mix the album. But after living with some of the initial mixes for a little while, we decided there was still work to be done…

Is there a story behind ‘How To Live & Love?’

The story behind the inclusion of ‘How To Live & Love’ is the song itself features Kevin Wilkinson, Gary ‘Gazza’ Johnson and myself on piano / vocal. It’s a live performance and very much from a time when it had the potential to make it to the album but then things change and… a version did make it to my solo Polite Postcard CD box set ‘How To Live & Love Your Life’ from 2008. I was deffo of a mind fans would enjoy hearing Kev and Gaz again, hence the inclusion.

As well as appearing as ‘Because Because Because’ which is a not-so-country version of ‘Because My Heart’, the ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood’ version had been given a new Mark Saunders single mix which plays on its New Country vibes… its interesting how this song has developed as it first appeared in 2007 as part of ‘The Visionary Mindset Experience’ solo EP you did?

‘Because My Heart’ deserves wholeheartedly to be known the whole world over, it’s soooo beautiful. We have been working once again with Carl Brown (‘Autumn’ producer) and Mark Saunders; we decided to ask Mark would he like to remix ‘Because My Heart’; I think he’s added some new country music energy and radio friendly vibes. It’s definitely on a journey, from my ‘Visionary Mindset…’ EP to this re-release… songs do indeed have a life of their own!

How would you sum up ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood’ and why anyone interested in quality music should have it in their home?

Well firstly… if it is already in your home, let me on behalf of everyone involved in the making of and now promoting of ‘Autumn’, thank you thank you thank you. And for everyone yet to hear / own ‘Autumn’, take a minute, a chance and immerse yourself in what is now considered to be one of our finest recordings… you will not be disappointed.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to Gary Daly

The 10th Anniversary edition of ‘Autumn In The Neighbourhood’ is released by Last Night From Glasgow as a forest green double vinyl LP and expanded CD each with 10 bonus tracks plus a cloudy blue single vinyl LP, all available now from https://shop.lastnightfromglasgow.com/products/china-crisis-autumn-in-the-neighbourhood-10th-anniversary

For information on CHINA CRISIS live dates in the UK and internationally throughout 2026, please go to https://linktr.ee/chinacrisismusic

https://www.facebook.com/chinacrisisofficial

https://www.instagram.com/chinacrisismusic/

https://www.threads.net/@chinacrisismusic

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
28th November 2025

A Short Conversation with JEROME FROESE

24 November 2025 /

Photo by Anja Kathmann

Jerome Froese is back with a new album ‘Sunsets in Stereo’.

Hailed as “The Sound Architect Between Electronics, Guitar, and Emotion”, Jerome is the son of the late TANGERINE DREAM co-founder Edgar Froese and was a member from 1990 to 2006. Known for his distinctive fusion of electronic textures and guitar-driven soundscapes, he has carved out his own distinct niche in ambient rock.

Defying traditional genre labels, his signature “Guitartronica” style has served him well across his various solo albums and collaborations including LOOM with another former TANGERINE DREAM member Johannes Schmoelling as well as an album ‘Beginn’ with Claudia Brücken.

While no longer active in TANGERINE DREAM, Jerome Froese serves as the curator of their official photo and video archive, preserving over 10,000 images and extensive historical film material documenting every era of the band. Much of the visual archive was created by his mother, Monika Froese, who photographed the group for decades. As the only individual to have witnessed all major TANGERINE DREAM periods including the classic line-up of Edgar Froese, Christopher Franke and Peter Baumann, he is uniquely positioned to safeguard and carry forward this cultural legacy.

Meanwhile in ‘Sunsets In Stereo’, Jerome Froese bridges the past and the future with this cinematic and deeply personal album. Providing a combination of noisier guitar-derived textures and brighter electronic soundscapes, this is a record that will be appreciated by those who prefer their ambient on the rockier spectrum.

Jerome Froese stopped by to talk to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK for a conversation about ‘Sunsets in Stereo’ and a lot more…

It’s been 4 years since ‘Asymetric’ while ‘Beginn’ with Claudia Brücken was in 2018, how did you decide it was time for a new solo creation, what inspires your creative muse?

I’ve actually been working on my solo album for longer than I originally planned. That’s partly because I scrapped an almost finished version about two years ago and started over almost from scratch. Since production tools and techniques are evolving so rapidly, new ideas and inspirations keep emerging, and it’s tempting to keep adding them to one piece or another. At some point, though, you have to discipline yourself and draw a line in order to finally reach a result. The pandemic, fortunately, played a rather positive role in that process. The general slowdown gave me the time and space to focus productively on things that normally get neglected in everyday life.

Inspiration can come from just about anything – a good conversation, an intriguing sound, a positive or even a negative experience. An external impulse isn’t always necessary, but it’s usually very helpful.

So does ‘Sunsets In Stereo’ have a concept as such?

There wasn’t really a strict concept behind the album, but it was important to me that it carries an overall positive vibe. Over the past few years, I’ve spent a lot of time traveling around Europe, picking up inspiration from all sorts of random situations along the way. I’ve always been fascinated by different social environments, so wherever I go, I like to explore the spots most tourists would probably skip.

In a city like London, for example, I’d much rather grab a coffee somewhere out in Tube Zone 7 or 8 and just watch people and the surroundings than hang around at Big Ben. Once, a few years back, I stumbled across this butcher’s shop that, weirdly enough, also rented out horror DVDs – right there in the same room, across from the counter with all the steaks and offal. Stuff like that just makes my day.

Talking of stereo, there is a fashion now for re-releases of classic records remixed in Surround Sound 5.1 and Dolby Atmos, are these audio formats something which you personally are interested in?

From a technical perspective, that’s certainly interesting, but I see little point in investing in specialized equipment just for certain ways of listening to music. Music I like always works; bad music mostly remains bad, no matter what you listen to it on.

The ‘Sunsets In Stereo’ album has influences from post-rock and dreampop, were there any particular artists or tracks that shaped your “guitartronica” approach?

I enjoy blending the raw, instrumentally unconventional aspects of post-rock with the melancholic and sometimes sweet elements of dream pop. A good example of this is the track ‘Feel Your Ghosts’ on ‘Sunsets In Stereo’. It aims to translate, purely instrumentally, a therapeutic session dealing with the intangible thoughts and feelings in someone’s mind. For this reason, the track deliberately moves between extremes of harshness and harmony.

My guitar playing is often inspired by artists who might not be immediately on everyone’s radar, such as Donald ‘Buck Dharma’ Roeser or Eric Johnson. While they haven’t fundamentally shaped my playing style, their work contains small or larger elements that have influenced or challenged my approach to my own ideas.

When I share my music with friends, colleagues, or acquaintances, I often hear: “No matter what you produce, it always sounds like Froese” ; I take this as a compliment, but also as a recognition that my musical identity – both its strengths and quirks – are difficult to hide. Some have also mentioned that my style or certain melodies occasionally remind them, in a positive way, of children’s songs.

Whereas ‘Asymetric’ was only in the digital domain, ‘Sunsets In Stereo’ gets issued on CD although not vinyl LP, how do you decide on your release formats? Is it economically dictated?

First off, I should say that, like a lot of other artists, I’ve never really been a fan of streaming services. A few years back, I even pulled off almost all of my music from them. The reasons are probably pretty obvious.

Now that we’re back working with a distributor that operates internationally, I’m figuring out how I want to handle things going forward. SIS, for example, will be on all digital platforms. But it’s not uncommon for whole albums to vanish when contracts expire or licensing issues pop up. A situation that Claudia Brücken and I are currently experiencing with the ‘Beginn’ album, for example. Most of my fans don’t want to risk that, which is why they still prefer physical copies like CDs.

Vinyl is a bit of a tricky one. Around the turn of the millennium, I was doing some DJ stuff exclusively on vinyl. Small runs barely sold, simply because nobody really wanted it back then. We originally planned a vinyl version of ‘Sunsets In Stereo’, but then the questions started: how do you fit the entire album on one record? Do you cut tracks? Multiple records felt complicated and expensive, which would push the price up for fans, and I didn’t want that.

Even today, the so-called “vinyl revival” looks impressive in percentages, but in reality, we’re still talking pretty small numbers. That said, who knows – maybe we’ll do something spontaneous for RSD 2026.

One of the album highlights is ‘The Clock That Forgot Time’, how did that build up from its initial composition to recording?

This song actually came about quite spontaneously and, as the title suggests, was meant to be a homage to my childhood, and to the people around me who shaped it, both personally and musically.

Since my mother had already given me her entire visual archive during her lifetime, I thought it would be a great idea to support the track with some striking images. So, over the past few weeks, I spent quite some time putting together suitable material for a YouTube video clip. Honestly, I could have edited a hundred different versions of it without repeating a single image. Narrowing it all down to five and a half minutes was quite a challenge.

For the music, I even used a few original vintage synthesizers to capture an authentic sound. Some TANGERINE DREAM fans might think that Edgar and myself lost the inspiration or the ability to create songs in the classic TD tradition, but that’s not true. We could have done that at any time. It’s just that we’ve always been guided by what lay ahead of us, by what we were musically curious about and excited to explore.

That’s why, with TANGERINE DREAM, fans have always come and gone – and that was perfectly fine.

You are using a female voice on ‘Hope’ and ‘A Game of Hearts, Played with Fire’, did you use a singer or is this a sample or VST?

It’s got a bit of all that, but, like the rest of the album, it doesn’t feature an AI.

Have you or do you intend to experiment with AI in your music?

Out of curiosity, I checked out the common tools. At first glance, the results might seem impressive, but for anyone with years of experience as a composer and producer, the flaws become obvious almost immediately. Sure, these algorithms will keep improving as they endlessly “train” on all available material, but that only underscores the urgent need for updates to copyright law.

What’s truly infuriating is this Suno guy claiming that composing yourself or learning an instrument isn’t fun. Instead, he suggests you should just “prompt” and feel proud when the AI spits out music it stole ideas from – music originally created by people who actually enjoyed composing and mastering an instrument. Let’s be clear: AI doesn’t create anything on its own. There’s no way to sugarcoat that.

In the technical aspects of making this record, where there any other new instruments or developments which you found to be important in realising the final product?

As I mentioned earlier, new and fascinating things keep appearing almost daily, both in the digital and physical realms. For example, after almost three decades, I finally retired my DAW, Cubase. Many features that have long been standard elsewhere were simply missing. Switching to a new software was an important liberating move.

For the lead guitars, I once again used my Charvel Model 4, which I bought in Los Angeles back in 1988 for $800. It’s the same guitar I used to record my first solo on the TANGERINE DREAM album ‘Lily On The Beach’ in 1989. I also had a box full of stomp boxes on hand, which were used for all kinds of sonic experiments. And of course, on ‘The Clock That Forgot Time’ you’ll hear vintage synths: a Prophet 5, PPG Wave 2, and Oberheim OB-X. Those familiar with these classics will surely recognize their sounds.

‘Endless Sympathy’ closes the album and moves from being quite floaty to rocking out before drifting into flutey-type sounds almost like a reference to classic TANGERINE DREAM, had this been an intentional “Easter Egg”?

Interesting that you feel that way! I actually added the middle part only at the very end, when the song was almost finished. The idea was more to briefly pull the listener out of their cozy state, only to let them settle back in right after. But you’re right, there are definitely associations there. So even for me, it has now turned into an Easter Egg! 🙂

You took part in the documentary ‘Revolution Of Sound: TANGERINE DREAM’ which came out on DVD in 2018, were you satisfied with how it turned out?

The project largely did not match my personal taste. I was offered the opportunity to come on as a co-producer, but since my stepmother wanted to take the creative lead herself and also be a co-producer, I quickly withdrew and only licensed the images from my archive to the production company.

Key figures, such as Chris Franke, were not included as interviewees at all, and some others apparently refused to participate. Johannes Schmoelling and I appear only because the director wanted it that way. Had it been up to my stepmother, she would likely have conducted all the interviews herself. Overall, there was so much more that could have been done with the topic, both visually and content-wise.

I interviewed Peter Baumann earlier this year and he was happily reminiscing about the old days; how is your media project The TANGERINE DREAM Archive coming along and are there any plans with it?

There are now many plans in motion. Unfortunately, our fundraising efforts for fully digitizing my mother’s analog archive fell slightly short of the desired amount. However, we were able to acquire a professional scanner, which allows us to digitize almost all formats. Compared to a specialized company, this is a very time-consuming process, and since we only have one workstation, multiple people cannot work on it simultaneously.

The Super 8 film material was already digitized back in the 1990s, so it is available to us more quickly. I have already spoken with various people about potential projects related to this and have generated a lot of interest. Now I just need to carve out more time for myself to push things forward, and I hope to manage that soon.

Which are your own favourite tracks on ‘Sunsets In Stereo’?

I usually like the tracks that were added last to a production the most, since they haven’t been heard as often. In this case, that would be ‘Where We Belong’, ‘A Game of Hearts, Played with Fire’ and the title track ‘Sunsets in Stereo’.

It’s hard to pick a favorite, as I think the album is very versatile and doesn’t want to settle in one particular direction. How each song resonates really depends on your mood, so every track can be experienced differently at any given time. For example, ‘A Game of Hearts, Played With Fire’ was almost consistently the favorite among the female listeners who pre-listened the album.

It’s been a while since you ventured out live, is this something that you would like to do again?

Absolutely, especially since I’d love to perform in the UK again. The audience there has always given great feedback at the shows. I’m not the type who needs to be on stage all the time to live off the applause, but a few small, cozy events would definitely be enjoyable. Let’s see if something comes up in the near future.

What is next for you solo or in collaboration with others?

Once the album drops, I’ll probably take a few days just to breathe, recharge, and let everything sink in. After that, there’s a whole world waiting: my entire TANGERINE DREAM catalog, ready to be re-released on physical formats – the plans for that are already laid out on my desk. On top of that, I’ve got remastered versions of my first three solo albums in the works, and who knows, maybe even a box set down the line.

Meanwhile, I’ve wrapped up a full album with Marty Willson-Piper (THE CHURCH, ALL ABOUT EVE), and we’re hoping to release it soon. And then there’s something I recently cooked up with Susanne Freytag – who’s now living in Berlin – which has this wonderfully dark, morbid edge. We’re thinking it could become an EP sometime soon.

But before all that, before even thinking about grand plans or releases, I’m heading to the kitchen to make myself a coffee. Sometimes the simplest things come first.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to Jerome Froese

Additional thanks to Anja Kathmann at Moonpop

‘Sunsets in Stereo’ is released by Moonpop on 31st October 2025 in CD and digital formats

https://jeromefroese.com/

https://instagram.com/jeromefroese

https://facebook.com/jeromefroese

https://youtube.com/@jeromefroeseofficial

https://tangerinedreamarchive.com/

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
24th November 2025

« Older posts

© 2017 ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK | Email: theelectricityclub@googlemail.com
Privacy Policy

Up ↑