Tag: Mesh (Page 3 of 7)

FORM Interview

4 February 2019 /

Dark synthpop trio FORM are SHELTER’s flamboyant frontman Mark Bebb, Keith Trigwell from DEPECHE MODE tribute act SPEAK & SPELL and noted German producer Rob Dust.

Releasing their debut album ‘defiance + entropy’ last Autumn on Infacted Recordings, home to TORUL and FROZEN PLASMA, their rousing vocals and acute understanding of the sound design delivered an impressive collection of songs and instrumentals.

From the industrial Schaffel of ‘Poison’ to how everything HURTS should have been with ‘Surrender’, ‘defiance + entropy’ told a story which would appeal to enthusiasts of alternative electronica. The trio chatted about the chemistry of FORM…

You were busy with your own musical vehicles, so what was the motivation for and genesis of FORM?

Mark: FORM was organic. No grand master plan, just a shared love of dark, electronic music. Stuff and ideas evolved and developed pretty easily really.

Keith: Mark wanted to do something dark and I wanted to write with someone creatively different to myself. It started casually working on ideas from a ‘pool’, and it just flowed, so we quickly started writing fresh tracks from the ground up.

How did you set about making music that was as distinct as possible from SHELTER and DEPECHE MODE?

Keith: Being in a technical / exacting tribute band is as far removed from a free original project as imaginable, so the projects and their reasoning were always going to be separate, but not in a forced way. DM will always be influential, but if the flow of what’s going on in the room is heading one way, it would be stupid to steer it a different way? This is now so much the case that the two projects won’t even share equipment.

Mark: There are no parallels between DM or SHELTER and it was a conscious choice to ensure that happened. Both independent projects are still our love and passion and they are what they are. No value or enjoyment in second grade replication, only in reinvention.

Were there any particular artists or approaches that inspired the concept of FORM?

Mark: Every electronic artist past and present will inevitably influence everything we do, but there’s a vast difference between being inspired by something versus wishing to sound like something. We wanted to forge our own sound using our vast array of influences in whatever ‘form’ that takes

Keith: I think we find inspiration in the fearless attitude of several bands, and the distillation of ideas to something economic. Which is a journey in its own right and there’s an entire history of pioneers in that regard.

Rob: At that time I had made a remix for SHELTER’s ‘iPop’ project with Andy Bell. Mark liked it so much that he really wanted to do something with me. At some point he spoke to me again and told me that he had something new planned and if I wanted to join.

Is this how FORM became a threesome?

Mark: Rob had done some remix work previously and so unions had been forged much earlier and his production prowess speaks for itself. Check out his discography, it’s like an A-Z of dark electronica plus he’s an absolute diamond geezer is our lil Dustmeister.

Keith: To try to self-produce would have been problematic because writing would have been influenced by trying to produce at the same time and production would have been tainted by having written the tracks and heard them a thousand times. I think Rich Silverthorn from MESH knew Rob so Mark spoke to him and we ended up bouncing tracks back and forth. After a few passes, Rob homed in on the sound we wanted and wanted to keep it.

Rob: Mark and Keith send me their demos in advance. I listen to them and we talk on the phone and discuss what could best fit the track. Which feeling we want to transport, what kind of story behind it etc … then I try to add the certain something and to give the mix the necessary power … each one of us knows what he does and can do, so that we work together perfectly and complement each other!

What was the three way creative dynamic?

Keith: Mark and I write the material. I engineer and program it to a point that feels complete yet raw, then commit it to a production process with Rob and wait for the real magic, with different tracks at different stages of completeness. And this process works exceptionally well because it means we have defined areas to focus on, just trust in each other, accept what happens and relax into it. That in itself keeps the creative juices flowing. I think our record is writing and recording four songs in one extended weekend.

Mark: Keith and I write and arrange while Rob produces. The dynamic is fast-paced, mutually one-directional, professionally and personally sound. It’s a very easy combo and one that generates musical ideation at a ridiculous pace. And makes everything very easy and effortless and therefore enjoyable as a process. We each know exactly what are roles are and we each bring to the table and we try not to cross into each other’s arenas too much where at all possible

‘Poison’ wouldn’t have sounded out of place on a MESH album?

Mark: MESH, especially the two Richards are good friends of mine and being compared to them and their musical talents makes me very happy indeed so thank you.

Keith: Yes, I heard that recently, probably because if the offbeat ‘Strict Machine’ bass swing. I saw Richard S recently and we talked about that. As far as I’m concerned, MESH are a real force so it’s a great compliment. Here Chi, have a free snog x

Rob: Why not ?!? … ?

Marc Almond looms on the glam laden ‘Sugar’?

Mark: That’s likely to be down to me now and then frivolously wishing to push the envelope of my gender fluidity. Again, being mentioned in the same breath as a true icon kinda makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. You have a knack of doing that Chi. When are you gonna ask me out on a date then lol?

Keith: Yes ‘Sugar’ is an old pool track that came with a dollop of offbeat rock arrogance. But by the time it went through the FORM process, it took the seedy club reflection in what Mark and I have described as a “grubby knickers off” moment. With Mark’s strong lyrical direction and the fearless, unrestrained performance it had that punch.

How did you best integrate the software and hardware available, both vocally and instrumentally?

Mark: We only used vocally and sound-wise just what we felt each track needed and nothing more. That has a two-pronged benefit; a) that being finished songs together quicker with less fuss and b) the melodies and ideas remain fresh and strong as they haven’t been over-produced or unnecessarily tampered with beyond giving them what they need to be complete to us as a unit.

Keith: Yes there was a lot of new synths, equipment and software and we use all of them, but part of the discipline has been to resist switching gear on for the sake of it, otherwise it stops being an expressive process and becomes some strange sort of mental box-ticking exercise.

Rob: I owned tons of synth years ago (end of 90s – early 2000) and sold them to work completely ‘in the box’. For electronic music, it’s perfect in my opinion… so many great software synths and stuff out there… it’s awesome!! But you need a great microphone and gear to record the vocals of course… but that’s it! But it’s true… It’s more fun to work on a real synth…. 😉

What was the idea behind having those untitled instrumental interludes?

Mark: We wanted the listener to be taken in a journey (I know, I hate that cliché too but in this context, it’s true), we wanted the listening experience to be one of seamless and each segue interlude is the connective tissue that interplays and introduces the next movement or feel of the tracks succeeding it.

Keith: For me it’s two reasons. First, some modern albums don’t feel like they document a period or purpose, feeling fragmented or compiled. The interludes join things in a purposeful way. The second reason is down to overcoming the fear of running out of ideas and hoarding them. I wanted to overcome this, to use the ideas, and then just trust the universe to send back more.

‘Infinity’ is one spirited album closer…

Keith: ‘Infinity’ has deep, personal meaning for me, being started with a determination to write about a vivid experience over a couple of nights in 2017, working the musical progression and programming the synths so it gave Mark space. Mark and I discussed the experience in some depth and then we then set about taking the ideas on to what is now my favourite track on ‘defiance + entropy’.

Mark: ‘Infinity’ is basically a song about dying but we tried to produce it in the most emotionally uplifting and joyous way possible. Death is inevitably very much guaranteed and therefore a huge part of life actually. Both ends of the spectrum are tightly interwoven and it’s usually tougher for those left behind. That’s essentially the fundamental sentiment behind that track. Vocally intense for me that one, but most of them are actually come to think of it on ‘defiance + entropy’!

Which tracks from ‘defiance + entropy’ have been your own favourites and why?

Mark: I can’t speak for the guys but for me personally, simply for the emotion and drama injected into them vocally would probably have to be ‘Stranded’, ‘Infinity’ and commercially possibly ‘Override’. I think ‘Surrender’ has a beautiful ambience to it too and quite bitter sweet lyrical content about love and the threat of its loss

Keith: I’m pleased with the whole album, but stand out tracks are ‘Infinity’, ‘Stranded’ because of the sheer performance and statement with ‘Addict’, ‘Poison’ and ‘Override’ for the pace and energy.

Rob: Same as Keith … ?

How have you found launching effectively a new act into the marketplace?

Mark: It’s the easiest thing I’ve ever been a part of. As I mentioned above, the ideas flow at a rate of knots, the guys are incredibly talented at what they do, what’s not to love. We have a fantastic label manager in Torben Schmidt who took a respected punt on us and with the chart positions of ‘Poison’ and the album have reached already have very lovingly and surprisingly validated the fact that there is a lil place in the market for us which is a lovely feeling, way more than we had expected.

Keith: We all did it for the love of dark melodic electronic songs, wanting to do the best we could with no self-inflicted limitations. When there’s that freedom in a group who understand, respect, share and have trust, you end up very quickly benefitting, learning and constantly improving.

Have you been able to social media to your advantage?

Mark: There’s lots of posts flying around and many lovely supportive words of love and support from fellow formlings around the globe coming on-board. Essentially people either like your music or they don’t. We didn’t wanna over-hype anything with FORM and probably won’t. It’s something we would rather be assessed on its musical integrity rather than bells and whistles. Let’s see what happens.

Keith: Yes I think so. We’re in different locations so it’s not like we’re permanently generating content. But because FORM’s has a purpose, we can find things to say about what we’re doing. Once we settle into the whole process, post ‘defiance + entropy’ and playing live we can meaningfully take social media forward in a measured and appropriate way.

What next for FORM? Is this a one-off project?

Rob: I don’t think so… it’s just the beginning… ?

Keith: Live dates are next so there’s some umm’ing and ahh’ing about possible appearances that feel right for us and the label, so I’m looking at live delivery. As the creative process didn’t stop after we sent the album off for mastering, we just kept writing and the next album was more than half written by the time we signed to Infacted. It’s now pretty much written (and named) based on what we collectively found nourishing.

Mark: Probably not allowed to say anything which is exactly why I will as you know, but the second album is already written and recorded… so yes, this year it will be getting produced up by Rob in Berlin and no doubt at some point, just appear when we’re all happy with it. Might be next year or late this year, no pressure though and that’s also what we enjoy with such a supportive label as Infacted with Torben. It will be released when we feel it’s ripe for release.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its sincerest thanks to FORM

‘defiance + entropy’ is released by Infacted Recordings in CD and digital formats, available from https://infactedrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/defiance-entropy

https://www.facebook.com/formhq/

https://twitter.com/FORMOfficialHQ

https://www.instagram.com/formhq/

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Mark Poole
4th February 2019

25 ALBUM VERSIONS THAT ARE BETTER THAN THE SINGLE VERSIONS

2 January 2019 /

As long as there has been a music business, artists and producers have been tinkering with their work.

While often, it’s the single version made for mass consumption through radio play that remains superior and best loved, there are occasions when the album take reigns supreme due to the freedom to work on a larger easel without commericial considerations or radio play constrictions.

Often there’s a track that is the obvious standout on the long player, but sometimes it can be of a structure that is considered too long for peak time radio where instant gratification is the key. On other occasions, the vision of the track for album consumption is reconsidered following an earlier short form release produced on a more limited budget.

So as a companion list to the earlier 25 Single Versions That Are Better Than The Album Versions listings feature and restricted to one track per artist, here are 25 Album Versions That Are Better Than The Single Versions presented in chronological and then alphabetical order…

GIORGIO From Here To Eternity (1977)

Despite being a hit single, ‘From Here To Eternity’ was actually something of a disjointed disco medley, throwing in a section of the album track ‘Utopia – Me Giorgio’ halfway through. The full six minute ‘From Here To Eternity’ from the long player of the same name was a futuristic slice of electronic dance perfection, with Giorgio Moroder steadily building on his throbbing synth backbone and layers of vocoder punctuated by the steady beats of drummer Keith Forsey.

Available on the GIORGIO album ‘From Here To Eternity’ via Repertoire Records

https://www.giorgiomoroder.com/

THE HUMAN LEAGUE Being Boiled (1980)

The original Fast Product single version of ‘Being Boiled’ from 1978 had its own charm, recorded as mono demo which was subsequently released. However, having signed to Virgin Records and with a budget behind them, Messrs Marsh, Oakey and Ware took the opportunity to update their calling card with producer John Leckie for the ‘Travelogue’ album to more fully realise its funky overtones inspired by FUNKADELIC. The end result was fuller and more dynamic.

Available on THE HUMAN LEAGUE album ‘Travelogue’ via Virgin Records

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

JAPAN Nightporter (1980)

‘Ghosts’ had been an unexpected singles success for JAPAN in 1982 and Virgin Records wanted more of the same with ‘Nightporter’, despite it being already two years old and with the previously unreleased song ‘Some Kind Of Fool’ in the vaults. Trimming the solemn seven minute ivory laden Satie homage was always going to be difficult and the horrific radio edit butchered out the lengthy if vital instrumental climax of melancholic Oberheim OBX strings. Less really does mean less…

Available on the JAPAN album ‘Gentlemen Take Polaroids’ via Virgin Records

http://www.nightporter.co.uk/

SIMPLE MINDS I Travel (1980)

The album version of ‘I Travel’ was only four minutes in the first place, yet original label Arista Records felt the need to chop the track on both single edits it released and neuter its impact. SIMPLE MINDS never fully realised their potential until they signed to Virgin Records and ‘I Travel’ heralded a futuristic art rock phase where the band’s Germanic influences, coupled to synthesized disco aesthetics of Giorgio Moroder, found favour at clubs like The Blitz.

Available on the SIMPLE MINDS album ‘Empires & Dance’ via Virgin Records

https://www.simpleminds.com/

KRAFTWERK Computer Love (1981)

Whether ‘Autobahn’, ‘Radio-Activity’, ‘Showroom Dummies’, ‘Trans-Europe Express’, ‘Neon Lights’ or ‘The Robots’, the sheer average length of a KRAFTWERK track made them difficult to apply to the single format and ‘Computer Love’ was no different. A beautifully melodic piece that predicted internet dating and stretched to just under seven minutes with its glorious second half synth solo in its album version, it was like the reel of the film was missing in its edited form.

Available on the KRAFTWERK album ‘Computer World’ via EMI Records

http://www.kraftwerk.com/

BLANCMANGE Waves (1982)

A UK Top 20 single for BLANCMANGE in 1983, ‘Waves’ was remixed and given an orchestral treatment arranged by Linton Naiff, but it strangely detracted from the bare emotion of the song. Sounding like Scott Walker fronting OMD, with a more basic synthesized construction and a sombre detuned brass line allowed to breathe at the song’s conclusion, the album version sans orchestra was much better. However, the original cut has yet to be reinstated on reissues of the parent long player ‘Happy Families’.

Available on the BLANCMANGE album ‘The Very Best Of’ via Music Club Deluxe

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

DAF Kebab Träume (1982)

Originally recorded for a 1980 single on Mute Records in more of a band format featuring guitar and hand-played synths, ‘Kebab Träume’ was subsequently reworked by DAF in a more superior fashion under the production supervision of the legendary Conny Plank for their third and final Virgin-era long player ‘Für Immer’. Transforming into something much heavier, the memorable if controversial line “Deutschland, Deutschland, alles ist vorbei!” had more bite on this album version also issued as a single.

Available on the DAF album ‘Für Immer’ via Grönland Records

https://www.groenland.com/en/artist/deutsch-amerikanische-freundschaft/

LUSTANS LAKEJER Läppar Tiger, Ögon Talar (1982)

Sweden’s LUSTANS LAKEJER came to international attention when their third long player ‘En Plats I Solen’ was produced by Richard Barbieri of JAPAN. With its synthesized atmospheres and art funk aspirations not that far off DURAN DURAN, ‘Läppar Tiger, Ögon Talar’ was one of the album’s highlights. But for the later single version produced by Kai Erixon, the band opted for a more laid back swing arrangement punctuated by a brass section, which frankly was not as good as the original.

Available on the LUSTANS LAKEJER album ‘En Plats I Solen’ via Universal Music

https://www.facebook.com/LustansLakejer/

GARY NUMAN We Take Mystery (1982)

The single version of ‘We Take Mystery’ which was Gary Numan’s last UK Top 10 hit was too short and the extended 12 inch version was too long, which left the album version from ‘I, Assassin’ as the best take of the song. With its crashing Linn Drum snap and fretless bass with live percussion syncopating on top, this was a dancefloor friendly excursion which concluded with a marvellous additional rhythm guitar breakdown from fretless bassist Pino Palladino.

Available on the GARY NUMAN album ‘I, Assassin’ via Beggars Banquet

https://garynuman.com/

VISAGE The Anvil (1982)

Remixed by John Luongo for single release, ‘The Anvil’ ended up as a B-side but while the sound of metal-on-metal was added, it somehow had less presence than the original album version. Possessing far Teutonic tension with some superb guitar work from Midge Ure, metronomic drumming courtesy of Rusty Egan minus his hi-hats, Dave Formula’s superb screaming ARP Odyssey complimented Steve Strange’s tale of debauchery for one of the best ever VISAGE tracks.

Available on the VISAGE album ‘The Anvil’ via Cherry Pop

https://www.discogs.com/artist/3479-Visage

JOHN FOXX Endlessy (1983)

By 1982, John Foxx has rediscovered his love of early PINK FLOYD, THE BEATLES and psychedelia which manifested itself in ‘Endlessy’. Based around a tom heavy Linn Drum programme, deep cello samples and sitars, it was an interesting if messy experimental romp. Come his third album ‘The Golden Section’ recorded under the helm of producer Zeus B Held, the new version, also released as a revisionist single, was much more focussed with an accessible uptempo electronic euphoria.

Available on the JOHN FOXX album ‘The Golden Section’ via Edsel Records

http://www.metamatic.com/

HEAVEN 17 And That’s No Lie (1984)

A sub-ten minute progressive epic was never going to work as an edited single and with ‘And That’s No Lie’, that’s exactly what happened. The original album version was HEAVEN 17’s ambitious adventure in sound and fusion that threw in everything from abstract sonic experiments, jazz piano, Fairlight samples, the gospel voices of ARFRODIZIAK and an orchestra, plus some excellent live bass and guitar work from John Wilson and Ray Russell respectively.

Available on the HEAVEN 17 album ‘How Men Are’ via Virgin Records

https://www.heaven17.com/

ARCADIA The Flame (1985)

ARCADIA was Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor’s attempt to be JAPAN during the DURAN DURAN artistic hiatus, but many of the songs from the short-lived side project were smothered in a pond of self-indulgence. One of the highlights though was ‘The Flame’, basically ‘A View To A Kill Part 2’. However for its single release, a neo-acapella intro was applied rather than the frantic percussive beginning of the album version which robbed the song of its tension and impact.

Available on the ARCADIA album ‘So Red The Rose’ via EMI Records

http://www.duranduran.com/

DEAD OR ALIVE My Heart Goes Bang (1985)

Having got DIVINE into the UK charts, Stock Aitken & Waterman gave the same treatment to DEAD OR ALIVE, scoring a No1 with ‘You Spin Me Round’. The resultant album ‘Youthquake’ had a number of excellent tracks including ‘My Heart Goes Bang’ which was ripe single material. But the single remix by regular PWL associate Phil Harding was horrible, throwing in the kitchen sink with voice cut-ups and an overdriven rhythm section which drowned out any merits the song originally had.

Available on the DEAD OR ALIVE album ‘Youthquake’ via Sony Music

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

NEW ORDER Bizarre Love Triangle (1986)

Inspired by a News Of The World headline, ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’ is one of the best loved NEW ORDER tunes. The rugged self-produced original version that appeared on the ‘Brotherhood’ album was a glorious electronic number with a slight mechanical offbeat and space for Hooky’s distinctive bass. But the version released for 45 RPM consumption was a frustrating, four-to-the-floor remix by Shep Pettibone which took all the character out of the song with a barrage of overdriven percussive samples.

Available on the NEW ORDER album ‘Brotherhood’ via Warner Music

http://www.neworder.com/

TALK TALK Living In Another World (1986)

Although ‘Living In Another World’ was the best song on ‘The Colour Of Spring’, it was always going to be a tall order to successfully cut its seven minutes in half for single consumption! A fine progressive combination of synthetic strings, piano, Hammond organ, hypnotic bass, acoustic and electric guitars, percolating percussion and harmonica, the TALK TALK sound would have been nothing however without the anguished vocals of Mark Hollis and the production skills of Tim Friese-Greene.

Available on the TALK TALK album ‘The Colour Of Spring’ via EMI Records

https://www.facebook.com/Talk-Talk-Mark-Hollis-12307963901/

CAMOUFLAGE The Great Commandment (1988)

German trio CAMOUFLAGE had a hit with ‘The Great Commandment’ all over the world including the US, with only Britain remaining ambivalent to their industrial flavoured synthpop. As with many singles of the period, it clocked in at just over three minutes but sounded rushed. Come the debut album ’Voices & Images’ and ‘The Great Commandment’ was more fully realised, allowing space to prevail in the one of the best DEPECHE MODE tracks that the Basildon boys never recorded.

Available on the CAMOUFLAGE album ‘Voices & Images’ via Metronome Music

http://www.camouflage-music.com/

THE BLUE NILE Headlights On The Parade (1989)

Enigmatic Glaswegian trio THE BLUE NILE were never an easy sell to the wider marketplace and the Bob Clearmountain single remix of ‘Headlights On The Parade’ was hopeless, with over a third of the emotively atmospheric number absent for the sake of radio play. The centrepiece of the brilliant ‘Hats’ album, its haunting piano, swaths of synths and a collage of modulated sequences needed a full six minutes to truly convey its solemn drive and rainy cinematic melodrama.

Available on THE BLUE NILE album ‘Hats’ via Epstein Records

http://www.thebluenile.org/

THE GRID Floatation (1990)

Subsonically remixed by Andrew Weatherall with a distinct chilled-out flavour and an additional vocal from Sacha Souter for single release, the brilliant album version of ‘Floatation’ had a more rigid KRAFTWERK feel echoing elements of ‘Tour De France’. And as the track drew towards the home straight, Julian Stringle’s clarinet brought to mind the aesthetics of Dave Ball’s previous residency in SOFT CELL. But while those woodwind textures were present in the single, they were less effective overall.

Available on THE GRID album ‘Electric Head’ via Cherry Red Records

https://www.discogs.com/artist/5081-The-Grid

PET SHOP BOYS Being Boring (1990)

Partly inspired by a quote about Zelda Fitzgerald, novelist and wife of author F Scott Fitzgerald which stated “she refused to be bored chiefly because she wasn’t boring”, ‘Being Boring’ is one of PET SHOP BOYS’ best songs, reflecting on Neil Tennant’s youth and the loss of a friend who died of AIDS. While the single itself was almost five minutes long, the superior album version featured a fabulous intro that steadily built with a lilting synth bassline and wah-wah guitar that made the most of the song’s elegiac aura.

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

http://petshopboys.co.uk/

DEPECHE MODE In Your Room (1993)

A tedious rockist statement by DEPECHE MODE when reworked by Butch Vig for single release, the lengthy original album version of ‘In Your Room’ was widescreen magnificence with a tense percussive drive courtesy of Alan Wilder who only played what was needed, adding a second simplistic drum passage in the final half for extra weight. A fine example of how feel is more important technique, current DM drumhead Christian Eigner managed to mess up his opportunity to shine on this during the ‘Global Spirit’ tour.

Available on the DEPECHE MODE album ‘Songs Of Faith & Devotion’ via Sony Music

http://www.depechemode.com/

LADYTRON Evil (2003)

The second LADYTRON album ‘Light & Magic’ is probably best known for its lead single ‘Seventeen’, but opening its second half was the brilliantly propulsive ‘Evil’. An obvious single, when remixed by noted dance producer Ewan Pearson, it was filled out with extra string synths and made more contemporary. The track lost its appealing spatial dynamics and grunt while the way in which the vocals of Helen Marnie were mixed more than muted her charm.

Available on the LADYTRON album ‘Light & Magic’ via Nettwerk productions

http://www.ladytron.com/

ARTHUR & MARTHA Autovia (2009)

ARTHUR & MARTHA were Adam Cresswell and Alice Hubley; their debut single ‘Autovia’ was the first release on Happy Robots Records in 2008 but when it came to recording the album ‘Navigation’, the incessant Doctor Rhythm drum machine was given a more hypnotic Motorik makeover which ironically gave the track more drive. Meanwhile, there was an extended end section which allowed for some cosmic Theremin and synth wig-outs between the pair not unlike STEREOLAB meeting NEU!

Available on the ARTHUR & MARTHA album ‘Navigation’ via Happy Robots Records

https://www.facebook.com/arthurandmarthaband/

MESH Adjust Your Set (2013)

From MESH’s best album ‘Automation Baby’, the wonderfully metronomic ‘Adjust Your Set’ with its personal relationship commentary in a technology dominated world was one of its many highlights. Given a more orchestrated remix by Nico Wieditz for the MaBose Radio-Edit with a much busier electronic bassline along the lines of ‘Enjoy The Silence’, while this single version had more obvious presence, it lacked the eerie cinematic Morricone-esque air of the album original.

Available on the MESH album ‘Automation Baby’ via Dependent Records

http://www.mesh.co.uk/

GOLDFRAPP Ocean (2017)

‘Ocean’ was already dramatic perfection as the best track on the seventh GOLDFRAPP album ‘Silver Eye’, but for the single version, it was felt a contribution from a former member of the Mute family was needed. While Devotees were wetting themselves over Dave Gahan appearing on a more obviously electronic sounding track again, his faux bluesy drawl was something of a mismatch next to the breathy angelic tones of Alison Goldfrapp. Gahan may be from Essex but he is certainly no Alison Moyet.

Available on the GOLDFRAPP album ‘Silver Eye’ via Mute Artists

https://www.goldfrapp.com/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
2nd January 2019, updated 5th December 2022

FORM defiance + entropy

26 October 2018 /

With twelve tracks over just under an hour, ‘defiance + entropy’ is a remarkably ambitious artistic statement for a debut long player.

FORM are SHELTER’s flamboyant frontman Mark Bebb, Keith Trigwell – the production mastermind behind DEPECHE MODE tribute act SPEAK & SPELL and noted German producer Rob Dust whose credits include ALPHAVILLE, CAMOUFLAGE, DE/VISION, MESH, TORUL, CHROM and FRONT 242.

Basically, if you like your dark flavoured melodic synthpop, then FORM are the band for you.

Beginning with ‘Prelude 47’, this is a Depeche flavoured instrumental that crosses elements of ‘Christmas Island’ and ‘Ice Machine’ while demonstrating Trigwell’s acute understanding of the sound design behind DEPECHE MODE. And as Gahan, Gore and Fletcher can’t be bothered to sound like this anymore, then someone else should be able to take up the mantle.

With the rugged ‘Override’, there are shadier dynamics but also rousing vocals and danceable rhythms without dumbing down the set-piece. Meanwhile, the industrial Schaffel of ‘Poison’ sees Bebb adopt a lower register than many would be used to from SHELTER. Almost machine-like and deadpan but effective, with a fabulously catchy chorus, this is a track that MESH would be proud to call one of their own.

‘Surrender’ with its digital claps and deep Eurocentric atmosphere is everything HURTS should have been after ‘Wonderful Life’; it’s a much edgier proposition than the BROS Go To Bavaria stance that Theo and Adam adopted and a Speak & Spell machine even makes its presence felt to add a strange dystopian quality.

There’s some real intensity to ‘Enough’, while the haunting epic of ‘Stranded’ is the darkest ERASURE song that Andy Bell and Vince  Clarke never recorded. With elements of ‘Running Up That Hill’ slowed to a canter, Bebb belts his heart out over a rumbling percussive backbone, but double tracked to his own whisper to create that air of mystery which loomed on THE DOORS ‘Riders on the Storm’.

A relative of ‘Poison’, ‘Sugar’ has a more frantic 6/8 pace like an electro-glam ERASURE. Borrowing a few sounds derived from ‘Some Great Reward’, ‘Lies’ utilises further use of the swung Schaffel rhythms again as does ‘Fire’, a track which boasts an amazing swirling synth solo to behold.

‘Everlasting’ is perhaps the moment which is closest to SHELTER as a pure thrusting synthpop moment. More four-to-the-floor, ‘Addict’ penetrates the mind with its pulsing bass and wild synth lines.

A rich piano dressed ballad ‘Infinity’ closes ‘defiance + entropy’ and echoes SHELTER’s recent album ‘Soar’, something that is highly appropriate as Bebb’s vocal certainly does that while Trigwell’s swooping solo provides another highlight on this cinematic epic.

In common with a number of MESH albums, there are various instrumental interludes segued into the tracklisting; ranging from RECOIL inspired soundscapes and discordant doom laden romps, these largely work. But the final hidden track which comprises of Numan-esque rumbles and schizo voices for that horror movie effect, while interesting, sticks out like a sore thumb and sonically sounds out of place with the rest of the long player.

‘defiance + entropy’ is impressive, if a bit long and probably could have done with one less song, one less interlude and the hidden track.

But this is a debut that has a good number of excellent songs that should scare the competent if slightly stagnant German alternative electronica scene, who have been peddling the loop laden 6/8 darkness for over 20 years and really need a rocket up their software.

‘defiance + entropy’ uses the following synthesizers: Minimoog Model D, Sequential Prophet 6, Dave Smith Instruments Pro-2, Moog Sub-37, Arturia V-Collection 5, Native Instruments Komplete 11, Native Instruments Maschine Studio, SynthMaster Collection, AJL VProm LinnDrum LM-2

‘defiance + entropy’ is released by Infacted Recordings in digital formats, available direct from https://infactedrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/defiance-entropy while the CD can be obtained from http://www.poponaut.de/form-defiance-entropy-p-18037.html

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Text by Chi Ming Lai
26th October 2018

Involved: The MESH Retrospective Interview

27 February 2018 /

Often described in the electronica circles as “Bristol’s Finest”, MESH have been creating their very own kind of synthpop since 1991.

With the strong core of passionate lyricist Mark Hockings on vocals and Richard Silverthorn in charge of programming, keyboards and guitar, the duo have gone from strength to strength, to achieve cult status in Germany.

Despite being a comparative secret in the UK, Robbie Williams is a noted fan while MESH continue to gain new followers with every release, charting high in mainland Europe thanks to their gripping sound and Hockings’ vocal wizardry.

Having been producing their magnificent material for over 25 years, the twosome who can “mend hearts” embark on a journey down memory lane in 2018, with MESH’s second album ‘The Point At Which It Falls Apart’ being re-released on Dependent Records, as well as a string of live performances.

‘Involved – The MESH Retrospective Tour’, named after the opening track of their first album ‘In This Place Forever’, will take place in chosen venues in Germany and promises “singles, B-sides, rarities and more”. Richard Silverthorn talked about the past, present and future of MESH.

1991… a long time ago… although your early fans had to wait till 1996 for the first long player, the five years in between were spent on making sweet creations, which were later released under the name ‘Original 91-93’. Why such a set up? Maybe you just didn’t think there was “time enough to”? 🙂

When we first started, we were just trying to find our way. Just writing songs and doing our best to establish some kind of sound for ourselves. In those very early days, we wrote lots of demos and ideas which probably never ended up as full songs or productions. When we eventually decided to make our first CD and release it ourselves, we started by writing new material. The ‘Original 91-93’ is pretty much a collection of all those lost recordings and demos.

Around that time, you produced ‘My Perfection’…

Yes, there are a few little gems on there 🙂

To be fair some of the songs were ok, but maybe our production skills were still in their infancy.

Did you have high expectations for ‘In This Place Forever’?

I think with every release, the expectations are high. It was our first full album on a record label, Momento Materia from Sweden – I think that album got us quite a lot of press coverage at the time and made a few ripples in the scene. Tracks like Confined’ are still huge favourites with fans across the world so from that point of view, it done its job.

‘The Point At Which It Falls Apart’ brought a plethora of magnificent tracks with even more electronics. Clearly nothing “fell apart” at that point?

For me personally, I think this is the album that had some kind of sound uniformity. We started to sound like us. We knew at this point how we wanted to sound (although limited by technology) and started to understand our audiences. We had already started touring Europe and had an idea of what was going on outside the mainstream UK charts, which was all we knew at the time.

How did you decide which direction to take with your musical creations after the success of the first album?

I’m not sure we ever really had a plan. It was just 3 guys with synthesizers and different musical backgrounds and tastes trying to write songs. Our only middle ground was the fact we like electronic music.

Neil was very much into THE KLF and dance music, Mark and I was listening to similar music like YAZOO, OMD, DEPECHE MODE and the less mainstream stuff like DAF and FRONT 242 etc. It was pretty much a combination of influences with Mark reluctantly taking on the role as lead singer.

How did the collaboration with MARK ‘OH come about? A handful of Brits know the man and his notable successes in German dance charts, whether on his own or in tandems with the likes of John Davies?

‘Scares Me’ was picked up by a dance producer Christian Cambas and he done a club / dance track with a huge sample taken from that track. I think MARK ‘OH had heard of us and had heard that track. He somehow talked his record company into tracking us down and asked if Mark would like to provide vocals on one of his projects. When we were asked, we had no idea who he was or his popularity in Germany at the time.

Who chose BLANCMANGE’s ‘Waves’ as the song to cover?

It was a track that MARK ‘OH wanted to do and had recorded a version of it with The London Session Orchestra. He was looking for the right person to provide the vocals. Mark was asked and it went from there.

And it came with a video too…

Yes! Haha… We were flown out to Fuerteventura where the locals had made us this makeshift raft. We were towed out to sea and filmed by a speed boat circling us. It was one of the funniest and bizarre experiences ever. I had a broken arm at the time and had the cast removed for the video. Neil couldn’t actually swim so the look of terror in his eyes is real. At one point the boat broke down and we were left drifting out to sea. I’m surprised we survived 🙂

Then came ‘Who Watches Over Me’ with the massive ‘Friends Like These’, which is still a firm live favourite…

Yes, this felt like a huge turning point for us. We had just signed a major record deal with Sony Music and gave up our day jobs to embark on a full-time music career. We found ourselves in Home Studios Hamburg (formally Chateau De Pape where DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Songs Of Faith & Devotion’ was mixed and produced) with Peter Schmidt, a former Hansa Studio engineer.

It all of a sudden felt very real and expensive. We spent 3 weeks mixing at £1500 per day. It was a very expensive album with big budgets. ‘Friends Like These’ and ‘Leave You Nothing’ came from that album and became very well played tracks across Germany. ‘Leave You Nothing’ ended up on many radio stations and was even played regularly on a Germany soap opera.

‘We Collide’ brought more crowd pleasers such as ‘Open Up The Ground’. It’s as if you write songs that you know will be huge live?

Who knows…? We just write at the best of our ability at the time and hope for the best.

On ‘We Collide’ you went the whole hog, inviting Gareth Jones, known for having worked such legends as ERASURE, and DEPECHE MODE to name a few. And it was big…

Yes, that was a strange experience.

Our record company really pushed for Gareth to be involved in the production, but us as a band were a little hesitant and reluctant because of the whole DEPECHE MODE thing. We had spent years trying to shrug off the DM comparisons, so the last thing we wanted was the guy who shaped their sound working with us. As it happened, he was a really nice guy.

He actually rocked up at our studio in Bristol armed with a MacBook and a few other outboard boxes and we spent about 10 days locked in eating Chinese food, laughing and mixing ‘We Collide’. He was a very focussed engineer and brought out a lot of what we thought were quite incidental bits of music to the foreground and made them the hooks. We learnt quite a lot.

Any favourites from that opus?

‘Petrified’, ‘What Are You Scared Of?’ and ‘This Is What You Wanted’ all left their mark I think. It was quite a dark album from its lyrical content, but maybe doesn’t come across like that on first listen.

Around that point Neil Taylor decided to part ways with MESH. Were you very impacted by his departure?

Yes definitely. Mark and I thought it was the end. I think we both thought “where do we go from here?” We had had the major record deal and done all the big studios etc, what was left? We found ourselves with no deal at the time and a band member missing.

It took a few weeks of pondering before we both realised that we just enjoy writing and producing music at any level. So we dusted ourselves down and started writing again.

Olaf Wollschläger took the production reigns on ‘A Perfect Solution’ and the perfect working relationship was established…

I knew of Olaf from other bands and his work with them. Our new label Dependent suggested him, so we thought “yeah why not?”

We hit it off straight away. I think Olaf was really in tune with what we were trying to achieve with each album. His mixing and production skills are second to none.

How did it feel to be placed around other “legends of synthpop” for a string of US gigs, accompanying DE/VISION and IRIS?

Oh I cringe at that title… legends? It was a great experience. We travelled right across America doing a show every night. It was like starting again for us. No real roadies or tech crew, just 3 bands, a few crew members and a cowboy driving the bus. We played some really big shows and some downright awful small shows, but the whole thing was so good. It really does take experiences like that to establish you as a band. We came back with a new lease of life and a whole lot of respect of what we actually had in Europe.

‘Automation Baby’ came out with a bang and to many, it’s the most definitive MESH album to date… ‘Looking Skyward’ raced up the German charts, reaching No 12 which is your highest to date. That must have felt good?

Yes indeed. We are both very proud of what we achieved with these albums.

We never in our wildest dreams expected things to take off like they did with both of these albums.

To enter into the mainstream album charts was quite an experience. To see yourselves up there in the charts with people like Adele or whoever was completely mad.

In the meantime, you enjoyed playing with a full orchestra for ‘Goth Meets Klassik’…

It was an evening of a lifetime. To hear a full orchestra play something you had written was breathtaking. I remember Mark and I looking at each other in disbelief. It was a very emotional night and one I will never forget. 2000 people giving you a standing ovation was something very special.

Currently you are preparing to embark onto a retrospective tour, and some B-sides and rarities are promised. Does it mean that ‘My Perfection’ could find its way to the set?

Who knows… watch this space 😉

Yes, the plan is to play a load of songs that we don’t usually play or something that hasn’t even been played before live. In the beginning, we were a little reluctant to do a tour like this when it was first suggested.

We didn’t want to dwell on the past but always saw ourselves as a band that keeps pushing forward. After a bit of time to contemplate this, we thought “hey this could be ok”

We are doing new versions of the old material. Trying our best to keep the original feeling but bringing it up to date. It’s a lot of work and I’m sure there will be a lot of thought going into the visuals too, so it should be fun. I know that tickets sales are going exceptionally well so…

Do you set out to perform the crowd pleasers while preparing set lists, and who makes the final decision?

Yes, it’s a balancing act really. You have to throw in all the old favourites but you have to make it interesting too. There was a Facebook poll on our page recently which was surprising. Songs that we had kind of forgot about were mentioned and voted for, so we will have to see what we can do.

You also have to pace the setlist so you get a balance of different styles and tempos finishing in a big track.

Will UK dates for ‘Involved- The MESH Retrospective Tour’ be added at some point?

We are still at the negotiating stages with some venues here in the UK, but I’m sure there will be something announced soon.

We are headlining the Infest Festival in Bradford on 25th August and playing The Watchet Festival in Somerset the day after. There is also talk of an interesting London show / festival soon, so we will see.

When can we expect to hear brand new MESH material?

We will start writing again very soon. Things are a little busy here with the tour prep, but as soon as that settles down we will be back in the studio.

ELECTRICITY CLUB.CO.UK gives its sincerest thanks to Richard Silverthorn

The remastered edition of ‘The Point At Which It Falls Apart’ with extras tracks will be released by Dependent Records, selected items from the MESH back catalogue are available from http://en.dependent.de/artists/mesh/

‘Involved – The MESH Retrospective Tour’ 2018 live dates include:

Bradford Infest Festival (25th August), Watchet Music Festival (26th August), Hamburg Mojo Club (14th September), Oberhausen Kulttempel (15th September), Erfurt HSD Gewerkschaftshaus (21st September), Berlin Columbia Theater 22nd September), Munich Backstage (25th September), Frankfurt Das Bett (27th September), Braunschweig Lokpark (28th September), Dresden Reithalle Strasse E (29th September)

MESH also perform at ‘Black Celebration’ as very special guests of DAF at The Forum in London on Sunday 28th October 2018, tickets available from https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/Black-Celebration-tickets/artist/1994037

http://www.mesh.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/meshtheband/

https://twitter.com/meshwecollide

https://www.instagram.com/meshwecollide/

Text and Interview by Monika Izabela Trigwell
27th February 2018, updated 9th August 2018

MESH Live at Neues Gewandhaus Leipzig

6 December 2017 /


If the Bristol duo can “mend hearts” with their super electronic studio work and live performances, MESH sure stepped up the musical surgery back in 2015, playing live at Neues Gewandhaus in Leipzig, not just alone, but accompanied by a sixty five piece orchestra.

The event called ‘Gothic Meets Classic’ also featured COVENANT and VNV NATION, seeing all of the bands abandoning their bread and butter synths, letting the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings take over, to showcase their (usually very electronic) songs.

It is something that has been successfully done before by DEEP PURPLE, and more recently A-HA and Midge Ure. The latter is no stranger to orchestral performances, having joined forces with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, or numerous Night Of The Proms events to finally release ‘Orchestrated’ this year, which features reworked gems of ULTRAVOX and his solo tracks.

MESH are fortunate to be held by a fair share of electronica fans in very high regard and deservedly so. With Richard Silverthorn’s understanding of great songwriting alongside Mark Hockings’ lyrical wizardry and captivating vocals, MESH’s back catalogue is now vast, spanning over some twenty five years.

Fitted with new arrangements by classical producer and pianist Conrad Oleak, Silverthorn’s songs took on a wonderfully cinematic and a one of a kind shape, proving the complexity of the band’s songwriting and fully showcasing what Hockings is capable of vocally.

Witnessed by an audience of nearly 2000, culminating in a standing ovation, the event etched itself in the memory of those lucky to be present, and now we can all enjoy the feel of the electric atmosphere sans the electronics.

This winter sees the release of five original tracks recorded during the event, plus a further three songs recorded in a more modest studio setting in keeping with the classical feel. ‘Live At Neues Gewandhaus Leipzig’ features the marvellously dreamy ‘Leave Us Alone’ and the soundtrack worthy ‘Only Better’, where the lead vocal shines over the opulent philharmonics. There’s also ‘Save Everyone’ with its menacing quality, as well as ‘You Couldn’t See This Coming’ and the beloved ‘Taken For Granted’.

The remaining three numbers were prepared in a less opulent ensemble, yet they’re equally filmic and in keeping with the orchestral context. ‘Can You Mend Hearts’, ‘There Must Be A Way’ and ‘Before This World Ends’ are all stripped down to a simple combination of piano and vocal, with occasional strings, stressing further to where Hockings can push his abilities.

Whether you were fortunate enough to be in Leipzig to witness the classical extravaganza, or whether you enviously watched the snippets afterwards, now’s the chance to re-live the magical feel of the night.

Does the combination of electro and orchestra work? Judge for yourself, being soothed with the gentle piano, torn by the beautiful strings and captivated by magic of the wood and brass sections. Not everyone’s songs would do this arrangement justice, one has to have the correct material to work with and Oleak had just that; a bunch of tracks provided by the band, who know how to write a song, no matter what genre.

MESH deserve all the glory they receive.

‘Live at Neues Gewandhaus Leipzig’ is released in a variety of formats by Dependent Records, available from http://en.dependent.de/artists-dependent/mesh/

http://www.mesh.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/meshtheband/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
6th December 2017

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