Tag: Lady Gaga (Page 1 of 2)

A Beginner’s Guide To MIRRORS

11 October 2025 /

Photo by David Ellis

“MIRRORS formed probably in a very similar way to a lot of other bands; we were in a pub, we were being very scathing and cynical about the current crop of musical hopefuls and obviously assumed at the same time we could do it better. So before we knew it, we picked up a couple of old synthesizers and we were bashing out some tunes…”: James New

MIRRORS may have only released one full length album ‘Light & Offerings’ in early 2011 but while the lack of success may have precipitated their premature disbandment, with the qualitative lull in British synth music in the years following meant that ‘Light & Offerings’ was discovered retrospectively by electronic pop fans who had missed the band first time around.

MIRRORS released their first two self-produced singles ‘Look At Me’ and ‘Into The Heart’ in 2009. As the quartet began to perform live with cerebral projections as visual accompaniment, they fostered a suited look based around 20th Century European Modernism inspired by Gilbert & George and designated their music pop noir. Signing to Brighton’s Skint Records, after abortive recording sessions with Ed Buller and Richard X, the band opted to self-produce their debut long player and locked themselves away in a rural Sussex farmhouse for several weeks.

Despite having only one long player to their name, MIRRORS became known for their B-sides and remixes while since the band’s fragmentation in late 2011 and quiet disbandment in mid-2013 after their final gig in the Czech Republic, there have been number of new projects and collaborations. Of the classic line-up, front man James New has been the most prolific, working with Saint Raymond, Lauren Aquilina and Laura Welsh in a production / writing partnership with Josef Page alongside his own solo work and various guest appearences. Meanwhile outside of music, James Arguile entered the teaching profession while Ally Young trained to become a chef.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK has managed to assemble a Beginner’s Guide comprising of 20 tracks from The World of MIRRORS. As per usual, rules help to control the fun and the selections have been made from standalone releases whether physical product or digital downloads (both purchasable or available initially for free); they are placed in chronological order…

MUMM-RA She’s Got You High (2007)

James New and James Arguile had their first taste of near-fame in indie-pop hopefuls MUMM-RA named after the primary villain in the animated series ‘ThunderCats’. Reaching No41 in the UK Singles Chart, ‘She’s Got You High’ later appeared in ‘(500) Days of Summer’, an episode of ‘The Inbetweeners’ and a Waitrose advert. Despite supporting THE KILLERS, the band split and New started listening to KRAFTWERK…

Available on the MUMM-RA album ‘These Things Move In Threes’ via Columbia Records

https://www.instagram.com/mummraofficial/

MIRRORS Look At Me (2009)

“Bored of tradition”, James New met Ally Young and began formulating ideas “to do something that was considered from the ground up”. Joined by James Arguile who embraced the idea of making soulful electronic pop, the first fruit of labour was ‘Look At Me’; recorded on GarageBand with sonic distortion creeping in, it was released as a one sided red vinyl single on Pure Groove with the sleeve sticker outlining the MIRRORS manifesto.

Available on the MIRRORS EP ‘Broken By Silence’ via Skint Records

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/mar/13/new-band-mirrors

WHITE LIES A Place To Hide – Un Autre Monde mix by MIRRORS (2009)

The WHITE LIES connection came about as James New was friends with live keyboardist Tommy Bowen; a song from the debut ‘To Lose My Life…’ which also included ‘Farewell To The Fairground’, the trio’s post-punk influenced synth rock influenced by THE TEARDROP EXPLODES was given a doom-laden machine-percussive edge. “The WHITE LIES one was our first remix actually” recalled James New in 2010, “that’s probably the one I like the least”.

Originally available a free download, currently unavailable

https://whitelies.com/

MIRRORS Into The Heart (2009)

With Josef Page joining to the line-up, MIRRORS were now a synth quartet and their second single on Moshi Moshi was a much more soaring statement after the comparatively understated ‘Look At Me’. Within its detuned shimmering tones, here was an accessible Cold War centric pop number with a majestic singalong that proved Synth Britannia influences were nothing to be ashamed of.

Originally available as the single ‘Into The Heart’ via Moshi Moshi Records, re-recorded version on the album ‘Lights & Offerings’ via Skint Entertainment

https://www.facebook.com/theworldofmirrors

AU REVOIR SIMONE Tell Me – MIRRORS remix (2010)

Known for their whimsical feminine synthpop, AU REVOIR SIMONE closed their third album ‘Still Night, Still Light’ with the minimally understated ‘Tell Me’; remixed in his bedroom in half a day, James New’s brilliant version made the American female keyboard trio of Erika Forster, Annie Hart and Heather D’Angelo sound delectably suicidal; “That was the plan…”, he said in 2010, “sort of gothic disco I was going for there!”

Available on the AU REVOIR SIMONE album ‘Night Light’ via Moshi Moshi Records

http://www.aurevoirsimone.com/

MIRRORS Ways To An End (2010)

‘Ways To An End’ saw MIRRORS’ intense and artful approach to dancing was very different to the ‘hands in the air’ culture of their home base of Brighton. Synthetic chills and pulsing effects dominated this brilliantly uptempo electro number that rhythmically recalled TALKING HEADS ‘Crosseyed & Painless’ while the claustrophobic production was very post-punk while wonderfully dense and swathed in melodic drama.

Available on the MIRRORS album ‘Lights & Offerings’ via Skint Records

https://theworldofmirrors.blogspot.com/2010/12/mirrors-and-omd-tour-account.html

MIRRORS Broken By Silence (2010)

In their short career, MIRRORS left not only a great album in ‘Lights & Offerings’ but a body of wonderful B-sides too. Originally the flipside of ‘Ways To An End’, the emotive ‘Broken By Silence’ exploited the sad melancholy often associated with OMD; “It’s one of my favourite tracks of ours!” said James New and it became the title song of a special CD EP made available during MIRRORS shows opening for OMD.

Available on the MIRRORS EP ‘Broken By Silence’ via Skint Records

https://theworldofmirrors.blogspot.com/2010/12/mirrors-tour-account-part-2.html

OMD Sister Marie Says – MIRRORS Un Autre Monde Mix (2010)

With the European tour opening for OMD came an invitation to remix ‘Sister Marie Says’, the most immediate song on their comeback album ‘History Of Modern’. Much was anticipated in as the apprentice casttheir homework on the sorcerer’s spell. Using a dark abstractly percussive approach minus the song apart from bursts of choir samples and the whispered title phrase, this reconstruction polarised OMD and MIRRORS fans alike.

Originally available on the single ‘Sister Marie Says’ via Blue Noise Records, currently unavailable

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

MIRRORS Falls By Another Name (2011)

“It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure…” said Ally Young of ‘Falls By Another Name’, a B-side catchy enough to have been an A-side. Not as dense as MIRRORS’ usual pop noir, the bright pulsing melodies and James New’s Dave Gahan impression made this sound like a quality outtake from DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Speak & Spell’; “…we do have a habit of writing quite big melodies and choruses” added the MIRRORS singer, “we come from a poppy sort of place”.

Available on the MIRRORS EP ‘Broken By Silence’ via Skint Records

https://theworldofmirrors.blogspot.com/2011/05/

MIRRORS Something On Your Mind (2011)

MIRRORS revealed an interesting musical diversion with this haunting take of a rootsy country number originally recorded by Karen Dalton. Written by Dino Valenti of psychedelic rockers QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE, ‘Something On Your Mind’ was a touching ballad with its tortured yearning suiting the quartet’s pop noir aspirations. Ally Young said: “It was very nice for us to be able to apply our aesthetic to someone else’s song.”

Available on the MIRRORS album ‘Lights & Offerings’ via Skint Records

https://theworldofmirrors.blogspot.com/2011/04/embedded-mirrors-european-tour-diary.html

MIRRORS Secrets – Andy McCluskey remix (2011)

Originally a 10 minute epic split into three movements, ‘Secrets’ closed MIRRORS’ debut long player, driven by an intense percussive tattoo and a shifting octave bass riff that was pure Klingklang. While pushing forward the synthetic claps and allowing in some air, Andy McCluskey stripped down the backing and shortened proceedings, making it much less claustrophobic and militaristic than the original cut.

Originally available a free download, currently unavailable

https://www.runoutgrooves.com/mirrors/

ANOTHERS BLOOD Lost Communication – MIRRORS remix (2011)

Behind the cerebral alt-rock act ANOTHERS BLOOD was producer Richard Frenneaux. His rousing ‘Lost Communication’ was given an electro-gothic austere by MIRRORS that subdued the vocal into a background of slowly throbbing bass synths. ANOTHERS BLOOD later covered NEW ORDER’s ‘Lonesome Tonight’ for Mojo Magazine in 2012 while Frenneaux released his debut solo album ‘Fluoxetine Times’ in 2020.

Available on the ANOTHERS BLOOD single ‘Lost Communication’ via Family Records

https://www.instagram.com/richfrenn/

LADY GAGA Judas – MIRRORS Une Autre Monde Mix: Nuit (2011)

In their biggest remix commission yet, MIRRORS contributed two remixes, subtitled ‘Jour’ et ‘Nuit’; the best of these was the latter night version which added the discordant backing on the verse that let  Lady Gaga get away with her bizarre intonation saying “arse”. With the very poppy chorus removed, his provided a darker resonance to the implied blasphemy while a pulsing middle eight added to the edgier synthpop adaptation.

Available on the LADY GAGA download bundle ‘Judas (Remix EP Part 1)’ via Interscope Records

https://www.ladygaga.com/

MIRRORS Blood Diamonds (2012)

Following the departure of founder member Ally Young and a parting of ways with Skint Records, MIRRORS came back with an independently distributed EP of new material. Also including previously unreleased home demos, it was snappily titled ‘This Year, Next Year, Sometime?’; the first of the demos ‘Blood Diamond’ was a marvellous percussive surprise with a tribal TALKING HEADS attack and James New’s spirited chanting!

Available on the MIRRORS EP ‘This Year, Next Year, Sometime…?’ via Bandcamp

https://mirrorsofficial.bandcamp.com/album/this-year-next-year-sometime

MIRRORS Between Four Walls (2012)

On slimming down to a trio, MIRRORS headed towards a sparser textural direction with ‘Dust’ and ‘Hourglass’ than on ‘Lights & Offerings’, but this was nevertheless rewarding with further listens. The beautifully stark drama of ‘Between Four Walls’ was full of post 3:00am drama. Asking “Do you ever wonder how you’ll ever get there when you never turn back around?”, it was high end atmospheric electronic balladry at its best.

Available on the MIRRORS single ‘Hourglass’ via Bandcamp

https://mirrorsofficial.bandcamp.com/album/hourglass

LOVELIFE Brave Face (2012)

After Ally Young left MIRRORS, his first musical port-of-call to produce the second album by OASIS-inspired indie band VIVA BROTHER. But when things floundered and the band split, he teamed up with their singer Lee Newell, relocated to New York and LOVELIFE was born. ‘Brave Face’ was a chilling but uplifting piece of mood music which came over like OMD fronted by HARD FI in its Cool Britannia meets Synth Britannia fusion.

Available on the LOVELIFE EP ‘El Regreso’ via Lovelife

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

FOTONOVELA featuring JAMES NEW Our Sorrow (2013)

Not content with producing MARSHEAUX and collaborating with OMD on the ‘English Electric’ track ‘Helen Of Troy’, Greek production duo FOTONOVELA unveiled a new sophomore opus which was more song based using a number of prominent international vocalists. One of the numbers ‘Our Sorrow’ featured the majestic voice of James New. This sad string synth laden ditty was in the vein of classic OMD.

Available on the FOTONOVELA album ‘A Ton Of Love’ via Undo Records

http://www.facebook.com/undofotonovela

MARSHEAUX featuring JAMES NEW Now This Is Fun (2015)

MARSHEAUX included some interesting arrangements covering DEPECHE MODE’s second album ‘A Broken Frame’. But the 2CD deluxe edition boasted a bonus track in a cover of the ‘See You’ B-side ‘Now This Is Fun’ featuring James New on lead vocals. Whereas the original version went through a series of frantic tempo changes, MARSHEAUX kept the pace constant and moody while the MIRRORS front man remained anxiously impassioned.

Available on the MARSHEAUX deluxe album ‘A Broken Frame’ via Undo Records

https://www.facebook.com/marsheaux

PURPLE HAZE featuring JAMES NEW Fall In (2017)

James New returned to his indie guitar roots to reform MUMM-RA while also working with others. The project of Sander Van Doorn, this PURPLE HAZE collaboration saw New add his forlorn vocals to the dreamy acoustic electronic hybrid of ‘Fall In’ which exhibited all the potential qualities of MIRRORS; there were bangin’ dance remixes by LYNDSCAPE and Zonderling but New issued his own solo guitar-oriented take in 2018.

Available on the PURPLE HAZE album ‘SPECTRVM’ via Doorn Records

https://www.instagram.com/jamesnewmusic/

VIRENS We’re Still Cool (2024)

Despite James New teasing that he might return to synth with acoustic covers of ‘Don’t You Want Me’ and ‘A Real Hero’, his new project VIRENS was actually an alt-folk duo. His partner Louisa Connolly-Burnham had a voice akin to Hope Sandoval of MAZZY STAR, so it was fitting that ‘We’re Still Cool’ was like THE JESUS & MARY CHAIN meeting Bowie’s ‘Heroes’; it also saw New reunite with Josef Page who co-wrote and produced the track.

Available on the VIRENS EP ‘Mutual Assured Destruction’ via Couples Therapy

https://www.instagram.com/virensmusic/

The MIRRORS Appreciation Society Facebook Group is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/404571368236796

Text by Chi Ming Lai with thanks to Norman Cooke
11th October 2025

NIGHT CLUB Scary World

20 August 2018 /

“It’s a scary world out there”; words you can hear far and wide all across the globe, but when you enter the world of NIGHT CLUB, it can get scarier still.

For the twisted, dirty and sick, look no further than the bombastic American duo, where Emily Kavanaugh rules the roost with her aggressive vocal style, sugar coated at times, but don’t be fooled… introducing the second album from the unusual twosome, which follows the acclaimed ‘Requiem for Romance’, NIGHT CLUB are on tour with none other than the mega Gods of heavy electronica, COMBI (f**king) CHRIST.

And from the onset, the heavily pitch shifted vocals on the first single ‘Candy Coated Suicide’ glide and slide over the gritty pop, tainted by dirt, which can be visually verified by the kinky video depicting rather unsavoury looking bunnies (yes, costume bunnies, and not so cute like Chandler in ‘Friends’), as well as a teddy bear in chains and cuffs. As Kavanaugh describes: “like if an 8 year old and her stuffed animals discovered LSD and went on a solid 4 day bender”. Say no more…

But the whole affair starts with the ominous ‘Beware!’, a delicate fairy tale which can fool one into thinking all is glossy and pink. Oh no, it isn’t! The title track hits with the expected force, and even though the vocal is candy sweet a la Britney, the tone is what it says it is on the tin (even the kids choir will confirm it), and hey, after all “they only love you if you swallow”.

With the NIGHT CLUB world being a tad ‘Schizophrenic’, it’s no wonder it sounds like Spears’ ‘Toxic’ at times. It’s so LA baby! ‘Your Addiction’ hits with a majestic synth boom, which canvasses that sexy voice to perfection. Kavanaugh can make anything dirty and kinky after all, and she does it with style. If LADY GAGA made it big with ‘Do What You Want’, NIGHT CLUB will make it huge with ‘Blood On Your Blade’, with its multitude of style shifts and wealth of influences.

In the meantime, ‘Therapy (Get High)’ spells out the need for drugs, where instead of the instant arrest, Kavanaugh is given a prize. A perfect alternative pop song, even if you won’t play it to your kids. And although she doesn’t really have many friends, as she points out in ‘Therapy’, she is graced with an ‘Imaginary Friend’. And that goes something like vintage DM, so there!

As for the bloodsucking monsters, ‘Vampires’ shows off the vocal wizardry from the Princess Of Darkness, as even with the life being sucked out of her, she’s still the coolest. Still, she will ‘Survive’ as she calms things down towards the end with a single piano substituting the synth for a while, leading the follow-up opus to its conclusion.

And what’s the conclusion? ‘Requiem for Romance’ was good, ‘Scary World’ is scarier and better. Way to go Mr Brooks, and welcome back Miss Kavanaugh. Again, you haven’t disappointed.

‘Scary World’ is released by Gato Blanco in CD and digital formats on 24th August 2018, available direct from http://nightclubband.com/

NIGHT CLUB play Bar Sinister in Los Angeles with special guest NYXX on Saturday 25th August 2018

https://www.facebook.com/nightclubband

https://twitter.com/nightclubband

https://www.instagram.com/nightclubband/

https://soundcloud.com/nightclubband

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
Photo by Francis George
20th August 2018, updated 4th November 2018

NYXX Featuring AESTHETIC PERFECTION Voodoo

16 January 2018 /


If Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake had not been part of The Disney Club but actually raised by The Addams Family, would they have ended up making a record like this?

Fresh from lending her voice to one of the songs of 2017 in AESTHETIC PERFECTION’s ‘Rhythm + Control’, NYXX begins her year with some ‘Voodoo’. Laced in lusty gothic tension with robotic voices and an almost evangelical middle eight from Daniel Graves, ‘Voodoo’ is like its predecessor ‘Diabolical’, co-written by the AESTHETIC PERFECTION main man.

The promo video, self-directed by NYXX, sees the striking tattooed starlet out in the dust and briars of the LA countryside, pondering how best to dispose of her latest victim because “that girl is psycho”!

The speedier Danny Armand Remix of ‘Voodoo’ with its stutters and drops, comes over like Britney gone dubstep so won’t be to everyone’s tastes.

But with its enticing pop sensibilities and a sinister animist backdrop of swirling electronics built around the rhythmic snap of imperial phase LADY GAGA, the single version of ‘Voodoo’ is the first truly happening tune of 2018.

‘Voodoo’ is released as a download bundle by Close To Human Music through the usual digital outlets

Also available direct from http://www.nyxxnyxxnyxx.com/

https://www.facebook.com/justnyxx/

https://twitter.com/nyxxnyxxnyxx

https://www.instagram.com/nyxxnyxxnyxx/

http://www.aesthetic-perfection.net

http://facebook.com/aestheticperfection

Text by Chi Ming Lai
16th January 2018

A Beginner’s Guide to PET SHOP BOYS Collaborations + Remixes

29 December 2017 /

Bridging the gap between Synth Britannia and Acid House, PET SHOP BOYS first found international success with ‘West End Girls’ in 1986.

With their Gilbert & George inspired persona, they cleverly satirised Thatcherism on ‘Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)’ and used board game symbolism in their observation of the AIDS crisis on ‘Domino Dancing’. They also combined cool aloofness with pop stardom and achieved 4 UK No1 singles; they were only denied a fifth with their 1993 cover of Village People’s ‘Go West’ by Will Smith as ‘The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air’!

Preferring to “dance to disco” because they “don’t like rock”, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe managed to change the whole concept of concert presentation in 1991 by removing from the stage, that one consistent element in the history of rock ‘n’ roll… the live musician!

The success in 1987 of ‘What Have I Done To Deserve This?’, a duet with iconic starlet Dusty Springfield showed PET SHOP BOYS’ willingness to collaborate, while Tennant’s involvement in ELECTRONIC with Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr illustrated that work away from the nest was not out of bounds either.

Since their imperial phase, they have shown their versatility in projects ranging from producing or remixing other artists and running their own Spaghetti Records label to assorted theatre, film and ballet commissions. As well as Dusty Springfield, Liza Minnelli and David Bowie, the PET SHOP BOYS portfolio has also included Tina Turner, Madonna, and Kylie Minogue.

Becoming the esteemed funny uncles of the British music scene, they have managed to acquire the sort of public recognition that has been denied to DEPECHE MODE. Although both can count a Brit Award for Best Single on their mantelpieces, it would appear publicly in the UK at least that PET SHOP BOYS are held in greater affection.

With an Outstanding Contribution to Music BRIT Award in 2009 and an appearance in the 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony alongside Ray Davies, PET SHOP BOYS can now be regarded as quintessentially English as much as THE KINKS.

So presented in chronological order with a limit of one track per artist project, here are 20 tracks by PET SHOP BOYS… collaboratively!

EIGHTH WONDER I’m Not Scared (1988)

‘I’m Not Scared’ for Patsy Kensit’s EIGHTH WONDER was the duo’s first production outside of their own work; dubbed a “Princess Stephanie record” by Tennant, influenced by the likes of moody Gallic disco tunes like ‘Voyage Voyage’, Kensit’s gorgeous purr en Français of “Débarrasse-moi de ces chiens – Avant qu’ils mordent…” was the icing on the cake. PET SHOP BOYS released their own recording of the song for ‘Introspective’, but it lacked the panache of Kensit’s version.

Available on the album ‘Fearless’ via Cherry Red Records

https://www.facebook.com/PatsyKensitOfficial/

LIZA MINNELLI Twist In My Sobriety (1989)

The combination of “Liza with a Z” and her strident theatrics with PET SHOP BOYS’ orchestrated electronic pop was somewhere over the rainbow and the ‘Results’ project was a combination of Tennant / Lowe originals and cover versions; one of those covers was an outlandish hip-hop inspired take on Tanita Tikaram’s ‘Twist in My Sobriety’, featuring a rap by A CERTAIN RATIO’s Donald Johnson. Whereas the original was organic and droll, this was a welcome stab in the face!

Available on the LIZA MINNELLI album ‘Results’ via Cherry Red Records

https://www.instagram.com/officiallizaminnelli/

DUSTY SPRINGFIELD In Private (1990)

The snappy electropop of ‘In Private’ was Springfield’s third hit single in a row helmed by PET SHOP BOYS and had originally been written for the film ‘Scandal’; considered too contemporary by the film’s producers, the song was temporarily shelved and the moodier ‘Nothing Has Been Proved’ was used instead. As with ‘I’m Not Scared’, when PET SHOP BOYS recorded their own version as a duet with Elton John for the B-side to ‘Minimal’ in 2006, it was less accomplished.

Available on the DUSTY SPRINGFIELD album ‘Reputation’ via Cherry Red Records

http://www.dustyspringfieldofficial.com

CICERO Love Is Everywhere (1992)

David Cicero was a Scottish musician who after a PET SHOP BOYS concert in Glasgow, passed a demo tape to the duo’s personal assistant Peter Andreas. Impressed, they signed him to Spaghetti Records and co-produced his second single ‘Love Is Everywhere’. Like NEW ORDER crossed with OMD and RUNRIG, complete with bagpipes, it reached No19 in the UK charts. Despite a tour supporting TAKE THAT, Cicero’s career was unable to gain further mainstream momentum.

Available on the CICERO album ‘Future Boy’ via Cherry Red Records

http://www.davecicero.com

ELECTRONIC Disappointed (1992)

Having appeared on ‘Gettting Away With It’ and ‘The Patience Of A Saint’, Tennant sang lead vocals on his third and final contribution to Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr’s ELECTRONIC. A Europop number inspired by the French dance hit ‘Désenchantée’ by Mylène Farmer, producer Stephen Hague’s pop sensibilities came to the fore on the lush single mix; ‘Disappointed’ became a fully functioning hit that many understandably mistook for being PET SHOP BOYS.

Available on the ELECTRONIC album ‘Get The Message: The Best Of’ via EMI Records

http://www.electronicband.com

BOY GEORGE The Crying Game (1992)

Commissioned to produce the soundtrack of the Neil Jordan film ‘The Crying Game’, Tennant and Lowe covered the 1964 hit for Dave Berry with Boy George; he laid down what the duo thought was a guide vocal, expecting him to return to the studio the next day to finish it. But he didn’t and they were left to salvage the track using the CULTURE CLUB singer’s slightly wayward performance. Not that it mattered, as it gave the finished recording a marvellously vulnerable quality.

Available on the CULTURE CLUB album ‘Greatest Moments’ via EMI Records

https://twitter.com/BoyGeorge

BLUR Girls & Boys – PSB Radio Edit (1994)

Already aping BLONDIE’s ‘Atomic’ and DURAN DURAN with its discofied template, ‘Girls & Boys’ was BLUR’s breakthrough hit. Bassist Alex James remarked that having a PET SHOP BOYS remix was like having your dog being taken for a walk, but when it came back, it was a different dog! That different dog was performed live by Tennant and Lowe on their ‘Discovery’ tour later in the year.

Available on the single ‘Girls & Boys’ via EMI Records

http://www.blur.co.uk

DAVID BOWIE Hallo Spaceboy – PSB Remix (1996)

If ‘Girls & Boys’ came back as a different dog, then ‘Hallo Spaceboy’ was virtually hijacked, with PET SHOP BOYS re-producing this Bowie / Eno composition from ‘1.Outside’ into a much more commercial proposition. But in the true artful spirit of Bowie, Tennant even utilised the cut-up technique made famous by William S Burroughs to decide which words from the song he would duet with. It became Bowie’s biggest UK hit since ‘Jump They Say’ in 1990.

Available on the DAVID BOWIE album ‘Nothing Has Changed’ via EMI Music

http://www.davidbowie.com/

PETER RAUHOFER + PET SHOP BOYS = THE COLLABORATION Break 4 Love – UK Radio Mix (2002)

A renowned remixer with DEPECHE MODE and Madonna among his credits, the late Peter Rauhofer’s project THE COLLABORATION united him with Tennant and Lowe to produce a cover of RAZE’s cult house classic ‘Break 4 Love’. While the ‘Classic Radio Mix’ straightforwardly borrowed the arrangement of the sparse original, the ‘UK Radio Mix’ was more frantic and busy, the energetic antithesis of the more understated ‘Release’ album that was out at the time.

Available on the PET SHOP BOYS single ‘Home & Dry’ via EMI Records

https://www.facebook.com/djpeterrauhofer

YOKO ONO Walking On Thin Ice – PSB Electro Mix (2003)

The original recording of ‘Walking On Thin Ice’ was notable for being the very last song that John Lennon ever worked on. Yoko Ono’s haunting lyrics for the disco inflected tune reflected on the unpredictability of life, death and of “throwing the dice in the air” before poignantly adding that “when our hearts return to ashes, it will be just a story….”. The PET SHOP BOYS remix, with its hypnotic octave shift mantra and metronomic backbone, gave it a respectful futuristic sheen.

Available on the PET SHOP BOYS album ‘Disco 4’ via EMI Records

https://twitter.com/yokoono

PETE BURNS Jack & Jill Party (2004)

Sounding not unlike the backing track to PET SHOP BOYS’ remix of ‘Walking On Thin Ice’, ‘Jack & Jill Party’ was a long awaited recording with the late Pete Burns that exuded a wonderful Electroclash tension that suited the snarly DEAD OR ALIVE singer down to the ground. Mixed by Bob Kraushaar and released on Tennant and Lowe’s Olde English imprint, it actually reached No75 in the UK singles chart but this was to be a collaborative one-off.

Available on the PETE BURNS single ‘Jack & Jill Party’ via Olde English

https://www.discogs.com/artist/46720-Dead-Or-Alive

RAMMSTEIN Mein Teil – PSB You Are What You Eat Remix (2004)

When German industrial metallers RAMMSTEIN released ‘Mein Teil’, it attracted controversy as its lyrics were inspired by the disturbing Armin Meiwes cannibalism case. Vocalist Till Lindemann said “It is so sick that it becomes fascinating and there just has to be a song about it”. Appropriately, PET SHOP BOYS offered up the ‘You Are What You Eat Remix’ which retained the guitars and the aggression, thus maintaining some gothic fervour for the dancefloor.

Available on the RAMMSTEIN single ‘Mein Teil’ via Universal Music

https://www.rammstein.de/en/

THE KILLERS Read My Mind – PSB Stars Are Blazing Mix (2005)

Singer Brandon Flowers referred to the underwhelming ‘Sam’s Town’ as “the album that keeps rock & roll afloat”, but Neil Tennant had joked that he knew THE KILLERS’ second long player would not be as good as the debut ‘Hot Fuss’ because Flowers had grown a beard! After the synth indie hybrid of ‘Somebody Told Me’ and ‘Mr Brightside’, it was extremely disappointing but Tennant and Lowe put some pulsing electronics into ‘Read My Mind’ to alert audiences as to what could have been.

Available on the PET SHOP BOYS album ‘Disco 4’ via EMI Records

http://www.thekillersmusic.com

TENNANT, LOWE & DRESDENER SINFONIKER Nyet (2005)

‘Battleship Potemkin’ was a 1925 Soviet silent film directed by Sergei Eisenstein about a 1905 naval mutiny. Using their surnames like classical composers on this updated soundtrack, the pair were accompanied by Dresdener Sinfoniker, conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer. Arranger Torsten Rasch had released ‘Mein Herz Brennt’ based on the music of RAMMSTEIN. Despite being uptempo, the mix of strings and electronics on ‘Nyet’ reflected the grim tension of the story.

Available on the TENNANT, LOWE album ‘Battleship Potemkin’ via EMI Records

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

ROBBIE WILLIAMS She’s Madonna (2006)

The former TAKE THAT star had covered ‘I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind Of Thing’ so was a proven fan. With PET SHOP BOYS in charge of production, ‘She’s Madonna’ was inspired by a conversation Williams had with his ex Tania Strecker on the excuse her former boyfriend Guy Ritchie gave for leaving her for Madonna. It was an interesting artistic twist, as Tennant and Lowe had remixed ‘Sorry’ for Madge in 2005.

Available on the ROBBIE WILLIAMS album ‘Rudebox’ via EMI Records

https://www.robbiewilliams.com

SAM TAYLOR-WOOD I’m In Love With German Film Star (2008)

Visual artist and director Sam Taylor-Wood became friends with PET SHOP BOYS when she provided film projections for their shows at London’s Savoy Theatre in 1997. She later recorded covers of ‘Je T’aime… Moi Non Plus’ and ‘Love To Love You Baby’ both produced by Tennant and Lowe, but it was her moody electro version of ‘I’m In Love With A German Film Star’, originally recorded by THE PASSIONS, that was the first to actually be released under her own name.

Available on the SAM TAYLOR-WOOD single ‘I’m in Love With A German Film Star’ via Kompakt Pop

http://samtaylorjohnson.com

LADY GAGA Eh Eh – PSB Radio Remix (2009)

When Tennant and Lowe received their Outstanding Contribution to Music Award at the BRITs, they were joined on a ‘Hits Medley’ by THE KILLERS’ Brandon Flowers and Lady Gaga who did her turn on ‘What Have I Done To Deserve This?’. Originally a lame cod calypso excursion from the latter’s debut album ’The Fame’, PET SHOP BOYS managed to rework ‘Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)’ into an electro-disco stomper despite its break-up subject matter.

Available on the LADY GAGA album ‘The Remix’ via Interscope Records

https://www.ladygaga.com

PET SHOP BOYS featuring PHILIP OAKEY This Used To Be The Future (2009)

‘This Used To Be The Future’ was a dream trioet that featured both PET SHOP BOYS and Philip Oakey of THE HUMAN LEAGUE, recorded as a bonus song for ‘Yes etc’. With Lowe actually singing albeit autotuned, as opposed to just speaking, this celebration of yesterday’s tomorrow saw Oakey deadpan that his utopian dream didn’t quite turn out how Raymond Baxter predicted on ‘Tomorrow’s World’!

Available on the PET SHOP BOYS album ‘Yes: Further Listening 2008-2010’ via EMI Records

http://www.thehumanleague.co.uk

STOP MODERNISTS feat CHRIS LOWE Subculture (2011)

A cover of the lost NEW ORDER single from 1985, Finnish producer Jori Hulkkonen remembered: “The idea was to take what me and STOP MODERNISTS partner Alex Nieminen felt was an underrated song, make a late 80s deep house interpretation and bring some extra twist with having Chris on the vocals. It’s very hard – impossible, actually – to explain how important this record is to me. PET SHOP BOYS have been the most important musical influence for me”.

Available on the STOP MODERNISTS single ‘Subculture’ via Keys Of Life

https://www.facebook.com/JoriHulkkonen/

JEAN MICHEL JARRE & PET SHOP BOYS Brick England (2016)

Jean-Michel Jarre’s ambitious ‘Electronica’ project was a worldwide collaborative adventure where the handsome French Maestro “had this idea of merging DNA with musicians and artists of different generations”; ‘Brick England’ with PET SHOP BOYS was a slice of classic mid-tempo Euro disco, with Tennant and Lowe not breaking with tradition, although Jarre’s ribbon controlled lead synth sounded like it was going to break into EUROPE’s ‘The Final Countdown’!

Available on the JEAN MICHEL JARRE album ‘Electronica 2: The Heart Of Noise’ via Sony Music

https://jeanmicheljarre.com

Text by Chi Ming Lai
29th December 2017

NIGHT CLUB Requiem For Romance

5 October 2016 /

night-club-requiem-for-romance

‘Requiem For Romance’ is the debut long playing opus by the LA based duo NIGHT CLUB.

Although Emily Kavanaugh and Mark Brooks kicked off NIGHT CLUB in 2011, their music has been extensively used in television offerings, such as ‘Jersey Shore’, ‘XOX Batsey Johnson’, ‘Washington Heights’, ‘Miami Monkey’ and ‘The Mysteries Of Laura’.

The Comedy Central show ‘Moonbeam City’ saw the band’s compositions featuring in all ten episodes of the production, and its soundtrack was released in 2015.

Although 2014 saw their best body of work so far with the ‘Black Leather Heart’ EP, ‘Requiem For Romance’ promises to capture a “more bombastic and aggressive” sound. Indeed, the heralding single ‘Bad Girl’ offers a darker, rockier approach to synthpop, with quirky use of pitch shift on Kavanaugh’s vocals. LADY GAGA wouldn’t be ashamed to put her name to the production, which is fresh and provocatively jagged.

Acting as an intro track, ‘Requiem’ sounds suspiciously similar to DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Shake The Disease’ plus or minus a few notes, with that haunting voice humming the simple melody. ‘Show It 2 Me’ introduces uncomplicated electronica laced with an intoxicating delivery, while ‘Dear Enemy’ truly plays around the synth capacities, interwoven with the candied tones of the euphuistic singer.

‘Psychosuperlover’ offers a wholesome club track, brilliantly executed both vocally and musically, with scantily clad synth, sexy guitar and the perfect bounciness of a marvellous dance tune.

Brooks’ production brilliance shines through on ‘Freak Like Me’. No, it’s not another SUGABABES meets Numan serving; it’s Kavanaugh sounding like a bloke at times!

‘Magnetic’ is indeed magnetic, and ‘Dangerous Heart’ provides another perfect club piece, fabulously executed with vocal samples reminiscent of PET SHOP BOYS’ ‘New York City Boy’.

The sequenced ‘Pray’ with its unsettling dual pitch harmony is an exhibitionist infatuation with anything synthy, whilst ‘Requiem For Romance’ closes with ‘Little Token’; a piano based ballad laced with sparse electronic elements dotted about strategically, wrapping up the opus in the warm embrace of Kavanaugh’s Madonna-esque vocal.

This pleasing album certainly serves the listener with an adequate dose of fantastic synth action provided by Mark Brooks and the larger than life personality of Emily Kavanaugh. Unlaboured rhythms lend themselves beautifully as the canvass to the many voices of this talented rock chick.

Kavanaugh recently lent her vocals to Rusty Egan’s project ‘Welcome To The Dancefloor’, on a song called ‘Evermore’ co-written with Chris Payne. On NIGHT CLUB’s latest offering, she certainly showcases the multitude of her oral talents.

‘Requiem For Romance’ is released by Gato Blanco on 7th October 2016 in CD and download formats from http://nightclubband.com/album/requiem-for-romance

http://nightclubband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/nightclubband

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
5th October 2016

« Older posts

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

Up ↑