Tag: Giorgio Moroder (Page 5 of 8)

A Short Conversation with RODNEY CROMWELL

12 March 2018 / electricityclub

Like the sound of Giorgio Moroder played through a Soviet Foxtrot submarine intercom system, ‘Comrades’ is the brand new single from Rodney Cromwell.

The musical vehicle of musician and Happy Robots Records CEO Adam Cresswell, it comes from ‘Rodney’s English Disco’ EP, the first all new material since the critically acclaimed ‘Age Of Anxiety’.

Dusting off his Boss DR-55 Doctor Rhythm and what appeared to have become his redundant MicroKorg to use alongside his vintage Moogs, the new Rodney Cromwell EP sees Cresswell take on wider issues inspired by the world’s confrontational political climate after the very personal lyrical statements of songs like ‘Black Dog’ and ‘You Will Struggle’ on his debut long player.

To support the upcoming release ‘Rodney’s English Disco’, Cresswell will shortly embarking on the ‘Ohm From Ohm’ tour. Adam Cresswell kindly chatted about life, synths and the Happy Robots way…

The new EP is called ‘Rodney’s English Disco’? Are you leaving the beany hat at home and donning a flared white suit instead?

Ha ha! Not at all. In fact the selection of beany hats has increased. I’ve not gone any more disco than previously. This record is very much inspired by these strange unsettled times living in England right now, and the juxtaposition of Englishness and Disco seemed to fit. And I would look terrible in a white suit.

But in many ways, Rodney Cromwell has always been disco, just in that detached SECTION 25 kind of way?

Absolutely. I mean ‘One Two Seven’ on ‘Age of Anxiety’ was a paean to the disco beat. In fact there is probably more direct Giorgio Moroder, Divine or BLACK DEVIL DISCO CLUB influences in the Rodney Cromwell sound than there is DEPECHE MODE or Gary Numan. As for SXXV, well you know I’ve always been a fan; my favourite LP of theirs is probably ‘Love & Hate’, but ‘Dark Light’ is a close second these days.

Nearly three years on since its release, how do you look back on ‘Age Of Anxiety’?

Well I can’t say I’ve listened to it lately but after our first rehearsal in ages, I felt I probably should have. I still think very fondly of it. If I had known anyone would listen to it, I should have spent a bit longer mixing it, maybe corrected some of the mistakes, but equally that rough and ready-ness added to its honest confessional nature, it was part of its charm. I was incredibly happy how well it was received and I’m still really proud of it.

The vocoder laden ‘Comrades’ has a really chilling Cold War atmosphere, what inspired that?

I’d written ‘Dreamland’ but I was struggling with writers block – or at least I wasn’t writing anything I liked. One afternoon I ended up thumping at the MicroKorg and came up with the opening riff – I thought it sounded a bit Numan or Foxx-ish and I just built the song around that. Chilling is a good word for it. I wanted this record to be a bit darker and atmospheric – I was probably arguing with some alt-right crackpot on Twitter while recording, so that is likely what inspired it.

‘Barbed Wire’ appears to continue this sombre Cold War theme?

This was the first track I’ve ever written inspired by my Facebook wallpaper. I wanted to write something on the bass guitar mainly because I was listening to a lot of BLACK MARBLE at the time. But the track came out sounding much more ‘indie’ than I wanted. So when it came to producing, we tried to make it as sombre and austere as possible. Lots of reverb and synthy drones with a touch of ‘Deutschland 83’ vibe.

The neo-instrumental ‘Technocrats’ drops in some quite weird sounding chords?

I have no idea what the difference between a neo-instrumental and an instrumental is – but I like it!
This one started out really poppy and upbeat, in a ‘Popcorn’ meets ‘Pocket Calculator’ way; but by throwing in a couple of weird chords, it became a bit more whacky and disconcerting, like the rest of the record. I actually wrote this track really quickly – it went to concept to mixed in about three weeks which is a miracle for me. I have my producer Rich Bennett to thank for that. He described this one as a kraut-jam which sounds about right.

There’s a bit of an early OMD feel on ‘Dreamland’?

That’s probably due to the drums and the Solina strings. This was the first track written for the EP and I decided to dig out the old Boss DR-55 – it’s the drum machine on the first NEW ORDER album ‘Movement’. And anyway I just loved those sounds, so I decided to build the whole EP around them. ‘Dreamland’ is ultimately a break-up song and OMD do great breakup songs.

Are there any new synths in your armoury?

Nope. Don’t you know, I run a record label – I don’t have money for buying new synths. I’ve have actually succumbed to the convenience of soft synths though. After someone told me one of my very favourite albums LADYTRON’s ‘604’ was recorded entirely with soft synths, I got over my innate snobbishness and I use the Arturia Solina String Ensemble soft synth all over this record.

What do you think of those clones that Behringer are attempting to market?

I’m completely oblivious to what new synths are coming to market. But if Behringer want to send me a couple, I will happily test them extensively.

So how have you been juggling making music, along with running Happy Robots Records and releasing acts like HOLOGRAM TEEN, PATTERN LAGUAGE, TINY MAGNETIC PETS and SINOSA? Is this why it’s just an EP?

Nah! Even at my most prolific I’ve never managed more than four or five good songs a year, so a new Rodders album was never going to happen.

Running the label has been great – and it has been awesome working with such great bands. But it is such a lot of work trying to make a success of it – particularly when juggling with a day job. You do sometimes feel trapped in a great endless cycle of work and it starts to make you go a bit crackers to be honest. And obviously, it’s even harder financially now that it was even two years ago – when I did the Hologram Teen 7” in 2016, I got 300 units for £700 but now the same is over a grand. It’s crazy and likely to get much worse.

‘Ohm From Ohm’? But Ohm is where the ARP is?

The ARP is in my new studio room in the loft. Gathering dust. I’m sure someone wrote a song about that once.

What can potential punters expect if they come along to any of your upcoming shows?

From me, three tracks from the new EP, three or four of the big hitters from ‘Age of Anxiety’, some nice looking visuals and maybe a costume change (or at least a hat change). With four bands, we’re going to be running a tight ship, so perhaps you won’t get as much banter as some RODNEY CROMWELL shows. It’s going to be fun though, all the bands are great and we get on really well (for now).

Where is electronic music heading? Are you happy that CHVRCHES have gone the full Taylor or are you more of a Chris Carter man?

I like pop music, but I’m not a Taylor Swift fan really. Not enough melody for me, she makes my stuff sound like Paul McCartney. I read something on Twitter saying she’s a Trump supporting neo-nazi, but even I think is going a bit far. I’ve not heard the new Chris Carter although it’s on the list and I’m sure the new CHVRCHES will be good.

As for where electronic music is heading; well it all seems to be getting a bit darker, doesn’t it. I listened to the new COMPUTER MAGIC yesterday and even that is a bit dark in places. It’s the creatives rallying together. The post post-truth pop revolution has begun.

ELECTRICITY CLUB.CO.UK gives its grateful thanks to RODNEY CROMWELL

‘Comrades’ is released by Happy Robots Records as a download single including a remix by VIEON via https://rodneycromwell.bandcamp.com/album/comrades

‘Rodney’s English Disco’ EP will be released on 25th May 2018 in a 7” vinyl+CD combo, pre-order from the Botshop at https://www.happyrobots.co.uk/product-page/rodney-cromwell-7-cd-rodney-s-english-disco-bot12

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Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
12th March 2018

THE RISE OF THE SYNTHS The Official Companion Album

16 December 2017 / electricityclub

“The natural way of the cultural wave: we generally experience that musical and cultural trends shift from an outstanding position within public opinion to near utter rejection, refusal and ridicule, through an ever-shortening period of time. However, if that period of time is extended, to often several decades, we can witness a renovation, a new heightened recognition – the rebirth of the wave. Through today’s global reach, powered by the internet, cultural waves and fascinations can resurface and manifest themselves, with an even much bigger fan impact than the original source.”

And so The Synths rise, to combat the ordinary, to get ahead, to prove that this isn’t a mere revival; it’s a continuation of the trend started a long time ago, a trend which has been bubbling away in the hearts and minds of many, the army of the underground, which is now unleashing its machines to show the world their supremacy.

‘The Rise Of The Synths’ is the definitive documentary about the electronic music of its mainstream heyday, the nostalgia of those years and the memorable atmosphere created by the likes of GIORGIO MORODER, EDGAR FROESE and JOHN CARPENTER.

The project, backed up by hundreds of modern synth music composers, alongside the daddies of electronica, is a journey in time from its origins, through to the most successful time for synth, into its grunge fuelled denial and the big comeback thanks to the newly discovered social media and its important role in propagating of new music.

Anyone can be an artist these days, the day job is one thing – but why not tinkle on your synths and computers in your spare time? And with the digital outlets sprouting up like mushrooms, anyone can have a chance to hear your music. nostalgia lives through, be it with the lovers of vintage games, computers, equipment, or clothing, to those who just can’t forget the musical excitement upon hearing what synthesisers could do.

JOHN CARPENTER loved the fact that “when synthesisers were first introduced into music, (he) could get a big sound with them, (…) like an orchestra.” And that’s why many got inspired into making fresh sounds which would be impossible to achieve otherwise.

The machines never sleep and 2011 saw ‘Drive’, with its magnificent synthy soundtrack, win the festival’s Best Director Award for Nicolas Winding Refn at the Cannes Film Festival. The movement continues with the superb Netflix series ‘Stranger Things’; not only showcasing the life in provincial America in the Reagan-era, but also a deliciously electronic score, full of analogue goodness straight from the onset intro, which is impossible to skip.

‘The Rise of the Synths’ continues that trend, with numerous lovers of analogue and digital from all around the globe, joining forces to stand against the ordinary and to prove that machines rule. They rule big…

Kicking off with the perfect arpeggios by CHROME CANYON on ‘Deckard Returns’, the compilation promises a perfect listening experience from the onset.

GUNSHIP with ‘The Vale Of Shadows’ takes the reigns next, presenting the London trio of Dan Haigh, Alex Westaway and Alex Gingell; the group have had a very successful release under their belt with the 2015 eponymous album.

POWER GLOVE are best known for writing the soundtrack to the retro-futuristic video game ‘Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon’; here, the two Australians plate up ‘Fatal Affair’; a futuristic flick with a twist. ‘Makita’ by GENO LENARDO imagines the machines picking up their weapons and marching against the enemy, all with industrial elements of fear inducing qualities.

Naming his project after the ‘Top Gun’ icon, COM TRUISE aka New Yorker Seth Haley has gathered a substantial following with his “mid-fi synth-wave, slow-motion funk” and here he presents his quirky ‘Idle Withdrawal’.

While DANIEL DAVIS is ‘Lost In Love’ with a melodious pop song, ROBERT PARKER is chasing his ‘Silver Shadow’, and WAVESHAPER are on a ‘Mission To Remember’. If it ever rains for CODE ELEKTRO, it has to be ‘Black Rain’. The drops of arpeggiated downfall descend upon the simple melody, creating an atmosphere of suspense and dread.

But there’s nothing like GERMAN ENGINEERING on ‘The Osbourne Effect’, an experimental Kraftwerkian with the elements of the glorious instrumentals DEPECHE MODE used to provide in the day. The magnificent ‘Triage’ by GIORGIO MORODER, who is joined by RANEY SHOCKNE, passes almost too quickly, before the heavy ‘Night Stalker’ by CARPENTER BRUT appears; the Frenchman wrote music for video games ‘Hotline Miami 2 : Wrong Number’ and ‘The Crew’.

JOHN BERGIN introduces his guitar heavy ‘Crash & Burn’ and calming ‘Fleshman’, both as if taken from a video game. ‘Dead Of Night’ by LA based DANCE WITH THE DEAD could have easily been used in the likes of ‘Footloose’ and is very ‘Eye Of The Tiger’.

LAZERHAWK takes over on ‘A Hero’s Journey’ with filigree synths and cinematic landscapes; Garrett Hays is a founding member of ROSSO CORSA and a very successful electronic producer with a considerable success during the days of MySpace.

OGRE ushers in the era of ‘Rebar (Prologue)’, from Exeter, UK, Robin Ogden is a composer, producer and sound designer. MEGA DRIVE open the ‘Stargate’, a cleverly put together track of sci-fi design, while VOYAG3R closes the album with ‘Appearance Of The Mysterious Traveler’.

Many other artists were involved in the production; music makers from Sweden, Denmark, Spain and Canada joined numerous composers from the US and UK, all to aid the cause and strengthen the position of synth worldwide.

It seems like the trend is catching. The mighty synth has risen and it’s hitting with revenge and its revenge is sweet.

‘The Rise of the Synths’ is released by Lakeshore Records, available as a download or cassette from https://lakeshorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-rise-of-the-synths-official-companion-album-2

http://theriseofthesynths.com

https://www.facebook.com/theriseofthesynths/

https://twitter.com/RiseOfTheSynths

https://www.instagram.com/theriseofthesynths/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
16th December 2017

STARCLUSTER & MARC ALMOND Silver City Ride

19 November 2016 / electricityclub

With summer concerts accompanied by The Leeds College of Music Orchestra and Choir plus the recent release of his career spanning 10 CD box set ‘Trials Of Eyeliner: Anthology 1979-2016’, the last thing anyone expected from MARC ALMOND to close the year was an electronic pop album.

But this is exactly what has happened with ‘Silver City Ride’, a collection of ten songs recorded in collaboration with STARCLUSTER featuring Almond’s most synth laden body of work since SOFT CELL.

Flashback to 1981; following their appearance on the ‘Some Bizzare Album’ and a surprise No1 in a cover of the Northern Soul favourite ‘Tainted Love’, SOFT CELL were generally considered to have more artistic potential than DEPECHE MODE. But despite the success of the debut long player ‘Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret’, the duo imploded with Almond eventually going solo while musical partner Dave Ball formed THE GRID.

But while SOFT CELL ended after just three albums, they made an impact in the pop landscape. Their template was borrowed by PET SHOP BOYS, who softened it and made it less threatening to achieve great international success. So the notion that SOFT CELL could have been huge is not far-fetched.

While electronic pop was how MARC ALMOND made his name, his solo career has been more traditional instrumentally with only the occasional foray into technological enhancement, most notably with his cover of ‘Jacky’ produced by Trevor Horn in 1991.

But in 2008, Almond recorded ‘Smoke & Mirrors’ with STARCLUSTER, an Anglo German production duo comprising of Roland Faber and Kai Ludeling.

The song itself was an octave shifting dance anthem in the vein of GIORGIO MORODER with a sweeping VANGELIS rooted synth solo thrown in too; a beefed up remix of the track is included on ‘Silver City Ride’ and actually improves on the original.

The album begins with the joyous triplet driven experience of the title track. The wonderful ‘Pixelated’ is more mysterious and could even be seen as Almond’s tribute to JOHN FOXX. The ivory shaped ‘Avatar’ takes on an introspective mood while the spritely drum machine jaunt of ‘The City Cries’ squelches marvellously, punctuated by sparking synth vibrato and Almond’s passionate energetics.

Haunting Almond yet again, it’s a great cover version that takes the limelight on ‘Silver City Ride’. ‘To Have & Have Not’ was written by Peter Godwin and his ‘Criminal World’ was famously covered by DAVID BOWIE in 1983. Originally recorded by androgynous New Romantic fashion icon RONNY, it retains the stern manner of the former Parisian model, while giving this slice of modern Weimar Cabaret a boost in profile, something that it has always deserved.

‘The Shallows’ is a sub-PET SHOP BOYS excursion, before the ‘Chase’ rendering atmospheres of ‘I Don’t Kiss’ take the pace down. But a reinterpretation of the contemporary choir boy ballad ‘Always With You’ takes Almond into ENYA territory and is a curio likely to polarise listeners. Whatever, Faber and Ludeling do an excellent job in its construction.

The final track ‘Get Closer’ is another cover, this time of the cult Italo disco tune recorded by VALERIE DORE. The pulsing backing track is pristine and while Almond’s voice is layered in treatments that may upset purists, it ultimately shows his willingness to experiment with a modern electronica aesthetic.

Dressed in its Metropolis inspired artwork designed by Emil Schult, while ‘Silver City Ride’ is a synthpop record with classic Eurocentric leanings, it is most certainly not a ‘Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret’ tribute. The album is far too clean and smooth to be that and some might even say it lacks the grit and glitter of SOFT CELL.

But to hear MARC ALMOND’s voice again alongside vintage synthesizers is pure joy. And for that reason alone, ‘Silver City Ride’ is a welcome addition to the Almond catalogue that will delight fans of his more electronic based work.

‘Silver City Ride’ uses the following equipment: Minimoog, Moog MG1, Moog Voyager, Roland Jupiter 4, Roland Jupiter 8, Roland SH2, Roland System 100M, Roland SH101, Roland Juno 60, Roland JD800, Roland TR808, Roland CR78, Roland CR8000, Oberheim Matrix 1000, MFB Synth II, Roland MKS 30/50/70/80, Ensoniq ESQ1, ARP Odyssey, ARP Avatar, ARP Solina, Sequential Prophet 5, Sequential Pro-One, Korg Mono/Poly, Korg Poly 61, Korg Rhythm 55, Korg MS20, Linn Drum II, Eurorack Modular

‘Silver City Ride’ is released on vinyl LP by Closing the Circle/Private Records, available as a download from https://priv4te.bandcamp.com/album/silver-city-ride

http://www.marcalmond.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/MarcAlmondOfficial

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Text by Chi Ming Lai with thanks to Ange Chan
19th November 2016, updated 3rd January 2017

25 FAVOURITE CLASSIC 12 INCH VERSIONS

5 October 2015 / electricityclub

‘Is That The 12 Inch Mix?’ people used to ask…

“Sometimes you never knew what you were getting when you bought the 12 inch mix” says Rob Grillo, author of the same titled book tracing the history of the extended format, “Sometimes you got the 7 inch version and a bonus track, sometimes it was just the longer album mix, and sometimes you got the normal mix when the sleeve promised a ‘brand new mix’, occasionally there would be a gargantuan explosion of noise that heralded a completely new take on the song that would blow you mind away…”

ELECTRICITY CLUB.CO.UK itself has never been particularly big on remixes or 12 inch versions. They were on occasions, an unnecessary evil. Just because a song can be extended and reworked to submission doesn’t mean it has to be… FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD’s bassist Mark O’Toole snorted to International Musician & Recording World in 1986: “A punter walks into the shop, wants to buy a single – and there’s half a dozen mixes of it! It’s a pain in the ar*e!”

Comedian Lenny Henry summed things up best in a sketch where he entered a record shop to buy a single and was then offered a plethora of versions by the assistant… “I JUST WANT THE VERSION THEY GOT RIGHT!” he exclaimed.

In another stand-up routine, he commented that a 12 inch single could last longer than a marriage. But they could be tremendously passionate affairs as Rob Grillo remembers: “In essence, buying the 12 inch was more exciting than buying the 7 inch…”

With the restriction of tape, a razor blade and the mixing desk, the era often conspired to make more interesting, structured reworkings than the meaningless dance work-outs of today. When done well, the 12 inch extended version could totally surpass the original.

Each track on this list of classic variations was released as a 12 inch single with a corresponding original 7 inch release that was shorter (which thus excludes ‘Blue Monday’ by NEW ORDER); full length album versions that subsequently got issued as 12 inch singles are not included.

With a restriction one track per artist moniker going up to the period before remixes got a bit daft with the advent of rave culture, here are ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s 25 choices in chronological and then alphabetical order…

SPARKS Beat The Clock – Long Version (1979)

The shorter album take of ‘Beat The Clock’ was more basic and less epic. But in this longer, more powerful and percussive 12 inch version, the star of this ace collaboration with Giorgio Moroder was the ever dependable Keith Forsey with his rumbling drumming syncopating off the precisely sequenced electronic production.

Available on the SPARKS album ‘Real Extended: The 12 inch Mixes (1979 – 1984)’ via Repertoire Records

http://allsparks.com/

DURAN DURAN Girls On Film – Night Version (1981)

At the start of their career, rather than just simply extend a song by joining together sections of tape, DURAN DURAN actually took time to rearrange and re-record their 12 inch singles. This they did on ‘Planet Earth’ and ‘My Own Way’, but the best of the early ‘Night Version’ trilogy was ‘Girls On Film’. This marvellous arrangement formed the basis of their live version.

Available on the DURAN DURAN boxed set ‘The Singles 81-85’ via EMI Records

http://www.duranduran.com/

THE HUMAN LEAGUE Don’t You Want Me – Ext Dance Mix (1981)

Effectively an instrumental of the closing track on ‘Dare’, the quality of Martin Rushent’s production was fully showcased on this ‘Ext Dance Mix’. Each synth had its own voice and placed inside a precise lattice that formed a fabulous pop tapestry. It was also notable for featuring a guitar, albeit used obliquely by Jo Callis to trigger a Roland System 700.

Available on the album ‘Original Remixes & Rarities’ via Virgin Records

http://www.thehumanleague.co.uk/

SIMPLE MINDS The American – 12 inch Version (1981)

‘The American’ was the Glaswegians’ first single for Virgin and sounded like Moroder merged with NEU! Metallic motorik drumming from Brian McGee sans hi-hats provided an interesting rhythm construction and challenged the band into finding inventive ways of making people dance. With Mick McNeil’s pulsing synths coupled with Derek Forbes’ bass engine, this was prime art disco.

Available on the SIMPLE MINDS boxed set ‘X5’ via Virgin Records

http://www.simpleminds.com/

SOFT CELL Bedsitter – Early Morning Dance Side (1981)

SOFT CELL were quite unique in their 12 inch extended formats by often incorporating extra vocal sections like on ‘Torch’, ‘Facility Girls’ and ‘Insecure Me’. So instead of purely instrumental breakdown extensions, ‘Bedsitter’ added a marvellous rap from Marc Almond where he asked “do you look a mess, do have a hangover?” before taking a little blusher, pushing tea leaves down the drain.

Available on the SOFT CELL deluxe album ‘Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret’ via UMC

http://www.marcalmond.co.uk/

SPANDAU BALLET The Freeze – Special Mix (1981)

While the single version of ‘The Freeze’ was an enjoyable if polite slice of guitar driven disco, the 12 inch ‘Special Mix’ of SPANDAU BALLET’s second single fully utilised their Yamaha CS10 with a pulsing octave barrage that could have been borrowed from their Blitz Club contemporaries VISAGE. A closing cacophony of electronically processed percussion came over like a funkier KRAFTWERK.

Available on the SPANDAU BALLET album ‘The Twelve Inch Mixes’ via Chrysalis Records

http://www.spandauballet.com/

B-MOVIE Nowhere Girl – Version (1982)

B-MOVIE were famously the band that Phonogram pursued to take on SPANDAU BALLET and DURAN DURAN. Managed by Some Bizzare’s Stevo Pearce, he stipulated that an unknown synth duo called SOFT CELL be part of any deal. The 12 inch version of ‘Nowhere Girl’ featured an extended intro with tinkling ivories that came over like ULTRAVOX before the pulsing bass and harp-like synths kicked in.

Available on the compilation boxed set ’12” 80s Alternative’ (V/A) via UMTV

http://www.b-movie.co.uk/

CLASSIX NOUVEAUX Is It A Dream? – 12 inch Version (1982)

The best classic 12 inch versions often retained the musical structure of the song but cleverly used the technique of breakdown to achieve dynamic highs and lows where appropriate. ‘Is It A Dream?’ effectively tagged the instrumental version of the song onto the beginning which provided a build towards the main act as the recognisable elements of the tune steadily kicked in.

Available on the CLASSIX NOUVEAUX album ‘The Very Best Of’ via EMI Gold

http://www.salsolo.com/Classix_Fans.html

NEW ORDER Temptation – 12 Inch Version (1982)

A different version altogether from the 7 inch, however the 12 inch version was actually recorded in one massive 14 minute jam session with the shorter version preceding it. The recording itself was both grand and magical while marvellously flawed, with Stephen Morris’ overdriven Simmons snare panned too far to the right while band members can also be heard calling instructions and tutting.

Available on the NEW ORDER boxed set ‘Retro’ via Warner Music

http://www.neworder.com/

GARY NUMAN Music for Chameleons – Extended Version (1982)

In 7 inch form, Gary Numans ‘Music For Chameleons’ sounded incomplete. Lasting almost eight minutes, with the fluid fretless bass runs of Pino Palladino and the stuttering distorted clap of a Linn Drum providing the backbone to some classic vox humana Polymoogs, the 12 inch version’s highlight was the windy synth run in the long middle section.

Available on the GARY NUMAN album ‘Exposure: The Best of 1977-2002’ via Artful Records

http://www.numan.co.uk/

VISAGE Night Train – Dance Mix (1982)

Inspired by the burgeoning New York club scene, Rusty Egan brought in John Luongo to remix ‘Night Train’ much to Midge Ure’s dismay, leading him to end his tenure with VISAGE. But Luongo’s rework was sharper, pushing forward the female backing vocals to soulful effect in particular and replacing the clumpier snare sounds of the original album version with cleaner snappier samples.

Available on the compilation boxed set ’12″/80s/2′ (V/A) via UMTV

http://www.visage.cc/

BLANCMANGE Blind Vision – 12 Inch Version (1983)

Uunder the production supervision John Luongo who had remixed ‘Feel Me’ to great rhythmical effect, ‘Blind Vision’ was punctuated by brass, extra percussion and slap bass as well as the trademark BLANCMAGE Linn Drum claps also thrown in. A steady build-up, vocal ad-libs from Neil Arthur and a prolonged coda extended the track to a hypnotic nine and a half minutes.

Available on the BLANCMANGE album ‘Mange Tout’ via Edsel Records

http://www.blancmange.co.uk/

DEAD OR ALIVE What I Want – Dance Mix (1983)

With an edgy production from Zeus B Held, ‘What I Want’ was effectively a rewrite of ‘Blue Monday’, or even ‘Shake It Up’ by DIVINE, depending on your outlook. Combining a variety of musical styles, this HI-NRG / Goth hybrid was the last track Wayne Hussey before departing for THE SISTERS OF MERCY. “Listen blue eyes, shut up!” scowled Pete Burns in this salaciously pounding affair.

Available on the DEAD OR ALIVE album ‘Sophisticated Boom Boom’ via Cherry Pop

http://www.deadoralive.net/

JOHN FOXX Endlessly – 12 Inch Version (1983)

After ‘Metamatic’ and ‘The Garden’, John Foxx started experimenting in psychedelic pop. With nods to ‘Sgt Pepper’, the original ‘Endlessy’ from 1982 had the makings of a good song, but was laboured in its arrangement. Reworked with Simmons drums, metronomic sequencers and grand vocal majestics, the Zeus B Held produced 1983 version was even more glorious in an extended 12 inch format.

Available on JOHN FOXX the boxed set ‘Metadelic’ via Edsel Records

http://www.metamatic.com/

HEAVEN 17 Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry – Extended Dance Version (1983)

Taking a leaf out of their old sparring partners THE HUMAN LEAGUE, HEAVEN 17 took off most of the vocals and played up the various instrumental elements of ‘Crushed By The Wheels Of Industry’ with a restructured rhythmical backbone. With a punchy retuned bass drum attack and Roland Bassline programming pushed out to the front, sequences and guitar synth solos were phased in and out.

Available on the HEAVEN 17 boxed set ‘The Luxury Gap’ via Virgin Records

http://www.heaven17.com/

FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD Two Tribes – Annihilation (1984)

While Holly Johnson’s original lyric referenced the dystopian drama ‘Mad Max’, it sat well within the Cold War tensions of the period. With mighty Fairlight orchestra stabs and masterful PPG programming for the iconic synth bass, the first 12 inch version entitled ‘Annihilation’ featured the poignant authoritative voice of Patrick Allen, reprising his real life ‘Protect & Survive’ commentary…

Available on the FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD album ‘Frankie Said’ via Union Square Music Ltd

http://www.frankiesay.com/

KRAFTWERK Tour De France – Remix (1984)

The original ‘Tour De France’ single in 1983 signalled the launch of a new KRAFTWERK album ‘Technopop’ but it was never actually released. However, ‘Tour De France’ took on a life of its own. This masterful remix by New York DJ Francois Kevorkian backed a key scene in the film ‘Breakdance’. Much more percussive than the first version, it reinforced KRAFTWERK’s standing in the US Hip-Hop scene.

Available on the KRAFTWERK single ‘Tour De France’ via EMI Records

http://www.kraftwerk.com/

GIORGIO MORODER & PHILIP OAKEY Together In Electric Dreams – Extended (1984)

One of the best 12 inch versions ever, it not only retained the essence of the original song but added enough extra elements to make it quite different too. There was more rock guitar from Richie Zito which actually enhanced the track and the false end after the guitar solo leading to a superb percussive breakdown that made the most of Arthur Barrow’s frantic Linn Drum programming.

Available on the PHILIP OAKEY & GIORGIO MORODER album ‘Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder’ via Virgin Records

http://www.giorgiomoroder.com/

TALK TALK It’s My Life – US Mix (1984)

The UK 12 inch extended version was a rather formless, dub excursion that never got to the point. However, taking a leaf out of DURAN DURAN’s specifically taylored remixes of songs from the ‘Rio’ album for America, EMI / Capitol commissioned Steve Thompson to construct a toughened up version of ‘It’s My Life’ to make it more MTV friendly. The song became an unexpected favourite in US clubs.

Available on the compilation boxed set ‘’12″/80s’ (V/A) via UMTV

http://spiritoftalktalk.com/

ULTRAVOX One Small Day – Special Remix Extra (1984)

One of ULTRAVOX’s more guitar driven numbers, there were eventually three different extended versions of ‘One Small Day’, the best of which was the ‘Special Remix Extra’, also known as the ‘Extended Mix’. With chopped up vocal phrases on this neo-dub mix, the instrumentation to come to the fore without Midge Ure’s shrill chorus as a distraction.

Available as the ‘Extended Mix’ on the ULTRAVOX album ‘Lament’ via EMI Gold

http://www.ultravox.org.uk/

A-HA The Sun Always Shines On TV – Extended Version (1985)

From the beginning A-HA were always so much more than a teenybop group, ‘The Sun Always Shines On TV’ revealed a lyrical darkness while the combination of synths and edgy guitar put them in the same league as ULTRAVOX and ASSOCIATES. This rarer first ‘Extended Version’ made the most of the powerful instrumentation and added more drama with a slow solemn piano intro.

Available on the A-HA deluxe album ‘Hunting High & Low’ via Rhino Entertainment

http://a-ha.com/

PROPAGANDA Duel – Bitter Sweet (1985)

While the Trevor Horn produced ‘Dr. Mabuse’ was very much a Fairlight-fest, PROPAGANDA’s second single ‘Duel’ with production by Steve Lipson was based around the Synclavier, PPG and Roland Super Jupiter. Stewart Copeland from THE POLICE rhythmitised alongside the Linn Drum while the ‘Bitter Sweet’ extended mix broke down the instrumentation to reveal a highly intricate arrangement.

Available on the PROPAGANDA album ‘Outside World’ via Repertoire Records

https://www.facebook.com/Propaganda-Band-135375113199791/

OMD Forever Live & Die – Extended Mix (1986)

Not the better known but less fulfilled ‘Extended Remix’ by Tom Lord-Alge, John Potoker’s reworking did away with its daft skips and enhanced the song’s enjoyable instrumental elements largely hidden in the single mix. The wonderful end section with its wild rhythm guitar reverbed drums also revealed that despite the palatable Trans-Atlantic sound, KRAFTWERK’s ‘Radio-Activity’ still lingered.

Available on the compilation boxed set ‘Maxi Singles 80 Vol 2’ (V/A) via Wagram Music

http://www.omd.uk.com/

PET SHOP BOYS Suburbia – The Full Horror (1986)

‘Suburbia’ was a good if slightly underwhelming track from ‘Please’ that got transformed into a more fully realised epic. Produced in this new longer version by Sarm West graduate Julian Mendelson, it was a two-parter. Complete widescreen synths and thundering rhythms, the intro and middle sections saw a pitch shifted Neil Tennant monologuing about the evils of ‘Suburbia’ in a devilish tone.

Available on the PET SHOP BOYS album ‘Disco’ via EMI Records

http://www.petshopboys.co.uk/

DEPECHE MODE Never Let Me Down Again – Split Mix (1987)

A merging of the album version with the Wasp driven bass heavy ‘Aggro Mix’ (hence the ‘Split Mix’ title), this long take on one of DEPECHE MODE’s classic songs was perfection. ‘Never Let Me Down Again’ took into account that the best 12 inch mixes usually had the actual song and an instrumental middle section before a reprise of the main chorus hook.

Available on the DEPECHE MODE album ‘Remixes 81-04’ via Mute Records

http://www.depechemode.com/

A playlist of over 130 Classic 12 Inch Versions has been assembled at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1cKyepTy06g7I91JaV1row

Text by Chi Ming Lai with thanks to Rob Grillo and Rob Harris
5th October 2015

KOVAK Modern Lovers

31 August 2015 / electricityclub

The second album from Brighton based pop combo KOVAK, ‘Modern Lovers’ has been a long time coming.

‘Killer Boots’, the first single from the revamped KOVAK line-up emerged in 2012 and coincided with some well received support slots with TOYAH. Other singles ‘Living The Dream’ and ‘Radiate’ came along and got BBC Radio2 airplay.

But a combination of record company politics and the birth of singer Annelies Van de Velde’s first child put things on hold, until now.

Finishing the album with noted studio hand Andy Gray contributing synths, the Bray brothers Karl and Darran have crafted an immediate new wave disco record that recalls BLONDIE and GIORGIO MORODER. Released independently, titles like ‘I Love The Dance Floor’ and ‘International Dance Party’ only go to signify the uptempo escapist intent of ‘Modern Lovers’.

Produced by Dom Beken, it all begins with the pleasant steadfast title track with Annelies’ rich optimistic vocal over choppy rhythm guitar and pulsing synth. But the bouncy Eurodisco of their past few singles makes its presence felt on the effervescent ‘Catchy Monkey’, a fine tune that nicely crosses over into the New Romantic tradition.

Beginning with sequencers, ‘I Love The Dancefloor’ turns slightly into FRANZ FERDINAND while Annelies waxes lyrical about the joys of a good old fashioned night out. ‘International Dance Party’ amusingly features a rap by Karl Bray over a syncopated backing track that would make DURAN DURAN proud with some rock inflected disco. Continuing the rock disco fusion, with the thumping drums and and whirring synth on ‘Just Another Man’, Annelies’ sexy allure comes over like Debbie Harry with a nod towards ‘Atomic’ as a fitting in-joke reference.

On ‘Who Is She?’, Annelies’ jealously runs deep but conversely, the following ‘Radiate’ is more celebratory. Driven by a tingling metallic sequence and sweetened by her angelic vocals, ‘Radiate’ does what it says on the tin. It’s very SAINT ETIENNE Goes To Munich and still stand-outs as a classic song that blends a dreamy hook with crisp production and a danceable beat.

A bit of glitterball stomp enters the equation with ‘Swing Song’ coming over like Chrissie Hynde fronting DEEP PURPLE, while the funkier ‘Little Bit Of Luck’ takes on the album’s most soulful stance. The neo-acoustic ballad ‘Tower Blocks’ makes an apt closer, and provides some sonic variation to showcase KOVAK’s diversity that covers many bases without losing the band’s core ident.

Missing from the album though are the previous singles ‘Killer Boots’ and ‘Living The Dream’. While this is a shame, it doesn’t detract from the fact that this collection is a good pop record. While ‘Modern Lovers’ may party like it’s 1979, the modern discothèque sheen only enhances the album’s fun and classic approach.

With thanks to Andy Hollis at 74 Promotions

‘Modern Lovers’is released by 74 Music on 7th September 2015 as a download and numbered CD. Please visit https://www.kovak.co.uk for more information

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialKovak

Text by Chi Ming Lai
31st August 2015

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