DEPECHE MODE founder members Vince Clarke and Martin Gore have recorded together for the first time since 1981’s ‘Speak & Spell’.
The fruit of their endeavours is ‘Ssss’, a collection of minimal techno which is very much Martin Gore’s kind of disco.
Indeed, the album is very reminiscent of Gore’s DJ set on the final night of 2011’s Short Circuit Presents Mute. ERASURE were headlining the event and it was there that the pair first discussed their project formally.
The tracks were put together by the two Basildon electro boys via exchange of sound files by email.
The most immediate track is the marvellous ‘Lowly’ which opens the album with some sweeping synthetic strings over metronmic rhythms. Other tracks like first single ‘Spock’ follow-up ‘Single Blip’ and the ironically titled ‘Skip This Track’ follow a more stripped system of incessant dance but overall, these tracks are possibly more accessible than purer forms of techno, thanks partly to the duo’s inherent song based prowess.
However, ‘Ssss’ is distinctly wordless but provides an interesting beat driven addition to the lineage that already includes YAZOO, THE ASSEMBLY, ERASURE, RECOIL and various other solo DM projects. With regards ‘Ssss’, The Blitz Club’s legendary DJ Rusty Egan has commented “…love the VCMG album”.
JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS release a 16 track single CD version of The Shape Of Things which was first available as a 2CD deluxe set on their most recent UK tour.
The collection features starker, reflective material that didn’t fit into the overall pop concept of ‘Interplay’ recorded by Mr Foxx and his erstwhile partner-in-crime Ben Edwards aka Benge. Lyrically, the subject matter centres around feelings of loss over opportunities and lovers missed. Artistically interluded by several instrumental collages with titles such as ‘Modreno’, ‘Psytron’, ‘Astoria’ and ‘Buddwing’, the album is cinematic but in an understated way.
Following the short HASSELL/ENO-esque Possible Musics of ‘Spirus’, ‘Rear-View Mirror’ sunbursts through, the pulsing synthetics of yesterday’s tomorrow combined with reverbed Linn Drum and a strong but swimmy riff. Meanwhile, ‘Talk’ is reminiscent of Benge’s own ‘Twenty Systems’, vaguely minimal with Foxx’s echoing breathy vocals dominating. Matthew Dear’s remix which comes as a bonus track, adds a more industrialised, extended treatment and a deeper, menacing drawl.
The lovely ‘September Town’, originally the B-side of the first JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS single ‘Destination’, sees the sequences and string machines making their mark despite the more stripped down feel. Benge’s intricate craft of working with the limitations of his vintage electronics shines through.
Photo by Ed Fielding
‘Falling Away’ is the big surprise featuring a distorted burst of guitar alongside the sparse rhythm machine accompaniment. ‘Unrecognised’ is perhaps one of the most immediate of the tracks with its pulsing hypnotics sweetened by some emotive synth and piano touches. With more abstract leanings, ‘Invisible Ray’ dovetails treated vocal washes and ambient sweeps while ‘Vapour Trails’ is lively, all subtle claptraps and Compurhythm building.
Fantastically motorik, ‘Tides’ is like an electronic NEU! while the main act closer ‘The Shadow Of His Former Self’ rolls with 6/8 rhythms punctuating the magical overtones of vibrato like a more dystopian take on DEPECHE MODE.
As a final treat, the final bonus track ‘Where You End & I Begin’ featuring kooky Moogstress TARA BUSCH captures the influence of GAZELLE TWIN’s ‘The Entire City’, Foxx’s own favourite album of 2011. Making her presence felt, Busch takes on more witchy tones rather than the Patti Page in space persona of her more recent ‘Rocket Wife’ as it leans to more sinister rumblings.
‘The Shape Of Things’ is very much a grower of an album; much more personal than any of JOHN FOXX’s previous work, it gets progressively satisfying with further, conscientious listens. For many of his followers, this could even turn out to become one of their favourite albums…
With thanks to Steve Malins at Random PR
JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS ‘The Shape Of Things’ is released as a single CD by Metamatic Records on 19th March 2012.
Those who arrived early for JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS’ shows last year will have noticed the kooky songstress with a laptop, flute and Moog Voyager as the opening act. That lady is TARA BUSCH, American musician, producer and score composer.
JOHN FOXX himself described his first encounter with her thus: “Karen Carpenter appeared, along with Nico and Doris Day. Then Bob Moog wandered in”. Since then TARA BUSCH has collaborated with JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS on the track ‘Where You End & I Begin’ from the new album ‘The Shape Of Things’, but she was already a seasoned hand before that as a member of DYNAMO DRESDEN who released the album Remember in 2004.
Going solo, she issued her debut album ‘Pilfershire Lane’ in 2009 while also undertaking remixes under her Analog Suicide brand for fellow enigmatic females such as ANNIE LENNOX, BAT FOR LASHES, POLLY SCATTERGOOD and the mysterious IAMAMIWHOAMI. She was then chosen by Michelle Moog to perform and participate in a workshop called ‘Modern Day Sound Sculpting’ at MoogFest 2010.
But it was her charity EP released in late summer of 2011 for The Bob Moog Foundation entitled ‘Rocket Wife’ that really put her on the map for synth enthusiasts. Ever wondered what happened to that other worldliness which was present on GOLDFRAPP’s monumental ‘Felt Mountain’ album? Well, it has now landed on Planet Busch.
With a combination of ‘Aqua Marina’ vocals and the Sci-Fi sounds of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop’s Delia Derbyshire, ‘Rocket Wife’ is simply breathtaking, sounding like Patti Page in outer space.
Meanwhile, additional EP track ‘Calendura’ is a beautiful Alpen waltz with a touch of ‘Oompah Radar’ about it while the very short ‘Motor Crash’ is gorgeously neo-acappella with a smattering of bubbling squelch games.
Busch said of her EP: “This is a homage not only to Bob Moog and his legacy, but to the effect the synthesizer had on my music, creativity, and life. What Bob did, most famously with the Minimoog, was to make the groundbreaking world of synthesis available to everybody, not just for the privileged few.”
TARA BUSCH is also known for her enjoyable off-the-wall interpretations of songs such as MADNESS’ ‘Our House’ and THE CURE’s ‘Let’s Go To Bed’ which appeared on the ‘Perfect As Cats’ tribute album.They’re cover versions Jim, but not as we know it! So Busch’s Five Year Mission? To synthly go where no woman has gone before…
Alison Goldfrapp could be considered the most influential female music figure of the 21st Century so far.
Her sexy space age air hostess outfit accessorised by thigh length boots from the ‘Wonderful Electric’ DVD has become an iconic image while the distinctive electro glam GOLDFRAPP sound has been borrowed by pop princesses Rachel Stevens, Kylie Minogue, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and even rock bands such as MUSE!
She has become so influential in fact that in the ultimate back-handed compliment, the music press even gave Madonna the nickname “Oldfrapp”! The fairy godmother of modern electro has always cut a striking visual persona with photos of her playing keyboards in her smalls pre-LITTLE BOOTS, cuddling wolves dressed as a deviant Sally Bowles and strutting about the metropolis in a pink jump suit among the varied scenarios.
All this, despite her inherent awkwardness with regards live performance and interviews. While Alison Goldfrapp has obviously been the voice and face of GOLDFRAPP, her silent partner Will Gregory has been crucial to the chemistry. A musician and producer of strong intellect with a proficient instinct for pop, classical and soundtrack music, he has been the stabilising element to the front woman’s more art school eccentricities. When they first worked together in 1999, both were considered to have been around the musical block.
Goldfrapp was involved in well documented collaborations with ORBITAL and TRICKY while Gregory did a stint with TEARS FOR FEARS at the height of their commercial powers, playing sax in their live band and on the tracks ‘I Believe’ and ‘The Working Hour’. The dreamboat duo have successfully managed to avoid being categorised, surviving both Trip-Hop and Electroclash, two early labels that confused journalists tried to lump them with!
Almost chameleon-like, GOLDFRAPP have changed styles with every album, making the audience work for their pleasure. From their serene but sinister cinematic debut ‘Felt Mountain’ to the futuristic glitz of ‘Black Cherry’, the X-Certificate KYLIE of ‘Supernature’ to the folktronica of ‘Seventh Tree’ and the more recent retro AOR of ‘Head First’, GOLDFRAPP have for the most part, been supreme despite these mood swings.
But by way of a goodbye to their tenure on EMI (via their original label Mute), GOLDFRAPP release a compilation called ‘The Singles’. It is not a collection of their best work by any means or even a definitive singles document. As a snapshot to entice the curious to investigate their most glorious work via their albums, this is a worthwhile curriculum vitae, an indicator as to why their sound has been pillaged mercilessly throughout the world!
The superb ‘Lovely Head’ with its spine tingling whistle and electronically assisted banshee wails started it all in 2000. Will Gregory’s mad Korg MS20 treatment on Alison Goldfrapp’s sumptuously charged screaming was one of the most thrilling musical moments of the noughties. Made famous by a mobile phone ad featuring Gary Oldman and as the theme to indie flick ‘My Summer of Love’ starring Emily Blunt, the duo’s stratospheric debut single had Ennio Morricone’s’s widescreen inflections but to accompany an ascent to the Matterhorn rather than a trek through a Spaghetti Western.
Surreally sexy, GOLDFRAPP’s slower, more atmospheric numbers have always been one of their major strengths. Of those esoteric offerings, ‘Black Cherry’ and ‘Utopia’ are thankfully present. The former is still chillingly enticing while the latter is a seething ditty about a “fascist baby” and the science of genetic engineering… ”my dog needs new ears” indeed. ‘Felt Mountain’ was a masterpiece of avant string laden Weimar that showcased Alison Goldfrapp’s amazing vocal range from Callas to Bassey to Dietrich! A slow burner that eventually sold half a million, it was deservedly nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2001.
But despite that, the first of GOLDFRAPP’s major direction changes occurred in 2003 with second album ‘Black Cherry’. It upped the tempo and added a more forthright electronic template. Deliciously wired like THE GLITTER BAND fronted by Kate Bush, the 6/8 rooted ‘Strict Machine’ became ubiquitous as incidental music to any TV documentary about the adult entertainment industry. Preceding it was that other filthy slice of Teutonic schaffel, ‘Train’.
Its growling Polivoks riff was too discordant to have mainstream appeal but as visualised by its erotic promo video, it became popular with dancers of that ilk! After being beaten senseless by the efficient but monotonous four-to-the-floor club beats of the nineties, this was a statement of intent. GOLDFRAPP showed that this was not the only way!
Will Gregory himself said to Sound On Sound at the time: “I get freaked out when I think about us all sitting down at 10 in the morning in front of Logic set at 120bpm, 4/4. I think we all need something that’s our own, that you feel is special…” And this was the sound that was to be latched onto by chart pop producers everywhere!
‘The Singles’ opens though with 2005’s ‘Ooh La La’, the T-REX pastiche that is probably still the best known GOLDFRAPP tune having been featured in adverts, ‘Hollyoaks’ and the like. However, it was ‘Some Girls’ by Rachel Stevens that first put the icy glam electro sound into the UK Top 5 in 2004. Although so obviously GOLDFRAPP-lite, many thought ‘Ooh La La’ was actually ‘Some Girls’ follow-up, much to dismay of Ms Goldfrapp! “I AM NOT RACHEL STEVENS!” she exclaimed! However, ‘Ooh La La’ attracted many younger music fans who wanted to move on from Kylie and the like for something more sophisticated. Parent album ‘Supernature’ ended up selling one million world
The fantastic ‘Number 1’ brought ROXY MUSIC into the 21st Century. Styled like lusty OMD with beautiful tones and buzzy noises combined to full counter melodic effect, the vocal delivery was almost like a female Bryan Ferry. Ms Goldfrapp was once filmed describing synth sounds by colours… this song seemed to feature all the colours of the rainbow. ‘Ride A White Horse’ was another proud pop moment, but with its Studio54 decadence and more T-REX referencing, something had to give and Alison Goldfrapp temporarily abdicated her electro queen crown for the confusing, acoustically flavoured ‘Seventh Tree’.
From it, ‘A&E’ was outstanding, a paradoxically sweet tune with an unsettling narrative about a girl’s attempted suicide. Also from ‘Seventh Tree’, ‘Happiness’ could have actually been one of their trademark 12 bar stompers but was toned down to a more drippy maypole dance to fit with the album’s concept… REX THE DOG’s rejected remix of the song was far better! One could respect the intentions of ‘Seventh Tree’, but ‘Felt Mountain’ it most certainly wasn’t!
A return to synths and poptastic tempos with the ‘Head First’ album in 2010 coincided with a more relaxed and confident Alison, someone who was now comfortable in her own skin having come out in her personal life. Lead single ‘Rocket’ was considered uninspiring by some observers, but it was a catchy MTV-styled disco tune featuring the brassy stabs from Laura Branigan’s cover of Italo standard ‘Gloria’. The gorgeous middle eight was angelic while the near lyrical banality of the chorus was utter genius, intended sexual innuendo or not! ‘Believer’ is the other ‘Head First’ representative but with the choice being restricted to single releases, then the ELO meets Billy Joel aping ‘Alive’ might have been a better choice as an example of accessible electro AOR for the masses.
But ultimately, this compilation is not for GOLDFRAPP fans. At 14 tracks, it is as short as possible so as not to bore potential punters and steers away from GOLDFRAPP’s more obscure but splendid singles such as ‘Human’, ‘Twist’ and ‘Pilots’ (which incidentally was banned by the BBC in the wake of 9/11). In fact, there is no inducement for fans to purchase other than the two new songs included.
An opportunity for a deluxe set with a DVD of promo videos or bonus CD gathering the tremendous B-sides such as ‘White Soft Rope’, ‘Gone To Earth’, ‘UK Girls’, ‘Beautiful’ and ‘Yes Sir’ has been missed. But with the two unreleased numbers, ‘Yellow Halo’ is a lovely eulogy to Alison Goldfrapp’s late mother and a close relative to ‘A&E’, while ‘Melancholy Sky’ is a dreamy ballad with that classic John Barry orchestrated film theme vibe; Will Gregory even breaks out the sax!
So are these two compositions an indication of where GOLDFRAPP are heading next? Certainly some other worldliness would be welcomed by many of their loyal audience waiting in anticipation at the Deer Stop. For this chapter in the GOLDFRAPP story at least, it ends as it started… with some marvellous cinematic soundscapes.
‘The Singles’ is released by Mute / EMI Records as a CD and download
Following the Autumn departure of founder member Ally Young and a parting of ways with Skint Records, MIRRORS are back with an independently distributed EP of new material. Also inlcuding and previously unreleased home demos, it is snappily titled ‘This Year, Next Year, Sometime?’
A seamless collection of soulful electronic pop noir, their debut album ‘Lights & Offerings’ was voted Favourite Album of 2011 in ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s End of Year Facebook poll by its loyal readership. MIRRORS certainly made their impression and it is particularly encouraging that the remaining trio of James New, Josef Page and James Arguile have fought against adversity and remain determined to express their artistic ideals just as DEPECHE MODE did with ‘A Broken Frame’ in 1982.
The EP itself features two recently recorded songs ‘Dust’ and ‘Shooting Stars’. The superb ‘Dust’ can be best described as dark CHINA CRISIS although the stark melancholic result is territory that Messrs Daly and Lundon never entered, having decided to turn into STEELY DAN following their Mike Howlett produced second album ‘Working With Fire & Steel’. ‘Shooting Stars’ resonates in a similar moody fashion, the bare but beautiful synth/guitar fusion reminiscent of CHINA CRISIS’ debut album ‘Difficult Shapes & Passive Rhythms’.
However, the first of the demos ‘Blood Diamond’ is a marvellous percussive surprise with a tribal TALKING HEADS attack and James New’s spirited chanting! ‘Pick Me Up’ is also fairly lively but what is an apparent with ‘This Year, Next Year, Sometime…?’ is how much sparser these recordings sound compared with ‘Lights & Offerings’, demos not withstanding.
Some discordant modulation intros ‘Nothing Lost’ but it then train journeys into Linn styled percussion and some metal on metal while punctuated by classical piano and Kling Klang sequences. It’s enjoyable but the working rough means that these elements don’t entirely cut through. The extremely short ‘Leave Me Here’ is almost Hi-NRG, swirling ARP strings and chattering 808s recalling NEW ORDER’s explorations in dance. The collection ends with ‘Dead Air’, a dramatic ballad padded with the sort of synthphonics that do Synth Britannia proud.
The band themselves have said of this release: “All proceeds will be used to fund studio time for the next album so if you wish to make a further donation then simply put in a higher price when you make your purchase. We won’t refuse any charitable contributions! There are still many more new tracks in the pipeline. Some we’re holding back for album 2, some we may release independently in the the coming months, but by buying this EP you will be directly helping us get back into the studio to record more MIRRORS music. Enjoy and thank you so much for your continued support!”
Overall, this EP showcases a progressive palette of possibilities from MIRRORS while still retaining elements of the pop noir that attracted many people to them in the first place. It is a fine comeback if it can be described as that and a surefire indicator that there is plenty more to come from this brilliant Brighton threesome.
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is released by Mute / EMI Records as a CD and download
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