Tag: Pet Shop Boys (Page 1 of 18)

THE ELECTRONIC LEGACY OF 1986

13 January 2026 /

What of 1986? This was at times, unlike previous years, a difficult one to enjoy musically.

TEARS FOR FEARS and SIMPLE MINDS had shown in 1985 that the most bankable way to break America was to present a new wave sound that had some synthesizers but not too many while big compressed drums and rawk guitars would be the relatable component for FM radio shows to draw in listeners for their commercials in between.

Following the ubiquity of Phil Collins throughout most of 1985, the domination of the GENESIS axis continued with seemingly endless stream of singles from the ‘Invisible Touch’ album while former leader Peter Gabriel achieved international mainstream success with the Staxx-flavoured art funk of ‘Sledgehammer’ on major rotation at MTV.

Elsewhere, WHAM! ended on a high as George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley played their final concert at Wembley Stadium but also playing what turned out to be their last concert with Freddie Mercury at Knebworth Park were QUEEN. Having gone down the dumper in 1984 with their third album ‘Waking Up With The House On Fire’ having been assessed as a “disaster of mediocrity” by Smash Hits’ Tom Hibbert, the long playing attempt to rescue CULTURE CLUB out of the dumper ‘From Luxury To Heartache’ did nothing to change fortunes with Boy George’s then undisclosed heroin addiction affecting its prolonged production.

Hollywood was where is it at in 1986; Giorgio Moroder and his mechanic Tom Whitlock would win an Oscar and Golden Globe for ‘Best Original Song’ with ‘Take My Breath Away’ which provided the love theme for ‘Top Gun’, the highest-grossing film of the year worldwide; although it was credited to BERLIN, it featured none of its members apart from vocalist Terri Nunn and would cause tensions that would split up the band.

THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS re-recorded ‘Pretty In Pink’ for the John Hughes movie of the same name while having already featured discreetly during a mall scene with ‘Tesla Girls’ during another Hughes film ‘Weird Science’ the year before, OMD achieved their biggest hit in America with the specifically written standalone song  ‘If You Leave’ which soundtracked the closing prom scene to touch the hearts of many teenagers stateside. However, the act who contributed the most music to the film was NEW ORDER with ‘Shellshock’, ‘Elegia’ and ‘Thieves Like Us’!

In the rush to make things more palatable for the American market, there were lukewarm offerings by THE HUMAN LEAGUE, HEAVEN 17, DURAN DURAN and EURYTHMICS who only a few years before had released some excellent albums. “We were all a bit lost by then” said Phil Oakey later in 2009 on the BBC documentary ‘Synth Britannia’, “we didn’t have anything to prove!”. But the worst one was ‘U-Vox’ by ULTRAVOX; as the lame titled suggested, this was a band with something missing and the record was to 1986 what OMD’s ‘Crush’ was to 1985 as it battled to incorporate orchestras, brass sections, acoustic guitars and the traditional Irish combo THE CHIEFTAINS into its sound.

After the programmed perfection of their Trevor Horn-produced chart toppers ‘Relax’ and ‘Two Tribes’, new producer Stephen J Lipson may well have been misguided in allowing FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD to play their own instruments on the second album ‘Liverpool’ as tensions within the band were about to cause implosion. Certainly the programmed Trevor Horn single remix of ‘Warriors Of The Wasteland)’ was far superior to the lame “as live” album version which unsurprisingly sounded like it was performed by a slightly polished-up pub rock combo!

Making a successful transition to organic instrumentation were TALK TALK with ‘The Colour Of Spring’, probably one of the best albums of 1986 regardless of genre. In E&MM, Mark Hollis said “I absolutely hate synthesizers” despite the band having had their breakthrough using them; while the sleeve credits did much to appease more rockcentric audiences with the vague acknowledgement of “instrumental” for Ian Curnow’s synth solos, the enjoyable long player did feature an electronic wind instrument called a Variophon and the state-of-the-art Kurweil on ‘Happiness Is Easy’!

Also heading into more organic territory with an ambitious double album divided into song-based and ambient instrumental records was David Sylvian; bringing in a number of guest guitarists like Robert Fripp, Phil Palmer and Bill Nelson, ‘Gone To Earth’ required more effort from listeners as the former leader of JAPAN distanced himself further from his old band although former bandmates Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri made contributions on a number of tracks.

As DAF went disco, Electronic Body Music influenced by the German duo’s imperial years on Virgin Records was emerging as a harder and darker alternative to the sanitised American-friendly sound that was now prevalent, with FRONT 242 and NITZER EBB issuing important singles that would trigger a new cult movement.

Overall, 1986 was a massive disappointment and confirmation of a wider downward spiral towards electronic creativity in pop music. House and dance would point towards the future but these sub-genres often lacked songs. Meanwhile, the emergence of Stock, Aitken & Waterman as a pop production factory would change the face of Top Of The Pops, Smash Hits and even the Independent Charts after years of delightful oddness but that is another story for others to tell…

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK has somehow managed to assemble a list of 20 albums to represent The Electronic Legacy of 1986, although it must be highlighted that a fair number of those included would not have made the cut in previous years which had their embarrassment of riches. Not a “best of” list by any means, as usual, these are presented in alphabetical order by artist…

A-HA Scoundrel Days

While Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen and Pål Waaktaar were being perceived as a teenybop band thanks to the success of ‘Take On Me’, there was always an inherent Nordic gloom lurking within A-HA. Mostly produced by Alan Tarney, the blistering title song was swathed in a chilling melancholy. Then there were the hit singles but while ‘Cry Wolf’ was bouncy pop, there were snarls of frustration present in ‘I’ve Been Losing You’ and ‘Manhattan Skyline’.

‘Scoundrel Days’ is still available via Warner Music

https://a-ha.com/

ALPHAVILLE Afternoons In Utopia

ALPHAVILLE were under pressure on their second album ‘Afternoons in Utopia’, especially with the departure of founder member Frank Mertens. Ricky Echolette joined Marian Gold and Bernhard Lloyd but after the gritty commentary on heroin addiction of ‘Big In Japan’ in 1984, songs like ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘Dance With Me’ possessed an anthemic optimism while on ‘Red Rose’, Gold moved from his Robert Smith impersonation into Bryan Ferry territory.

‘Afternoons In Utopia’ is still available via Warner Music

https://www.alphaville.earth/

THE ART OF NOISE In Visible Silence

Having flown the ZTT nest, Anne Dudley, JJ Jeczalik and Gary Langan took their Fairlighted musique concrète to China Records and came up with ‘In Visible Silence’. With more variety and more polish, ‘Legs’ was classic AoN while a rework of ‘Peter Gunn’ with Duane Eddy and ‘Paranoimia’ would provide the hits, although the latter’s album version would be without Max Headroom. Although Langan would depart, a high profile collaboration with Tom Jones beckoned…

‘In Visible Silence’ is still available via Warner Music

https://www.theartofnoiseonline.com/

THE BOOK OF LOVE The Book Of Love

A quartet comprising of Susan Ottaviano, the unrelated Ted Ottaviano, Jade Lee and Lauren Roselli, BOOK OF LOVE signed to Sire Records and opened for DEPECHE MODE on two US successive tours. Their self-titled debut LP contained lively synthpop tunes such as ‘You Make Me Feel So Good’, ‘Boy’ and ‘I Touch Roses’ but it was a song named after the Italian artist ‘Modigliani’ that had most impact, appearing in an episode of ‘Miami Vice’ and the film ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’.

‘The Book Of Love’ is still available via Sire Records

https://www.bookoflovemusic.com/

CHINA CRISIS What Price Paradise

With CHINA CRISIS now more of a band than the original duo concept fronted by Gary Daly and Eddie Lundon, ‘What Price Paradise’ had less of a Trans-Atlantic flavour compared to its predecessor ‘Flaunt The Imperfection’. Still featuring great songs such as ‘It’s Everything’, ‘Best Kept Secret’, ‘The Understudy’ and ‘Hampton Beach’, it is still one of life’s great mysteries that the magnificent ‘Arizona’ never got beyond No47 in the UK charts!

‘What Price Paradise’ is still available via Virgin Records

https://www.facebook.com/chinacrisisofficial

THE COMMUNARDS Communards

Although THE COMMUNARDS, Jimmy Somerville’s venture with future TV vicar Richard Coles was intended to have more traditional musical values, the electronic sound of his previous band BRONSKI BEAT could not be left totally behind. With Mike Thorne still at the production helm, ‘Disenchanted’ crossed ‘Why?’ with ‘Smalltown Boy’ while the spirited Hi-NRG cover of ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way’ with Sarah-Jane Morris would be the UK’s biggest selling single of 1986.

‘Communards’ is still available via London Records

https://www.jimmysomerville.co.uk/

DAF 1st Step To Heaven

When Robert Görl and Gabi Delgado reunited in 1985 to record ‘1st Step To Heaven’, they opted not only to stop wearing back but to sing in English. Less aggressive than previous DAF works with a more electronic disco sound, ‘Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi’ quoted from LADY MARMALADE despite being an original while ‘Pure Joy’ was inspired by Prince’s ‘1999’. But best of all was the joyous ‘Brothers’ which celebrated Görl and Delgado’s friendship.

‘1st Step To Heaven’ is currently unavailable

http://www.robert-goerl.de

DEPECHE MODE Black Celebration

Producer Daniel Miller wanted a dystopian intensity to the fifth DEPECHE MODE album ‘Black Celebration’ and with Gareth Jones acting as Tonmeister, Martin Gore’s increasingly bleaker songs found the perfect sonic backdrop. The 7 track segue from the opening title song to ‘Stripped’ that included ‘Fly On The Windscreen’ and ‘It Doesn’t Matter Two’ remains DEPECHE MODE’s most outstanding sequence of music.

‘Black Celebration’ is still available via Sony Music

https://www.depechemode.com/

ERASURE Wonderland

Andy Bell and Vince Clarke’s debut album ‘Wonderland’ was not an instant hit. The lead single ‘Who Needs Love (Like That)?’ was mistaken by some to be an unreleased YAZOO recording. Among the album’s highlights were the joyous ‘Reunion’ and the funky ‘Push Me… Shove Me’ . The record’s HI-NRG centrepiece ‘Oh L’Amour’ flopped as a single but undeterred, ERASURE toured the college circuit to build up a new fanbase from scratch.

‘Wonderland’ is still available via Mute Records

https://www.erasureinfo.com/

I START COUNTING My Translucent Hands

As I START COUNTING, Simon Leonard and Dave Baker finally released their longform debut following two impressive Daniel Miller-produced singles ‘Letters To A Friend’ and ‘Still Smiling’. Both included on the CD edition of ‘My Translucent Hands’, quirky tracks such as ‘Catch That Look’ and maintained the standard if with less immediacy. The duo would open for Mute label mates ERASURE on their 1987 European tour.

‘My Translucent Hands’ is still available via Mute Records

I Start Counting / Fortran 5 / Komputer

JEAN-MICHEL JARRE Rendez-Vous

‘Rendez-Vous’ had something of a loose space theme but the space shuttle Challenger tragedy tinged the release with sadness as the ‘Last Rendez-Vous (Ron’s Piece)’ was to have featured astronaut Ron McNair playing sax. Meanwhile, the symphonic ‘Second Rendez-Vous’ inspired by Wendy Carlos would become favourite of Pope John Paul II and the rousing ‘Fourth Rendez-Vous’ captured the vein of the classic Jean-Michel Jarre single.

‘Rendez-Vous’ is still available via Sony Music

https://www.jeanmicheljarre.com/

HOWARD JONES One To One

After two hit albums with Rupert Hine, Howard Jones had Arif Mardin on production duties for ‘One To One’ having been impressed by his work with SCRITTI POLITTI. While still very synth-driven, an array of session musicians on drums, guitars, bass and brass featured for a more sophisticated sound. But ‘Little Bit Of Snow’ found him in reflective mood on the ivories as the singles ‘All I Want’ and ‘You Know I Love You… Don’t You?’ failed to crack the UK Top30.

‘One To One’ is still available via Cherry Red Records

http://www.howardjones.com/

KRAFTWERK Electric Café

Coming after the 5 year wait since 1981’s ‘Computer World’ as the world KRAFTWERK anticipated came true, ‘Electric Café’ was something of a disappointment. Distracted by cycling and technology, there were still delights to be found. ‘The Telephone Call’ featuring Karl Bartos on lead vocals was a highlight along with the voice sample-laden ‘Musique Non Stop’ while the ironic ‘Sex Object’ was fun despite the barrage of DX7 presets like a YouTube tutorial…

‘Electric Café’ is now available as ‘Techno Pop’ via Parlophone Records

https://kraftwerk.com/

NEW ORDER Brotherhood

NEW ORDER were simultaneously about indie guitar rock and electronic disco, although rarely mixing. On their fourth album ‘Brotherhood’, the band’s schizophrenic musical personalities were separated across two sides. The electronic part was headed by ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’, but there was also the solemn ‘All Day Long’, the sinister ‘Angel Dust’ and the Lou Reed pastiche ‘Every Little Counts’ with its laughter and unforgettable scratching stylus ending!

‘Brotherhood’ is still available via Rhino

https://www.neworder.com/

GARY NUMAN Strange Charm

Things really had got “strange” for Gary Numan as his Numanoids marched on BBC Broadcasting House to protest that ‘This Is Love’ and ‘I Can’t Stop’ had charted yet were not getting radio airplay; however, they were the worst songs on ‘Strange Charm’. Something of an underrated record, the dreamy ‘My Breathing’ and the Vangelis-inspired title song were impressive while there was also a new great Bill Sharpe collaboration ‘New Thing From London Town’.

‘Strange Charm’ is still available via BMG

https://garynuman.com/

OMD The Pacific Age

A much better record than the rotten ‘Crush’, with a heavier synth, choral and live drum edge, one highlight was ‘The Dead Girls’ which revisited the sonics of ‘Architectural & Morality’ but with digital technology. Although the hit came from the Paul Humphreys sung ‘(Forever) Live & Die’, the Andy McCluskey fronted ‘Stay’ and ‘We Love You’ provided the electronic rock disco drive while ‘Flame Of Hope’ clearly fell under the spell of THE ART OF NOISE.

‘The Pacific Age’ is still available via Virgin Records

https://omd.uk.com/

PET SHOP BOYS Please

While PET SHOP BOYS debut album wasn’t perfect with ‘Suburbia’ and ‘Violence’ improving in re-recordings, ‘Please’ featured not only ‘West End Girls’ and ‘Love Comes quickly’ but had an array of brilliant track including ‘Two Divided By Zero’ and ‘Tonight Is Forever’. While an ironic observation on the rise of yuppies, the misunderstood ‘Opportunites (Let’s Make Lots Of Money)’ proved to be quite prophetic for Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, but who was the brains?

‘Please’ is still available via Parlophone Records

https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/

SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK Flaunt It

SUICIDE reconfigured for the 21st Century with Giorgio Moroder at the studio helm, behind the hype of cyberpunk combo SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK were some decent tracks even if they all sounded the same! The throbbing drive of ‘Love Missile F1-11’, ‘21st Century Boy’ and ‘Sex-Bomb-Boogie’ provided the fun but the flow was spoiled by novelty effects and samples while there were paid adverts between tracks as an honest statement on commercialism.

‘Flaunt It’ is still available via BMG

https://mail.sputnikworld.com/Sigue_Sigue_Sputnik.html

SPARKS Music That You Can Dance To

Inspired by a London Records A&R muttering “why can’t you make music that you can dance to?” after the avant pop of ‘Change’, SPARKS took inspiration for their lively if underrated 14th album, recorded in Brussels with old pal Dan Lacksman of TELEX engineering. The title song echoed ERASURE’s ‘Oh L’Amour’ while Ron Mael played with bursts of Fairlight and Roland Jupiter 8 on the falsetto soul of ‘Fingertips’ and Russell got to impersonate Gene Pitney on ‘Rosebud’.

‘Music That You Can Dance To’ is still available via Repertoire Records

https://allsparks.com/

STACEY Q Better Than Heaven

The front woman of synthpop act SSQ who had a US dance hit with ‘Synthicide’ in 1983, Stacey Q may have begun as a ‘Shy Girl’ but with its fair number of tunes as good as ‘Two Of Hearts’ like sister song ‘Insecurity’ and the more Jam & Lewis influenced ‘Music Out Of Bounds’, her debut album ‘Better Than Heaven’ is a reminder how fun and carefree pop music once was and should still be. The album remains a collection of wonderfully innocent escapism.

‘Better Than Heaven’ is still available via Cherry Red Records

https://www.facebook.com/people/Stacey-Q/100040905591794

Text by Chi Ming Lai
13th January 2026

WHEN THE 2000s CLASHED: Machine Music For A New Millennium

22 October 2025 /

With an aim to “destroy authenticity in pop” and “embrace the superficial”, when FISCHERSPOONER were launched at a lavish art space event in London, Casey Spooner turned to his musical partner Warren Fischer and said “Warren, press play…”

Some would call it performance art while others thought the mimed escapade was an affront to real music and reacted angrily… despite much press hype, the single ‘Emerge’ stalled at No25 in 2002 and Ministry Of Sound who had signed FISCHERSPOONER internationally were left with egg on their faces. Q magazine would later place the parent album ‘#1’ in their 2006 list of “The 50 Worst Albums Ever!”

What came to be called electroclash was not considered cool by a wider public that was still drunk after the hangover that was Britpop! Like New Romantic before it, electroclash seen as self-indulgence by elitist poseurs but despite being ridiculed, longevity is nothing to be scared of. Today, the music of 1977-1983 has proved its worth as KRAFTWERK, THE HUMAN LEAGUE, NEW ORDER, DURAN DURAN and their like continue to fill arenas and festival fields around the world.

So now is the time for a re-evaluation of ‘When The 2000s Clashed’ and presented ”Machine Music For A New Millennium”; comprising of 5 themed CDs, the set has been compiled by Jonny Slut, founder of London club nite Nag Nag Nag and Mark Wood of READERS WIFES who DJed at the SOFT CELL reunion shows with superb sets that focussed on the songs, doing away with the self-important mixing and beat matching that afflicts many egocentric deckmeisters…

Just as New Romantic had a range of names which didn’t stick like Blitz Kids, peacock punks, futurists and the dreaded Cult With No Name, designations like synthcore, tech-pop and Romo were banded about before electroclash stuck. It became the all-encompassing term for this glittery yet gritty variant of electronic dance pop where klanky drum machines did battle with analog arpeggios, throbbing basslines on the oompah radar and often, snarly or spoken rather than sung vocals!

CD1 comprises of “Fundamentals” and here, superb trailblazing tracks such as ADD N TO (X)’s ‘Plug Me In’, JEANS TEAM’s ‘Keine Melodien…1, 2, 3, 4’, ZOMBIE NATION’s ‘Kernkraft 400’, ‘Hand To Phone’ by ADULT. and ‘Rippin’ Kittin’ featuring Miss Kittin take their place alongside PET SHOP BOYS’ Orange Alert Mix of ATOMIZER’s ‘Hooked On Radiation’ and LEGOWELT’s sinister ‘Disco Rout’. But it’s Peaches who steals the show with the feisty buzzy lo-fi romp of ‘F*ck The Pain Away’!

FISCHERSPOONER lead CD2’s “Essentials” summary with ‘Emerge’ and offering fine support are THE KNIFE with ‘We Share Our Mother’s Health’ and Richard Norris’ THE DROYDS with the reworded DURAN DURAN cover ‘Girls On Pills’. Although ‘Seventeen’ from LADYTRON is the undoubted classic of this set, other highlights include ‘What Was Her Name?’ from Dave Clarke featuring CHICKS ON SPEED and ‘Take A Walk’ by Andreas Bolz while DETROIT GRAND PUBAS offer the enjoyably bizarre ‘Sandwiches’!

CD3’s “Developments” documents the crossover of what many perceived as the electroclash sound into the mainstream charts with HOT CHIP, GOLDFRAPP, MGMT, LCD SOUNDSYSTEM and YEAH YEAH YEAHS as well as Annie and Róisín Murphy all present if not necessarily correct with THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS remix of ‘Slow’ chosen rather than ‘Come Into My World’, Kylie Minogue’s collaboration with FISCHERSPOONER.

Meanwhile it’s the Princess Superstar voiced take on ‘Exceeder’ as ‘Perfect’ rather than Mason’s superior original instrumental that is included. That aside, Khia’s ‘My Neck My Back’ can now be seen as a forerunner of Marie Davidson.

The “Evolutions” themed CD4 opens with the still outstanding ‘We Are Your Friends’ from JUSTICE VS SIMIAN but while also including DIGITALISM, SOULWAX, CSS and NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB, this particular part of the collection proves to be the most hit and miss of the entire box, but it’s all just a matter of taste…

CD5 looks back at the “Origins” of electroclash with the usual suspects like KRAFTWERK, SPARKS, THE NORMAL, CABARET VOLTAIRE, THE HUMAN LEAGUE, GINA X PERFORMANCE, NEW ORDER, HEAVEN 17, FAD GADGET, VISAGE and SOFT CELL all included. But while is it wonderful that a track other than ‘Homosapien’ in the brilliant ‘Telephone Operator’ is included from the Pete Shelley back catalogue alongside the Germanic quirkiness of ‘Fred Vom Jupiter’ by DIE DORAUS UND DIE MARINAS and ‘Zauberstab’ by ZaZa, this could almost be any other alternative collection of influential electro works.

Instead, this fifth disc could have gathered tracks from the period by THE HACKER, THE FAINT, FC KAHUNA, GREEN VELVET, NORTHERN LITE, SYNTAX or TECHNOVA next to DJ Hell, Felix Da Housecat, Anthony Rother, Tiga or Ferry Corsten, with the latter’s ‘Whatever!’ nonchalantly voiced by Esmee Bor Stotijn from 2006 being a slice of prime cut electroclash.

The way it was in the past 25 years ago, this boxed set shows that the back-to-basics approach of many of these tracks provided an excitement that led to an albeit short-lived reinvigoration of electronic pop by acts whose names began with an “L” like Little Boots, La Roux, Lady Gaga and Ladyhawke.

Gathering a diverse selection of artists, producers and remixers ranging from the biggest starlets and synthpop duos to cult bands and underground DJs, ‘When The 2000s Clashed: Machine Music For A New Millennium’ highlights that the passing of time has finally been kind to electroclash and in selecting from the best of its kind, what is left is great electronic pop music. So when synthwave is reassessed in 10 years time and gets the boxed set treatment, will it too have evergreens that have stood the test of time? It will but it probably won’t have as many as ‘When The 2000s Clashed: Machine Music For A New Millennium’.

‘When The 2000s Clashed: Machine Music For A New Millennium’ is released on 31st October 2025 by Demon Music Group as a 5CD boxed set, 3LP vinyl highlights edition also available.

https://www.demonmusicgroup.co.uk/catalogue/releases/when-the-2000s-clashed-machine-music-for-a-new-millennium-5cd/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
22nd October 2025

A Beginner’s Guide To JOHAN AGEBJÖRN

26 August 2025 /

Based in Lund, Swedish producer Johan Agebjörn studies psychology but makes music from time to time.

While involved in a variety of arctic ambient, piano, instrumental, dance and remix projects, he is best known for the Italo-inspired duo Sally Shapiro featuring an anonymous singer who has become known as “Sally”. Following the lead of Italo acts such as Valerie Dore and Katy Gray which were actually fronts for producers promoted under the names of fictional solo singers, Sally Shapiro would become worldwide cult favourites with their wispy melancholic synth swathed disco-friendly pop.

The journey began when Agebjörn demoed what would become ‘I’ll Be By Your Side’ and remembered a gathering in 2004 with everyone singing Christmas carols by the piano: “I asked a friend of mine whom I noticed had a sweet singing voice if she wanted to sing on it, and she gave it a shot. After hearing and mixing her recording, I felt ‘this is really something’ and posted it to various Italo disco and electro forums on the web. I quickly got a few offers to release it on 12” single and the Sally Shapiro project was born.”

Despite a publically announced retirement in 2016, Sally Shapiro has released 5 full-length albums with corresponding remix collections since 2006. In parallel, Johan Agebjörn has maintained solo career and worked with Samantha Fox, Ryan Paris, Fred Ventura, Tom Hooker, Lisa Barra and many more, along with fellow enigmatic duos such as ELECTRIC YOUTH and R. MISSING.

In 2025, there has already been a new Sally Shapiro long player ‘Ready To Live A Lie’ which proved to be the duo’s darkest yet, while coming in late September is a new nature-themed downtempo album from Johan Agebjörn called ‘Southern Forest’ which features Dr Atmo, Miranda Magdalena, Mikael Ögren, Cate Brooks and NINA.

Johan Agebjörn presented his personal stories and insights on 20 career highlights selected from his various musical projects over the years by ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK

SALLY SHAPIRO I’ll Be By Your Side (2006)

“I remember writing this track being in an inspirational mood after having listened to Valerie Dore ‘Get Closer’” said Johan Agebjörn of the breakthrough Sally Shapiro track, “The track opened a lot of opportunities for us and maybe more importantly, it made me think that I could maybe actually write pop songs”. It attracted the attention of the Austrian label Diskokaine who would go on to release the debut album ‘Disco Romance’.

Available on the SALLY SHAPIRO album ‘Disco Romance’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.johanagebjorn.info/sally.html

SOUVENIR Allô, Allô – Johan Agebjörn Remix (2007)

With the cult success of Sally Shapiro came remix commissions from all over the world for Agebjörn including this from a Spanish indie band: “This was one of the first remixes I made” he remembered, “I was amazed that someone would actually pay me money to remix something. I really liked the band and I was happy with the remix, I’ve played it quite often when I DJ-ed. Jaime of SOUVENIR later played the backing guitar on Sally Shapiro’s ‘What Can I Do’”.

Available on the SOUVENIR EP ‘Extras 64’ via Jabalina Música

https://www.facebook.com/Souvenirpop/

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN featuring SALLY SHAPIRO Spacer Woman From Mars (2008)

Filled with vocoder, “This is one of the recordings from the ‘Disco Romance’ sessions but we didn’t think the track fitted on the album, leaning more towards spacesynth than Indiepop-Italo” recalled Agebjörn, “Actually, Sally refuses to sing any songs about space, this was the only exception, so we released it under my name as the primary artist. I sent it to Lo Recordings who loved it and included it on their ‘Milky Disco’ compilation”

Available on the compilation album ‘Milky Disco’ (V/A) via Lo Recordings at https://lorecordings.bandcamp.com/album/milky-disco-lo62

https://www.johanagebjorn.info/

SALLY SHAPIRO Looking At The Stars (2009)

“One of my favourite tracks from Sally’s second album, ‘My Guilty Pleasure’” said Agebjörn of this starry eyed dance number, “The shuffled arpeggiated bass was inspired by Skatebård’s ‘Vuelo’. My friend and frequent collaborator Roger Gunnarsson wrote the lyrics, they are actually about the memories from his dead grandmother. FM ATTACK later made a really beautiful remix out of it”.

Available on the SALLY SHAPIRO album ‘My Guilty Pleasure’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.facebook.com/shapirosally

ANORAAK Don’t Be Afraid featuring SALLY SHAPIRO (2010)

“Anoraak invited us to collaborate on a track from his debut album. My role here was to write the melody and the lyrics, I remember sitting at the library of Lund University writing it” said Agebjörn of this collaboration with the DJ from the French Valerie Collective, “Anoraak then re-made the backing track for his album version, but we later released the original version on Sally’s third album ‘Somewhere Else’ – so the version labelled ‘Alternative Version’ is actually the first version”.

Available on the ANORAAK album ‘Wherever The Sun Sets’ via Naïve

https://www.facebook.com/anoraak

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN Swimming Through The Blue Lagoon – Original Casio MT-52 Instrumental (2011)

“I got the idea for this track in a dream back in 2005” said Agebjörn, “The drums and the “electric guitar” are lead sound from a Casio MT-52 keyboard that I borrowed from Sally. To my joy, it was playlisted on some channel on Sirius XM radio and also included in the background of many TV programs around the world. We had also made a short version with some Sally vocals on it, as an opener to Sally’s second album”.

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN album ‘The Mountain Lake’ via Lotuspike

https://www.facebook.com/agebjorn

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN & ERCOLA featuring QUEEN OF HEARTS The Last Day Of Summer (2011)

“I asked Ercola to collaborate on a track after hearing his banger ‘Follow Me’ with Annie on vocals” said Agebjorn, “He sent me a loop that we developed into this instrumental. I asked QUEEN OF HEARTS if she wanted to sing on it, and she made a terrific job. Finally Ercola and I finished the mix in in Helsinki. This is one of very few tracks I’ve had playlisted on Swedish national radio P3”; QUEEN OF HEARTS would co-write the 2025 Sally Shapiro song ‘Hard To Love’.

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN album ’Casablanca Nights’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.iamqueenofhearts.com/

SALLY SHAPIRO & ELECTRIC YOUTH Starman (2013)

A track recorded with the acclaimed Canadian synth duo, “Sally and I asked ELECTRIC YOUTH if they wanted to collaborate on a track, since we think they are pop geniuses” recalled Agebjörn, “We sent them this instrumental and they came back with ‘Starman’. After recording Sally’s vocal, it was selected as one of the singles from Sally’s third album ‘Somewhere Else’. There’s also a cool Miami Nights 1984 remix of it”.

Available on the SALLY SHAPIRO album ‘Somewhere Else’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.facebook.com/electricyouthmusic/

YOUNG GALAXY In Fire – SALLY SHAPIRO remix (2013)

YOUNG GALAXY were a haunting dream pop duo from Montreal comprising who were label mates of Sally Shapiro at Paper Bag Records. Agebjörn reworked ‘In Fire’ from their fourth album ‘Ultramarine’ with a brooding gothic groove. “I met them once in Linköping, the city where I grew up and I DJ-ed before their live show” he recalled, “We made a remix swap with each other and I think this remix became quite dark and cool”.

Available on the YOUNG GALAXY album ‘Ultramarine’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.young-galaxy.com/

ANNIE featuring BJARNE MELGAARD Swedish Kiss – Johan Agebjörn Remix Of Russian Kiss (2014)

Norwegian pop artist Annie is known for her Richard X produced hits ‘Chewing Gum’ and ‘Songs Remind Me Of You’ but one day, Agebjörn got an important call: “I’m a big Annie fan so I was really happy when she asked me to remix this pro-HBTQ rights, anti-Putin track. I turned it from what was kind of a monotonous acid house-inspired track produced by the genius Richard X to more of a chord-driven Italo disco track with lots of vocoder work.”

Available on the ANNIE featuring BJARNE MELGAARD single ‘Swedish Kiss’ via Totally

https://www.annieofficial.com/

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN & LONEY DEAR The Leftovers – Mikael Ögren Remix (2015)

“Loney Dear is a skilled and likeable Swedish musician, whom I contacted for singing this song from my album ‘Notes’” said Agebjörn, “Paper Bag wanted to make a remix contest around it, and I encouraged everyone to turn in remixes of it. One remix came in under a pseudonym, I loved it and we decided it was the winner out of some 70-80 entries. It then turned out it was made by friend and soon-to-be frequent collaborator Mikael Ögren.”

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN & LONEY DEAR single ‘The Leftovers’ via Paper Bag Records

https://www.loneydear.com/

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN featuring TOM HOOKER Have You Ever Been In Love? (2018)

“I was asked by Swedish director Kristian Söderström to make some tracks with various legendary Italo disco singers for his movie ‘Videoman’, as one of the characters listened a lot to Italo disco” said Agebjörn of this notable soundtrack commission, “This is one of the results, with vocals by Tom Hooker, the voice behind Den Harrow. It was also included on a CD compilation on the legendary Italo disco label ZYX.”

Available on the soundtrack album ‘Videoman’ (V/A) via Lakeshore Records at https://videomansoundtrack.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/therealtomhooker/

SAMANTHA FOX Hot Boy (2018)

Another track from ‘Videoman’, Kristian Söderström suggested that Agebjörn ask Samantha Fox or Sabrina to sing on ‘Hot Boy’: “I sent it to Samantha on her official web site and her manager replied that she wanted to sing on it! Samantha recorded the vocals in London and I later met her in Gothenburg when we recorded a music video to it with the ‘Videoman’ team, it was an unforgettable day”; the track recently got its first vinyl release on Keytar Records as 12″ picture disc.

Available on the SAMANTHA FOX single ‘Hot Boy’ via Fox 2000 / Keytar Records

https://samfox.com/

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN featuring RYAN PARIS & SALLY SHAPIRO Forget About You (2020)

Agebjörn had produced a Ryan Paris vs Sally Shapiro duet called ‘Love On Ice’ for ‘Videoman’ and ‘Forget About You’ was its follow-up song: “It was fun to work on Ryan Paris on a few tracks, in return for the vocals on this track, Sally also recorded some backing vocals to Ryan’s track ‘Je Veux T’aimer Encore Une Fois’. Later, we turned ‘Forget About You’ into a Sally Shapiro solo track for the comeback album ‘Sad Cities’”.

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN featuring RYAN PARIS & SALLY SHAPIRO single ‘Forget About You’ b/w ‘Love On Ice’ via https://agebjorn.bandcamp.com/album/forget-about-you-love-on-ice

https://www.instagram.com/ryanparisofficial/

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN & MIKAEL ÖGREN A Tribute To Florian Schneider (2020)

“Mikael thought we should make a tribute track, since we are both KRAFTWERK fans” remembered Agebjörn when hearing about the sad passing of Florian Schneider, “Mikael had a basic idea for the groove using the analog Toraiz AS-1 synth. We tried to make the track as close as possible to the KRAFTWERK sound between 1975 and 1981. The vocoder lyrics are about Florian’s sounds continuing to vibrate in the universe”.

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN & MIKAEL ÖGREN album ‘Dynamic Movements’ via Lo Recordings at https://agebjorn.bandcamp.com/album/dynamic-movements-music-for-exercise-relaxation

https://www.instagram.com/mikael_ogren_music/

PET SHOP BOYS The Man Who Has Everything – Johan Agebjörn & Mikael Ögren Re-edit (2020)

“I’m a huge PET SHOP BOYS fan and this track is one of my favourites from their “underground” album ‘Relentless’ included with the limited edition of ‘Very’” confirmed Agebjörn, “I was so thrilled when I found a copy of it in a record shop in the small city in Sweden where I grew up. I felt this track could benefit from a more modern sound and I asked Mikael if he wanted to join me on this re-edit. It’s an unofficial edit only with all proceeds going to UNHCR.”

Available on the PET SHOP BOYS single ‘The Man Who Has Everything – Johan Agebjörn & Mikael Ögren Re-edit’ via https://agebjorn.bandcamp.com/track/the-man-who-has-everything-johan-agebj-rn-mikael-gren-re-edit

https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/

SALLY SHAPIRO Fading Away (2022)

“This was the first Sally Shapiro single in 5 years, our comeback after having announced that we ended the project, but then we changed our minds” said Agebjörn on Sally coming out of ‘retirement’, “It was also our first single on Italians Do It Better. Mikael Ögren co-produced the track, his most notable input is the beautiful pads from the Roland JD-800. This was my first attempt to make a ‘proper’ synthwave production, whatever that means.”

Available on the SALLY SHAPIRO album ‘Sad Cities’ via Italians Do It Better

https://www.instagram.com/sally_shapiro_official/

YOTA & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN Our Highs (2024)

“I really had fun working with Yota for our EP released last year, and this was the last track we recorded for it” said Agebjörn of this collaboration with the Paris-based Swede, “Basically it’s a track that was born because I was playing around with the Korg Polysix for the bass and arpeggio. Yota liked the instrumental and got some nice vocal ideas for it. The intro and ending is Yota originally singing in a lower key, pitched up in some weird 90s Eurodance way!”

Available on the YOTA & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN EP ‘Universe In Flames’ via Keytar Records at https://agebjorn.bandcamp.com/album/universe-in-flames-ep

https://www.instagram.com/yota_official_artist/

R. MISSING & JOHAN AGEBJÖRN Fakesnow (2025)

“I worked several months on the groove of this track, it took a while but it had this very deep bass and hypnotic loop that I kept returning to” said Agebjörn, “Finally with an Italo disco beat, I felt it was worthy to present to some singer, and I thought it would suit the dark approach of R. MISSING whom I had worked with earlier mixing one of their tracks ‘Verónica Pass’. Sharon Shy really turned it into a great song, I’m really happy about it.”

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

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

JOHAN AGEBJÖRN featuring NINA Little Fluffy Clouds (2025)

Agebjörn paid a visit to Berlin to work with the Queen Of Synthwave: “THE ORB’s original has been a companion in my life for over 30 years, it never sounds too old. I was playing around with the harmonies without any serious intention to develop it into a finished track, much less having it be the lead single from my new ambient album. But with NINA‘s spoken word on it, the track became a quite dreamy and organic beatless interpretation of the track.”

Available on the JOHAN AGEBJÖRN album ‘Southern Forest’ via Constellation Tatsu

https://www.iloveninamusic.com/

Text by Chi Ming Lai with special thanks to Johan Agebjörn
26th August 2025

RE-RECORD, NOT FADE AWAY: 25 REMAKES & REMODELS

14 May 2025 /

Set to the music of Buddy Holly, “Re-Record, Not Fade Away” was the iconic strapline voiced by veteran British actor Deryck Guyler as a jolly skeleton to advertise Scotch video cassettes in 1987. The premise was that these tapes were of such resilient high quality that they could be used for a lifetime and even outlive the purchaser.

But “Re-Record, Not Fade Away” could also be seen as a reference to the longevity of music through cover versions of classic songs. So what about when an artist effectively covers their own song by re-recording it?

Artists and producers are forever tinkering with their work. Sometimes it is to improve on a track or create a new vision. But also, it can be done simply to own a new copyright where the original is now in the hands of a less than co-operative custodian; the most recent high profile case of this has been Taylor Swift who has been re-recording all of her previous albums with each labelled as “Taylor’s Version”.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK presents its own list of 25 remakes and remodels from over the years. Most are more familiar than the originals and have been widely accepted as the superior versions while others continue to divide fans.

Presented in yearly and then alphabetical order with a restriction of one track per artist moniker, this listing does not include remixes, live recordings or radio sessions. Meanwhile originals refer to the first released versions so demos do not count!

ULTRAVOX! Hiroshima Mon Amour (1977)

ULTRAVOX! first released ‘Hiroshima Mon Amour’ as a fierce and frenetic art rock piece for the B-side of ‘ROckwrok’, but it was slowed right down for the ‘Ha! Ha! Ha!’ album version. Moving into the moody ambience of CLUSTER with a modified Roland TR77 rhythm machine and Elka Rhapsody string machine chillingly taking centre stage, the colder aesthetics were counterpointed by guest saxophonist CC from GLORIA MUNDI.

Available on the ULTRAVOX! album ‘Ha! Ha! Ha!’ via Island Records

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

JOHN FOXX No-One Driving (1980)

After leaving ULTRAVOX, the full length solo debut ‘Metamatic’ from John Foxx featured a highlight in ‘No-One Driving’. Despite the album also including a song called ‘Blurred Girl’, the single re-recording had much sharper focus and slightly altered lyrics, reaching No32 in the UK charts. Released along with three new tracks ‘Glimmer’, ‘This City’ and ‘Mr No’, ‘No-One Driving’ remains one of the best double single packages ever.

Available on the JOHN FOXX album ’20th Century: The Noise’ via Metamatic Records

http://www.metamatic.com/

THE HUMAN LEAGUE Being Boiled (1980)

The original Fast Product single version of ‘Being Boiled’ from 1978 was recorded in mono and had its own charm. But THE HUMAN LEAGUE took the opportunity to update their calling card with producer John Leckie for the ‘Travelogue’ album to more fully realise its funky FUNKADELIC inspired overtones. Using a varispeeded synth brass section named THE BOYS OF BUDDHA, the end result was more dynamic and livelier.

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

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

JOY DIVISION She’s Lost Control (1980)

With the 1979 ‘Unknown Pleasures’ version channelling THE STOOGES, the idea behind JOY DIVISION re-recording ‘She’s Lost Control’ was to make a really loud and dynamic 12 inch disco single. The result was a big cacophony of electronic and acoustic drums as well as an aerosol! Meanwhile, synths which had not been present before were now very much heard in the second half while Ian Curtis’ vocal delivery was even more foreboding.

Available on JOY DIVISION album ‘Substance’ via Rhino Records

https://www.joydivisionofficial.com/

OMD Messages (1980)

On the debut self-titled OMD album, ‘Messages’ was a song that actually featured guitar with potential as a single. Utilising a pulsing repeat function on a Korg Micro-Preset shaped by hand twisting the octave knob, it was decided to re-record ‘Messages’ for its singular release. Produced by Mike Howlett, the new version included the addition of separately recorded drums for a cleaner snap to produce a breakthrough UK chart hit.

Available on the OMD album ‘Souvenir’ via Virgin Records

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

DEPECHE MODE Photographic (1981)

The much darker and aggressive first version of ‘Photographic’ for the ‘Some Bizzare Album’ was driven by Mute supremo Daniel Miller’s klanky Korg 55 Rhythm box. Featuring much more sophisticated sequencing and programmed percussion palettes, an understated approach was taken on the re-recorded ‘Speak & Spell’ version with snares sounds only making their presence felt a third of the way through.

Available on the DEPECHE MODE album ‘Speak & Spell’ via Universal Music

http://www.depechemode.com

SOFT CELL Frustration (1981)

Compared with the original ‘Mutant Moments’ version of ‘Frustration’ which was akin to the unsettling demeanour of THROBBING GRISTLE, the ‘Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret’ take was like a completely different song. The lyrics were mostly written by Dave Ball about his own father while Marc Almond let his theatrical energetics go wild as sparkling Synclavier, a Roland Synthe-Bass and sleazy sax battled for audio supremacy.

Available on the SOFT CELL album ‘Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret’ via Sony Music

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

B-MOVIE Nowhere Girl (1982)

Originally recorded for a 1980 EP on Dead Good Records, ‘Nowhere Girl’ was undoubtedly the most immediate pop tune in the B-MOVIE portfolio. The quartet were under pressure to have a hit with Phonogram label mates SOFT CELL having scored a No1. Produced by Steve Brown, the new recording had tinkling ivories like ULTRAVOX in full flight alongside pulsing bass and harp-like synths. Alas, ‘Nowhere Girl’ stalled at No67!

Available on the B-MOVIE album ‘Hidden Treasures’ via Wanderlust

https://www.b-movie.org/

DAF Kebabträume (1982)

Originally recorded for a 1980 single on Mute Records in a band format featuring guitar and hand-played synths, ‘Kebabträume’ was subsequently reworked by DAF with sequencers under the production supervision of the legendary Conny Plank. Transforming into something much heavier, the memorable if controversial line “Deutschland, Deutschland, alles ist vorbei!” had more bite on this superior version.

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

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

DURAN DURAN My Own Way (1982)

Seeing out 1981 after the success of their self-titled debut album with the release of ‘My Own Way’, the single was characterised by its fast tempo and a disco string section. However, DURAN DURAN would express dissatisfaction at the recording. So for their second album ‘Rio’, the song was re-recorded in a slightly slower electro-funk style with a harder rhythmic edge while Simon Le Bon ad-libbed about “7UP between Sixth and Broadway”

Available on the DURAN DURAN album ‘Rio’ via EMI Music

https://duranduran.com/

DEAD OR ALIVE The Stranger (1983)

Written when Wayne Hussey, later of THE SISTERS OF MERCY and THE MISSION, was in DEAD OR ALIVE, ‘The Stranger’ first surfaced as a single on Black Eyes Records. The tighter re-recording appeared as a B-side of the ‘What I Want’ single, dialling down the more gothic and acoustic elements while making the electronics and drum machine much more prominent. Despite this, it was a million miles from the HI-NRG sound that Pete Burns would find fame and fortune with.

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

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

HEAVEN 17 Let’s All Make A Bomb (1983)

HEAVEN 17 were misinterpreted by Thatcher’s yuppies who thought ‘Let’s All Make A Bomb’ was about making a financial killing, when it actually referred to a different type of killing altogether. The original ‘Penthouse & Pavement’ version was all analogue electronics including its rhythm track. For the B-side of ‘Come Live With Me’, this New Version was more digital with metallic samples for a type of industrial funk.

Available on the HEAVEN 17 album ‘Endless’ via Virgin Records

https://www.heaven17.com/

TEARS FOR FEARS Pale Shelter (1983)

The original 1982 single version of ‘Pale Shelter’ was produced by Mike Howlett and began with an unsettling, reverse spoken vocal from Roland Orzabal. It failed to chart but with TEARS FOR FEARS flush from the success of ‘Mad World’ and ‘Change’, the parent debut album ‘The Hurting’ featured a re-recording produced by Ross Cullum and Chris Hughes with a much looser feel. Re-released as a single, it gave the duo their third UK Top5 hit.

Available on the TEARS FOR FEARS album ‘Rule The World: The Greatest Hits’ via Mercury Records

http://tearsforfears.com/

THE THE Uncertain Smile (1983)

When ‘Uncertain Smile’ was released as a Mike Thorne produced single in 1982, it featured a wonderfully rigid TR808 pattern, synths and a variety of woodwinds including flute and sax. Come the ‘Soul Mining’ album produced by Paul Hardiman, the song was newly recorded with live drums and an extended boogie-woogie piano section from Jools Holland at the end. Some love it, some don’t but THE THE main man Matt Johnson is in the former camp.

Available on the THE THE album ’Soul Mining’ via Epic Records

https://www.thethe.com/

BLANCMANGE The Day Before You Came (1984)

Benny Andersson said that ABBA’s ‘The Day Before You Came’ was “a really good song, but not a good recording” and by coincidence, the first attempt by BLANCMANGE produced by John Luongo for the ‘Mange Tout’ album was underwhelming. But this was put right for single release in a rhythmically tighter re-recording helmed by Peter Collins which also made more of Neil Arthur’s melodramatics and Northern English quirkiness.

Available on the BLANCMANGE album ‘Everything Is Connected’ via London Records

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

DAVID SYLVIAN Forbidden Colours (1984)

‘Forbidden Colours’ was the David Sylvian vocalled version of theme to the film ‘Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence’ which was composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto who also starred in it alongside David Bowie. But Sylvian wanted to do his own “not so grand” version for his debut album ‘Brilliant Trees’. Featuring Sakamoto on piano with Sylvian on synths and Steve Jansen on live drums , it was eventually dropped for ‘The Ink In The Well’ but ended up as the B-side to ‘Red Guitar’.

Available on the DAVID SYLVIAN album ‘A Victim Of Stars 1982 – 2012’ via Virgin Records

http://www.davidsylvian.com/

A-HA Take On Me (1985)

Tony Mansfield of NEW MUSIK did the original production on ‘Take On Me’ in 1984. However, A-HA were unhappy with the Fairlight-assisted results so it was remixed by their manager John Radcliff. The single failed to chart but with Warner music sensing a potential hit, a re-recording was commissioned with Alan Tarney as producer and showing off Morten Harket’s blistering vocal range. The single flopped again but on the third attempt, became the international hit they desired.

Available on the A-HA album ‘Hunting High & Low’ via Warner Music

https://a-ha.com/

PET SHOP BOYS West End Girls (1985)

The original version of ‘West End Girls’ had been produced by New Yorker Bobby Orlando and released by Epic Records in 1984 , but while it has been a cult favourite, it was not a mainstream chart success. After signing to EMI, it was re-recorded with a lush cinematic aesthetic produced by Stephen Hague. It was stylistically at odds with pop duos like WHAM! but gave PET SHOP BOYS the first of their 4 UK No1s.

Available on the PET SHOP BOYS album ‘Smash’ via EMI Music

https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/

HOWARD JONES No-One Is To Blame (1986)

A plaintive song about the wandering eye, ‘No-One Is To Blame’ was one of the best Howard Jones ballads. A highlight in its first guise from his second album ‘Dream Into Action’, with Trans-Atlantic hit potential and Phil Collins riding high in that market, a re-recording was made with the GENESIS drummer producing alongside Hugh Padgham. Mission accomplished, the single became Jones’ biggest US hit.

Available on the HOWARD JONES album ‘Celebrate It Together’ via Cherry Red Records

http://www.howardjones.com/

NEW ORDER Temptation (1987)

The original ‘Temptation’ was the first Top30 UK single for a rejuvenated NEW ORDER. For their ‘Substance’ compilation, the track was re-recorded in line with how the band were playing it live, with ARPs and Simmons drums now replaced by Yamahas and a harder digital snare while the vocal was perhaps more restrained. Thanks to the huge success of ‘Substance’, this is probably now the best known version of ‘Temptation’.

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

https://www.neworder.com/

KRAFTWERK Radioactivity (1991)

The original stark 1975 recording had ambigious references to radio activity but accepting the criticism they were getting from environmentalists, KRAFTWERK gave a pointed anti-nuclear message on this powerful 1991 re-recording. The most significant makeover was its additional unsettling machine chant of “TSCHERNOBYL – HARRISBURGH – SELLAFIELD – HIROSHIMA” highlighting recent atomic catastrophes.

Available on the KRAFTWERK album ‘The Mix’ via EMI Music

https://kraftwerk.com/

GARY NUMAN Metal (1998)

Despite not being a single, ‘Metal’ is a bonafide Gary Numan classic from 1979’s ‘The Pleasure Principle’. But in his stock on the rise again after several lean years and signing to Eagle Records, he revisited it to include as a bonus track for the single release of ‘Dominion Day’ from the ‘Exile’ album. A much more brooding grandiose reinterpretation, things were taken a step further by NINE INCH NAILS cover on ‘Things Falling Apart’ in 2000.

Available on the GARY NUMAN album ‘New Dreams For Old 84 – 98’ via Universal Music

https://garynuman.com/

LUSTANS LAKEJER Begärets Dunkla Mål (2007)

LUSTANS LAKEJER were seen as Sweden’s answer to DURAN DURAN; ‘Begärets Dunkla Mål’ was originally a moody unga moderna disco song which opened their self-titled 1981 debut album. The song was given a full Düsseldorf electronic makeover for their greatest hits collection 26 years later. Produced by Peder Livijn of SYSTEM, with a bounce reminiscent of KRAFTWERK’s ‘Das Model’, it became the catchy synthpop tune it had the potential to be.

Available on the LUSTANS LAKEJER album ‘Samlade Synder 1981 – 2007’ via Universal Music

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

RHEINGOLD Computer Beat (2010)

The very KRAFTWERK influenced lead single from the third RHEINGOLD album ‘Distanz’, neither ‘Computer Beat’ or its parent long player have been reissued by CBS in the digital age. Re-recorded for a self-released ‘Best Of’ along with their German hits ‘Fluss’, ‘3Klangsdimensionen’ and ‘FanFanFanatisch’, unlike the majority of the tracks in this list, the aim was to make the rework sound as much like the original as possible.

Available on the RHEINGOLD album ‘Best Of’ via 3Klang Records

https://www.discogs.com/artist/81398-Rheingold

MOTO BOY Blue Motorbike (2018)

Originally recorded as a guitar-driven indie pop tune in 2008, ‘Blue Motorbike’ was the best known tune by Swedish singer-songwriter Oskar Humlebo under his MOTO BOY alias. 10 years later and reflecting his now-more laid back cinematic aesthetic, he revisited it as a pretty synthpop ballad for the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of the Swedish thriller ‘Videoman’ which also featured notable synthwave exponents such as Robert Parker and WAVESHAPER.

Available on the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack album ‘Videoman’ (V/A) via Lakeshore Records

https://www.instagram.com/motoboymusic/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
14th May 2025

25 21ST CENTURY SYNTH COVERS – 2000 to 2014

10 March 2025 /

“The medium of reinterpretation” is still very much present in the 21st Century.

There have been albums of cover versions from the likes of SIMPLE MINDS and ERASURE as well as Midge Ure and Claudia Brücken celebrating their influences, as well as numerous various artists collections paying tribute to particular acts. However, the phenomenon of covering an entire album happened for a few years, something which MARSHEAUX, BECKY BECKY and CIRCUIT 3 attempted on works by DEPECHE MODE, THE KNIFE and YAZOO respectively.

On the other side of the coin in recognition of the cultural impact of the classic synth era, the Anti-Christ Superstar Marilyn Manson covered SOFT CELL’s cover of ‘Tainted Love’ but added more shouting, while David Grey took their own ‘Say Hello Wave Goodbye’ and turned it into a lengthy Dylan-esque ballad.

There has also been a trend for girl groups to cover songs from the period with GIRLS ALOUD, THE SATURDAYS and RED BLOODED WOMEN being among those introducing these numbers to a new younger audience.

So as a follow-up to the 25 CLASSIC SYNTH COVERS listing, here is ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s selection taken from reinterpretations recorded from 2000 to 2014, restricted to one song per artist moniker and presented in chronological order.

SCHNEIDER TM va KPTMICHIGAN The Light 3000 (2000)

Morrissey was once quoted as saying there was “nothing more repellent than the synthesizer”, but if THE SMITHS had gone electro, would they have sounded like this and Stephen Patrick thrown himself in front of that ten ton truck? Germany’s SCHNEIDER TM aka Dirk Dresselhaus reconstructed ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ to a series of minimal blips, blops and robotics to configure ‘The Light 3000’ with British producer KPTMICHIGAN.

Available on the SCHNEIDER TM album ‘Binokular’ via https://mirrorworldmusic.bandcamp.com/

http://www.cityslang.com/schneider-tm/biography

THE DROYDS Take Me I’m Yours (2002)

God Made Me Hardcore was a label set-up by Andy Chatterley and Richard Norris for electroclash tracks they had involvement in and as THE DROYDS, they covered ‘Take Me I’m Yours’ was the debut single by SQUEEZE. The original was notable for its use of synths inspired by KRAFTWERK, so the duo reinterpreted it as a full deadpan electronic number that truly revealed its Kling Klang roots.

Available on the compilation album ‘This Is Hardcore’ (V/A) via God Made Me Hardcore

https://www.discogs.com/release/289143-Various-This-Is-Hardcore

JAY-JAY JOHANSON Automatic Lover (2002)

‘Automatic Lover’ was a 1978 disco-flavoured hit by Dee D Jackson and exploring a more electronic direction after his original trip hop success, the song was perfect foil for his fifth album ‘Antenna’. Filmic with layers of melancholic vocal and vocoder treatments over the gently pulsing electronics, the end result had something of a doomed romantic quality in its beautiful resignation.

From the JAY-JAY JOHANSON album ‘Antenna’ via BMG Sweden

https://www.facebook.com/jayjayjohanson/

GOLDFRAPP Yes Sir (2003)

A breathy Euro disco classic made famous by sultry Spanish vocal duo BACCARA, Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory’s take on this cheesy but enjoyable disco standard came over like The Cheeky Girls at The Nuremburg rally! Now that’s a horrifying vision! All traces of ‘Yes Sir I Can Boogie’ apart from the original lyrics were rendered missing in action as the stern Ms Goldfrapp played the role of the thigh booted dominatrix on this highly original cover.

Available on the GOLDFRAPP single ‘Twist’ via Mute Records

http://goldfrapp.com/

INFANTJOY featuring SARAH NIXEY Ghosts (2005)

When BLACK BOX RECORDER went on hiatus, Sarah Nixey recorded a beautifully spacey cover of JAPAN’s ‘Ghosts’ with INFANTJOY whose James Banbury became her main collaborator on her 2007 debut solo album ‘Sing Memory’. The duo’s other member was ZTT conceptualist Paul Morley. MIDI-ed up and into the groove, Nixey later also recorded THE HUMAN LEAGUE’s ‘The Black Hit Of Space’.

Available on the INFANTJOY album ‘With’ via serviceAV

http://infantjoy.com

DIE KRUPPS featuring CLIENT Der Amboss (2005)

Of this mighty industrialised cover, Ralf Dörper said: “When I first heard ‘The Anvil’ (‘Der Amboss’) by VISAGE, I thought: “what a perfect song for DIE KRUPPS” – it just needed more sweat, more steel. And it was not before 2005 when DIE KRUPPS were asked to play a few 25-year anniversary shows that I remembered ‘Der Amboss’… and as I was a big CLIENT fan at that time, I thought it would be a good opportunity to ask Fräulein B for assistance in the vocal department”.

Available on the DIE KRUPPS album ‘Too Much History Vol1’ via Metropolis Records

http://www.diekrupps.de/

FROST Messages (2007)

Comprising of Aggie Peterson and Per Martinsen, FROST have described their music as “upbeat space-pop”. Much of their own material like ‘Klong’, ‘Alphabet’ and ‘Sleepwalker’ exuded a perfect soundtrack for those long Nordic nights. Meanwhile their ultra-cool cover of OMD’s ‘Messages’ embraced that wintery atmosphere, while providing a pulsing backbone of icy synths to accompany Peterson’s alluringly nonchalant vocal.

Available on the FROST album ‘Love! Revolution!’ via Frost World Recordings

https://www.facebook.com/frostnorway/

ONETWO Have A Cigar (2007)

In this “PINK FLOYD Goes To Hollywood” styled rework, Claudia Brücken revisited her ZTT roots with this powerful and danceable version of Roger Waters’ commentary on music business hypocrisy. ‘Have A Cigar’ showed a turn of feistiness and aggression not normally associated with the usually more serene timbres of Claudia Brücken and Paul Humphreys’ ONETWO project. But by welcoming pleasure into the dome, they did a fine cover version.

Available on the ONETWO album ‘Instead’ via https://theremusic.bandcamp.com/

http://www.theremusic.com/onetwo/onetwo

BLACK NAIL CABARET Umbrella (2008)

Budapest’s BLACK NAIL CABARET began life as an all-female duo of Emese Illes-Arvai on vocals and Sophie Tarr on keyboards, with their first online offering being a darkwave cover of Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’. Already very synthy in the Barbadian starlet’s own version, it showcased their brooding form of electro which subsequently impressed enough to earn support slots with COVENANT and CAMOUFLAGE while producing three albums of self-penned material so far.

Available on the BLACK NAIL CABARET album ‘The Covers’ via https://blacknailcabaret.bandcamp.com/

http://www.blacknailcabaret.com

CHINA CRISIS Starry Eyed (2008)

Liverpudlian easy listening crooner Michael Holliday was the second person to have a UK No1 written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the first being Perry Como with ‘Magic Moments’. His second UK No1 penned by Earl Shuman and Mort Garson was a romantic guilty pleasure. CHINA CRISIS pledged their Scouse Honour with this jaunty synth / drum machine driven rendition of ‘Starry Eyed’ layered with reverbed synthbass warbles and harmonious vocals.

Available on the compilation album ‘Liverpool – The Number Ones Album’ (V/A) via EMI Records

www.facebook.com/pages/China-Crisis/295592467251068

LITTLE BOOTS Love Kills (2009)

LITTLE BOOTS gave a dynamically poptastic rendition of Giorgio Moroder and Freddie Mercury’s only collaboration from 1984, retaining its poignant melancholic quality while adding a vibrant and danceable electronic slant. The recreation of Richie Zito’s guitar solo on synths was wondrous as was the looser swirly groove. While Blackpool-born Victoria Hesketh didn’t have the voice of Mercury, her wispy innocence added its own touching qualities to ‘Love Kills’.

Available on the LITTLE BOOTS EP ‘Illuminations’ via Elektra Records

www.littlebootsmusic.co.uk

PET SHOP BOYS Viva La Vida (2009)

Yuck, it’s Chris Martin and Co but didn’t Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe do well? Merging possibly COLDPLAY’s best song with the synth riff from their own Latino disco romp ‘Domino Dancing’, ‘Viva La Vida’ was turned into a stomping but still anthemic number which perhaps had more touches of affection than PET SHOP BOYS’ marvellous but allegedly two fingers Hi-NRG rendition of U2’s ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’. So altogether now: “Woah-oh, ooh-ooah!”

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

http://petshopboys.co.uk

DURAN DURAN Boys Keep Swinging (2010)

No strangers to raiding the Bowie songbook having previously tackled ‘Fame’ in 1981, DURAN DURAN however blotted their copy book with their 1995 covers LP ‘Thank You’. They refound their stride with the return-to-form album ‘All You Need Is Now’, but just before that, this superb reinterpretation of ‘Boys Keep Swinging’ reconnected them to their New Romantic roots with washes of Nick Rhodes’ swimmy Crumar string machine and John Taylor’s syncopated bass runs.

Available on the compilation album ‘We Were So Turned On: A Tribute To David Bowie’ (V/A) via Manimal Vinyl

http://www.duranduran.com

LADYTRON Little Black Angel (2010)

This frantically paced cover of controversial neofolk band DEATH IN JUNE was recorded for the LADYTRON ‘Best Of 00-10’ collection and purposely uncredited. The antithesis of the midtempo atmospherics of ‘Gravity The Seducer’, this cutting four-to-the-floor romp was the last of the quartet’s in-yer-face tracks in a wind down of the harder ‘Velocifero’ era. With the multi-ethnic combo subverting the meaning of ‘Little Black Angel’, it deliberately bore no resemblance to the original.

Available on the LADYTRON album ‘Best of 00-10’ via Nettwerk Records

http://www.ladytron.com

GAZELLE TWIN The Eternal (2011)

‘The Eternal’ from ‘Closer’, the final album by JOY DIVISION, was one of the most fragile, funereal collages of beauty ever committed to vinyl. But in 2011, the mysterious Brighton based songstress GAZELLE TWIN reworked this cult classic and made it even more haunting! Replacing the piano motif with eerily chilling synth and holding it together within an echoing sonic cathedral, she paid due respect to the song while adding her own understated operatic stylings.

Available on the GAZELLE TWIN EP ‘I Am Shell I Am Bone’ via Anti-Ghost Moon Ray Records

http://www.gazelletwin.com

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

http://mirrorsofficial.bandcamp.com/

OMD VCR (2011)

THE XX had a minimalist approach which Andy McCluskey said was “really quite impressive”. This bareness made their material quite well suited for reworking in the style of classic OMD. ‘VCR’ had Paul Humphreys taking charge of the synths while McCluskey dusted off his bass guitar and concentrated on vocals. McCluskey added: “People go ‘how did OMD influence THE XX?’… but have you listened to ‘4-Neu’? Have you listened to some of the really simple, stripped down B-sides?”

Available on the OMD EP ‘History Of Modern (Part I)’ via Blue Noise

http://www.omd.uk.com

WELLE: ERDBALL Ein Bißchen Frieden (2011)

Using a logo that was based on the DDR motor company that produced the Trabant, when German chiptune quartet WELLE: ERDBALL made their tenth album ‘Der Kalte Krieg’, they included numerous German schlager style covers as an ironic nostalgic trip back to the nuclear angst of that era. One of those was a joyous synthpop cover of ‘Ein Bißchen Frieden’, the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest winner sung by Nicole, known in its English version as ‘A Little Peace’.

Available on the WELLE: ERDBALL album ‘Der Kalte Krieg’ via Synthetic Symphony

https://www.facebook.com/WelleErdball

COMPUTE Goodbye (2012)

Folk-oriented songs are just made for electronic reinventions and as COMPUTE, Sweden’s Ulrika Mild did just that on ‘Goodbye’, a song made famous by Mary Hopkin which was written by Paul McCartney who had also produced her debut hit ‘Those Were the Days’. The track formed part of a charity compilation under the supervision of Eddie Bengtsson from PAGE who covered ‘Cos I Luv U’ while it also included versions of ‘Silver Machine’ and ‘Heart Of Gold’.

Available on the compilation album ‘Friends Of Electronically Yours Present The Seventies Revisited’ (V/A) via Electronically Yours

https://www.facebook.com/computopia

SIN COS TAN My Blue Heaven (2012)

‘My Blue Heaven’ was a popular song written by Walter Donaldson with lyrics by George A Whiting. A 1927 song used in the Ziegfeld Follies and a hit crooner Gene Austin, this atmospheric synth reinterpretation by the Finnish duo of Juho Paalosmaa and Jori Hulkkonen was recorded to celebrate the end of their first year as SIN COS TAN as a seasonal gift following the acclaimed for their self-titled debut album.

Available as a free download from https://soundcloud.com/sugarcane/sin-cos-tan-my-blue-heaven

https://www.facebook.com/homeofsincostan

I SPEAK MACHINE My Sex (2013)

As I SPEAK MACHINE, Tara Busch has been known for her haunting and downright bizarre live covers of songs as diverse as ‘Cars’, ‘Our House’, ‘The Sound Of Silence’ and ‘Ticket To Ride’. For a John Foxx tribute EP which also featured GAZELLE TWIN, she turned ‘My Sex’, the closing number from the debut ULTRAVOX! long player, into a cacophony of wailing soprano and dystopian synths that was more than suitable for a horror flick.

Available on the EP ‘Exponentialism’ (V/A) via Metamatic Records

http://www.ispeakmachine.com

NOBLESSE OBLIGE Hotel California (2013)

French theatrical performer Valerie Renay and German producer Sebastian Lee Philipp are NOBLESSE OBLIGE. Together, they specialise in a brand of abstract Weimer cabaret tinged with a dose of electro Chanson. Their lengthy funereal deadpan cover of THE EAGLES ‘Hotel California’ highlighted the chilling subtext of the lyrics to its macabre conclusion! The synthesizer substitution of the original’s iconic twin guitar solo could be seen as total genius or sacrilege!

Available on the NOBLESSE OBLIGE album ‘Affair Of The Heart’ via Repo Records

http://www.noblesseoblige.co.uk/

I AM SNOW ANGEL I’m On Fire (2014)

I AM SNOW ANGEL is the project of Brooklyn based producer Julie Kathryn; her debut album ‘Crocodile’ was a lush sounding affair and could easily be mistaken as a product of Scandinavia were it not for her distinctly Trans-Atlantic drawl. Already full of surprises, to close the long player, out popped a countrified drum ‘n’ bass take of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘I’m On Fire’! Quite what The Boss would have made of it, no-one is sure but it was quietly subversive…

Available on the I AM SNOW ANGEL album ‘Crocodile’ via I Am Snow Angel

http://iamsnowangel.com/

MACHINISTA Heroes (2014)

Reinterpreting Bowie is fraught with the possibility of negative feedback and MACHINISTA taking on ‘Heroes’ set tongues wagging. Recorded as the duo’s calling card when experienced Swedish musicians John Lindqwister and Richard Flow first came together, electronic pulses combined with assorted synthetic textures which when amalgamated with Lindqwister’s spirited vocal, produced a respectful and yes, good version.

Available on the MACHINISTA album ‘Xenoglossy’ via Analogue Trash

http://www.machinistamusic.com

NIGHT CLUB Need You Tonight (2014)

Comprising of frisky vocalist Emily Kavanaugh and moody producer Mark Brooks, NIGHT CLUB simply cut to the chase with their enjoyable electronic cover of INXS’ ‘Need You Tonight’. Here, the familiar guitar riff was amusingly transposed into a series of synth stabs before mutating into a mutant Morse code. It wasn’t rock ‘n’ roll but we liked it! Purists were horrified, but history has proved the best cover versions always do a spot of genre and instrumentation hopping.

Available on the NIGHT CLUB EP ‘Black Leather Heart’ via http://nightclubband.com/album/black-leather-heart

http://www.nightclubband.com

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s ‘A Fistful Of Electronic Covers’ playlist featuring reinterpretations through the ages can be heard via Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/12XFwF5iuLj3Jl7Tj2GTpE

Text by Chi Ming Lai
10th March 2025

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