Electronically Yours

Little Boots performed live at the Leeds & Reading festival on Friday night and whilst we prepare a mega new interview with Australia's finest - Parralox, we thought that some of you may like this live performance of Victoria's current Top Ten - 'Remedy'.

Perhaps the best thing about this rather brilliant live performance is how vibrant the middle 8 now sounds with this new arrangement and the reaction of a largely young crowd who are loving every second of it.

The UK charts would certainly be a duller place without Victoria....

EY VOL 1 feedback


Rob Grillo is the author of a forthcoming book entitled 'Is That The Twelve Inch Mix?' which is due for release in all good bookstores in early 2010.

The book details all the passion that this genre generates and how key 'extended remixes' could change your life forever back in the early 1980s.

There is even some EY related waffle in a chapter called ' PROVIDING A SERVICE - THE FAN(ATIC)S' including Orac's essential Top 10 80's electro tunes plus contributions from Remember the 80s webmaster Richard Evans and Jer White of the Pansentient League whilst League/H17 legend Martyn Ware provides the opening paragraphs.

Rob recently snapped up a copy of our 'EY VOL 1', and after a few plays, he kindly sent us these kind words....

Electronically Yours Vol 1. This is not an attempt to copy what was done before in the 1980s, or indeed is it merely a celebration of those days. While it is a return to the sounds that lit up the singles charts in the early years of the brightest decade in pop, it more importantly represents the synth sounds of TODAY.



There are no hastily arranged cover versions of well known classic tunes (although some of the acts on here have been known to cover some famous tracks rather successfully), instead we have two CD's full of bright and breezy female-fronted electronic tracks that represent of what the best of todays sythesiser driven bands are capable.

Twenty three songs from the likes of Marsheaux, Ultrasonics and Northern Kind as catchy as anything you will have heard from the likes of La Roux and Little Boots.



From Electrobelle's anthemic 'Mirrorball' through to the closing 'Unfair' by Fotonovela, there is no lull in quality at any point in the proceedings.

And we have the added bonus of a number of 'remixes' on board. Of these, not one single track is reconstructed beyond all form.

Todays remixes are merely the toys of much hyped DJ's who care little for the feel of the original. How many of us can remember going down to the local record shop and buying our favourite tunes on 12" vinyl - the much loved 'extended version', or even 'extended remix' if the likes of Shep Pettibone had got their hands on the master tapes.

Well that's exactly what we have here each remix stays true to the original and acts than more than a mere filler. And that's the true strength of this compilation, there's not a filler to found anywhere.

The intention Rob Windle and the Undo Records team was to compile an album full of damn good songs, and, by jove, they've more than succeeded.


'EY VOL 1' can currently be purchased online from Musicnonstop in the UK and Undo Records in Greece.


Recent MNS/EY promotion for DM & Parralox...

MNS have been in touch over the weekend about the recent 15% promotion for selected titles that includes DM's Boxset of the decade for 'Sounds Of The Universe' and Parralox maxi single 'Shaprper Than A Knife'.

Some of you haven't applied for your 15% discount after ordering these items. To qualify for the discount, simply email the code 'EY03' along with your order details to 'info@musicnonstop.co.uk'


Future Remastered....

If your still undecided about the current wave of female UK electro and lamenting the lack of male vocals - there are one or two quite essential collections all set for the big remaster treatment on CD from EMI this Autumn.

October 5th (finally) sees the release of the Kraftwerk remasters including a bicycle shaped boxset full of extras including special luminous Tour De France cycle shorts whilst Erasure also release a 21st Anniversary Edition of their finest studio album 'The Innocents' on October 26th.

orac

Feedback from the recent Andy McCluskey interview continues to reach us including thoughts from EY reader Joe Ahmed who wanted to add his views concerning Andy's comments on La Roux & Little Boots who seem to cause some moderate offence to one or two of the older hardcore followers of this wonderful genre.


EY loves all electro and we do love a good debate...




Hi!


Just thought I'd add some comments having read the latest posts on 'Electronically Yours'.

I 'm currently enjoying both Little Boots & La Roux as well as a whole host of others artists.Favourite album of the year so far is 'Third Eye Movements' by Throbbing Gristle (yes it surprises me too!). But love 'Hands' even though it's uneven production wise & La Roux's album mostly for it's indebtedness to Daniel Miller's production & Vince Clarks musical style.

Silicon Teens anyone? :)

I wish the bitchiness would die down as I think we're about to enter another great age of electronica, comperable to the 1988-1993 era of fantastic music both popular & 'serious'.
I think we should be thankful that there's some quality material in the charts these days.

People should shut up & enjoy it!


I think it's hilarious that Andy McClusky can call La Roux a 'tuneless bint' considering it took OMD a full 4 albums to learn how to tune their own synths!!



Looking forward to hearing some new Nitzer Ebb recordings,they played some new material at the Club Cosey gig in London a few months back which sounded promising.
I did get to see Little Boots perform in London last week at that Bebo/Samsung promotion last week, which was very entertaining.

Greatly looking forward to seeing the Synth Britania documentary.BBC 4 produce some fantastic music documentaries,the night they had on Roxy Music a few months back was fantastic.



Any actual news on The Human League though? Are they touring this Autumn/Winter? Recording?



Best wishes,

Joe.


Orac: It doesn't look like there will be a League tour this time round Joe. Would be cool if there was new League material to coincide with NASA's first manned spaceflight to Mars in 2028...
More realistic Chart Action could beckon for the League if Lady Victoria does the right thing and release 'Symmetry' as the next UK single :)




New Marsheaux single!

Marsheaux have just confirmed the release of their second digi single 'Summer' from 'Luminuex Noir' on Out Of Line Records.

A single edit is included along with one of the finest remixes of 2009 so far - the 'Summer August 15th Remix' which is up there with the Skream mix of La Roux's 'In For The Kill' that helped to bring electro back where it belongs in the UK charts.

Click on the 'Summer' sleeve art to grab this digi delight from iTunes.

Katsen 'German Film Star'







Here's another lovely Katsen video to end the update with and sooth you into the bank holiday weekend (for those of you in the UK).

We actually think that this Katsen version is much better than the recent Pet Shop Boys effort...

Brighton synth duo Katsen are set to release their debut album 'It Hurtz!' on September 28th and to celebrate this electric release date, EY's fave boy/girl/wonky pop duo have just unleashed across Facebook and Youtube - three enchanting promo videos.


Complete with proper green screen effects, swirly graphics and lead singer Donna Grimaldi looking very chic in her extensive 50's influenced wardrobe.




One of the videos includes Katsen's spine tingly cover of The Passions 1982 hit 'German Film Star' and this version was originally set for this headline article ...until we heard the brand spanking new track 'Florian'.

Here at EY, we adore space age things, silver space suits, wobbly special effects and robotic things with claws. The video for 'Florian' begins with a backdrop of space taken from the 'Junior Guide To Astronomy' circa 1959.
Stars with happy faces are sitting on clouds (and some of us believed this to be true until the Hubble Telescope shattered the illusion).


'Florian' also begins with a lovely resonating bassline that grabbed us immediately. Hypnotic and gentle notes that could have filtered out from an early OMD recording session in Liverpool shortly after they had seen Kraftwerk way, way back in the 70's (more on that in a bit).

Performed here live (Katsen rarely play live outside of their kitchen though EY is keen to grab them for a future event), the utterly adorable 'Florian' with it's tingly chorus is Chris and Donna's warmest track since 'EY VOL 1' fave 'Where Nobody Can Find Us' - and this new track is edging it's way into the probable/possible tracklisting for 'EY VOL 2'.

Our favourite bit is shortly after the chorus - 2 minutes and 30 seconds into the track when Donna activates a pad that initiates a warbling, futuristic sound and we just love things like that.

We also have to give 9/10 to Donna's sparkly silver coat....

'It Hertz!' is released on the aptly named Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation label in a few weeks time in a special gatefold digipack and if you pre-order the album now from www.katsen.com where you will also be able to download an high quality file of the entire album immediately - at no extra cost.

Interesting 'strange but true' Katsen pop fact:
Donna used to drink down Orac's local in the early 90s and even knew some of his friends...and went to his school!
This bit of analogue synchronicity only recently came to light twelve months after Katsen were added to the tracklisting of 'EY VOL 1'

Related links: Katsen on YouTube
Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation




BBC-4 announce 'Synth Britannia'!







The BBC press office this week confirmed details of a major documentary this Autumn that pays homage to the UK innovators of late 70s/early 80s electro.







Produced by the team who were responsible for last year's terrific 'Pop Britannia' (EY review here), 'Synth Britannia' looks at how Kraftwerk instigated the biggest and most influential pop explosion ever seen here in the UK - giving birth to the likes of Yazoo, Soft Cell, OMD, Human League, Gary Numan and Depeche Mode.

It was a time of diversity and glamour, singles that sold over a million copies in the UK.

Guitars were burnt in the streets back in 1981 and in the preview clip that begins with OMD playing the hookline for 'Enola Gay', DM's Martin Gore later explains electro 'will appeal to alienated youths...and Germans'.




Other contributors to this MUST-SEE documentary include: the definitive Kraftwerk, Philip Oakey, Vince Clarke, Andy McCluskey, Gary Numan, Mute Supremo Daniel Miller, Human League founder and H17 - Martyn Ware, Bernard Summer of Joy Division/New Order and Smash Hit Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant.


The BBC have a tantalizing one minute trailer for the forthcoming documentary (for viewers in the UK) over at this invaluable link.

EY get's excited. You get excited too.

This update is dedicated to Aurelio Hyerace who kindly sent us his thoughts via email about recent EY coverage following the excellent interview with OMD legend Andy McCluskey:



Finally Mr Andy McCluskey puts it right!
The thing I've been thinking since I've seen La Roux and Little Boots on the EY page: is it me? I just don't see/hear what you see/hear from these two girls.
It seems that every two articles is about them.
I know they are famous and a lot of people like them but I'm not too precious about fame.
I esteem EY very much but don't you think it's time to move on?
Show us as you did in the past, real new bands-artists.

Just my opinion of course.

Electronically always yours,

Aurelio.

Orac: Notice to all new electro bands - get in touch with us and we will put the best tracks on 'EY VOL 2' :)

EY6 details to follow......

Lady Victoria ventured into Radio One's Live Lounge last Monday with a handful of synths and cool looking backing singer with red hair to produced this absolute electronic gem.




Victoria gives the recent JLS number one 'Beat Again' a crisp and delicious 80's flavoured make over - an idea that apparently came to Victoria whilst she was listening to Duran Duran's 'Night Versions'.

Despite a baffling media backlash with some foolishly predicting that Little Boots would be dropped, 'Remedy' - the second single from 'Hands' - entered the UK Top 10 last week and if you enjoyed the cover of 'Beat Again', you can grab it as part of a digital bundle via the iTunes banner on this site.





Little Boots has also just been confirmed to play at two day Manchester Pride 2009 event on Saturday and if you hang around till Sunday evening. the headlining act on the main stage are The Mighty Human League!

For more details and info about tickets, please jump here.


(With thanks to Ben)


In other news, the equally mighty La Roux has confirmed that the next single to be released from her Mercury Music nominated debut is Elly personal fave 'I'm Not Your Toy'.
The converted amongst you will know that it's another hook laden track destined for the UK Top 5 and the single is released on September 28th in the UK .

We shall be announcing details of EY6 very shortly with a gorgeous headlining act.
The event is likely to take place on November 19th at a very special venue that La Roux will be playing at next month...keep watching this most excellent page ;)

We've been messing around with something quite clever called Blip.fm and you can have a look at some of the tracks that orac has been bopping away to over the weekend via this link.

EXPERIMENTS IN VERTICAL TAKE OFF - Andy McCluskey talks to Electronically Yours

ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK were amongst the most innovative and successful of the post-punk acts to take up the synthesizer. Formed in 1978 by Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, purchasing a Korg Micro-Preset along the way, they were also one of the first bands to showcase the warmer side of electronics after the cold wave mechanisation of GARY NUMAN and JOHN FOXX.

Released by Factory Records in June 1979, debut 45 'Electricity' was the ultimate 'nouvelle vague' homage to KRAFTWERK while brilliant songs such as 'Messages', 'Enola Gay', 'Souvenir', 'Joan Of Arc' and 'Maid Of Orleans' all displayed a romantic retro-futurist flair whilst still being melodic enough to become hit singles.

Despite the departure of Paul Humphreys in 1989, the OMD brand continued to penetrate the charts in varying degrees until the mid-90s. But by the time of the last OMD album 'Universal' in 1996, the public had become obsessed with the guitar-driven sound of Britpop.
Remaining founder member Andy McCluskey even ditched the trademark synths for more conventional, soaring melodies. There was crossover potential but it was received with relative indifference.

Former Dindisc label boss Carol Wilson once remarked OMD never knew whether they wanted 'to be JOY DIVISION or ABBA'! So licking his wounds, McCluskey used his pop instincts to mastermind ATOMIC KITTEN and achieve a No1 single with 'Whole Again' in 2001. He also co-wrote/produced most of their No1 debut album with 90's OMD collaborator Stuart Kershaw before moving on.

Continuing to work on the girl group conveyor, his new act GENIE QUEEN were unable to secure a record deal despite media interest.

However, the group managed to launch the careers of its original trio; model / WAG Abbey Clancy, actress Lauren Blake (as part of Channel 4's TV show band 'Frank') and songwriter / TV personality Anna Ord (last seen frolicking around in a bikini on Channel 4's 'Shipwrecked').

It was while chatting with Anna at the 'Don't Stop The Pop' charity showcase in December 2005 that long time fan Chi Ming Lai learnt that OMD would be performing again with its classic line-up of Andy McCluskey, Paul Humphreys, Malcolm Holmes and Martin Cooper. A revitalised electro pop environment meant it was now safe to bring on the synths...

Fast forward to 2009 and OMD have been busy since returning. There have been two tours, the 'Night Of The Proms' orchestral concerts in Europe plus music for an art installation based on power generation sources entitled 'The Energy Suite'.

Meanwhile, a new album is planned for 2010 with the working title 'History Of Modern'.
In a break from the studio, Andy McCluskey took time out to answer some questions put to him by Chi Ming Lai about OMD's legacy and future, EY faves MARSHEAUX and the new 'L-Word' electro generation...

Chi: The 30th Anniversary Tour in 2008 was a fantastic celebration of OMD's history and saw the return of 'cult' classics such as 'Genetic Engineering', 'Stanlow', 'Statues', 'Radio Waves' and 'Dazzle Ships'. What made you to choose those songs rather than say ones from the 'Crush"' album (which was not featured at all) or the 90's period?




Andy: The reason why we pulled in quite a few of the 'Dazzle Ships' and a couple of extra 'Organisation' tracks was really the logical follow-on from the 'Architecture & Morality' tour in 2007.
Essentially continuing in the vein of utilising our comeback to remind people and reinstate ourselves in people's minds as a band that did things that maybe have a historic relevance in the pantheon of musical history.
Essentially trying to reclaim our place in musical history to remind people of what we did was important and relevant.

And I think obviously the reviews and the reception of the re-released 'Dazzle Ships' album certainly helped to reinforce that opinion about us; that what we did was relevant and important.

So it just seemed logical to carry some of those tracks out live to continue the work.

The 2007 tour playing all of 'Architecture & Morality' with the classic line-up reminded everyone how innovative OMD were in using technology to make very emotive music. How pleased are you that you've been able to return on your terms?





It's been wonderful. I've said on a number of occasions in the last few years that I don't think any of us thought we'd ever have the opportunity to do it again...and to do it on our terms.

We'd been offered the 'Here & Now' type tours which were very flattering.
I know they're successful and I'm not going to knock them but we wanted people to come and see us because of what we do, rather than just be part of some sort of nostalgia partnership.

We've been able to put on our own lighting and film shows so we've been able to make into our own multi-media experience which is something we'd like to continue to do.
So yes, it's been absolutely fantastic.

There's been a crop of fantastic electronic based artists since the turn of the century, particularly sexy female fronted ones like GOLDFRAPP, CLIENT, LADYTRON, MISS KITTIN, FROST (who did a really good cover of 'Messages') and of course, MARSHEAUX. 
Do you have any particular favourites and how do you feel when you hear that some of them have mentioned they've been influenced by OMD.

It's certainly nice to be referenced as being influential, that's always very welcoming.

I have mixed feelings about these acts.

I think to be honest, a lot of the recent electro acts have been rather sort of blindly pastiche-ing a sound that yeah, maybe they like it...maybe they think it's just back in fashion, I don't know.



But it's done in rather a flat and unemotional way which I don't get off on because I think that OMD has always managed to be quite emotional and generate music that whilst using electronics, had quite a strong emotional content.

So I do find an awful lot of these artists I'm listening to who are mostly female or female fronted, I find them to be lacking in emotion. There are a couple I like...I've always had a soft spot for LADYTRON who've been going for a while now.

What did you think of 'BBC Sound of 2009' winner LITTLE BOOTS?


Quite frankly, I was disappointed in the LITTLE BOOTS album. I think it turned out to be much poppier than I thought it was going to be.

I thought it ended up a lot more like KYLIE than it could have been.

That's interesting because my sister was telling me those were the reasons why she liked 'Hands'.
So what about LA ROUX?

I don't get LA ROUX at all! I know probably you do Chi but to me it's like bad early DEPECHE MODE cover music with some tuneless bint wailing across the top!

It doesn't press any of my buttons I'm afraid! *laughs* YEAH! I KNOW! I KNOW! I KNOW! It just really doesn't work for me at all!

The new MARSHEAUX album 'Lumineux Noir' is particularly good.



Yes, I haven't heard it yet which has been very remiss of me. I do have a soft spot for MARSHEAUX I have to say.

They have a certain sort of wispy, melancholic charm; I'll have to get hold of a copy.

You worked with MARSHEAUX on a new version of 'She's Leaving' which was particularly well received. How did this collaboration come about and are there any plans to work with the girls again?



It was very easy the way it came about really.
They did their own version of 'She's Leaving'. They sent it to me and I said I liked it. So they said would you do some guest things on it so I said 'I tell you what, send me a backing track and an accapella version, and I'll play around with it'.

So I basically moved my vocal around the girls and then, moved the girls around my vocal to make this sort of duet. And it was great fun because they'd already done their production on it which was great, so I didn't have to do any production on it or worry about the mix.

I really just put my vocals on and sent it back to them. It seems everybody likes it.
It would be nice to do something with it and I think maybe it should get a proper release at some point.

Possibly we might try and make it as some sort of special edition on some of the stuff we're doing with the new album out next year.

I'm sure MARSHEAUX would be up for that.

LADY GAGA and THE SATURDAYS have been having hits with the kind of 'electro R'n'B' sound you were developing with GENIE QUEEN in 2005.
Any comments?



Yeah, well! I rest my case!! I was obviously just 18 months ahead of the pack and I was just too far ahead! Could have made Abbey Clancy into the next LADY GAGA instead of the next Mrs Crouch!

Oh well, we'll never know now! I have to say that I thought GAGA's 'Poker Face' was fantastic.

Which of the following two songs is likely to be your legacy? 'Enola Gay' because it was OMD's first international hit (and incongruously gets played a lot at French weddings) OR 'If You Leave' which is your big American hit, now forever preserved on the 'Pretty In Pink' DVD (and continually being discovered by a new generation of teenagers)?




Yes, well I think therein lies the dilemma of OMD.
Depending on which country or which continent you grow up in...and which generation you are, you will be aware of OR not aware of certain OMD songs.

We notice that even when we do 'Night Of The Proms' for example. We played 'Sailing On The Seven Seas' in Germany and this orchestra from Belgium had never even heard of it.
But they were like 'well why are you not playing 'Enola Gay'?' cos it was massive in France and Belgium. I guess for different people in different places, there will always be different OMD iconic anthems. You have to live with that.

At least there are iconic anthems which we should be grateful for!

'The Energy Suite' is your most recent project with designer Peter Saville and filmmaker Hambi Haralambous. You composed instrumental music with Stuart Kershaw to accompany an audio visual art installation at the FACT in Liverpool.
How pleased are you with the soundtrack, the final overall result and the live premiere with an orchestra that happened in June?




I was very pleased with the FACT exhibition; of course it looked and sounded really good. And it was very well received by FACT, their patrons and the visitors.

I think it worked quite well with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra but I have reservations... in fact, I'm waiting to see, there is going to be a DVD of that concert and I believe that the first version of 'The Energy Suite' has already been edited and mixed.
I'm waiting to hear it and see it.


In hindsight, I think it was interesting to try it with the orchestra but it probably worked better in its original electronic format because it was ambient and I think that the orchestra seemed to be a little bit under used quite frankly.

But hey, it's nice to be able to try something new just a few days before your 50th birthday.

I think one of the fun things about being in OMD again is that we don't have to worry about if we sell, we don't have to worry about if its ever gonna get played on the radio so in many respects we're as free as we were in the very early days and do what the hell we feel like doing!

I really enjoyed hearing 'The Energy Suite' in a live presentation, I think it stands up well as a musical body of work in its own right. What did you find most interesting about composing outside of the traditional song format for an art installation?
Were there any particular challenges for you?


I found the freedom of doing 'The Energy Suite' absolutely enchanting. It was like being 19 again...there were no rules, no parameters. I could do what the hell I wanted. And I did!

I can specifically remember Stuart turning round to me when we were listening to a piece on Heysham, the nuclear part of 'The Energy Suite' and we got about two and a half minutes in, we'd exhausted the initial theme and he said 'well, what are we going to do now?'.
I just looked at him and went 'anything that we f***ing well feel like cos it doesn't have to have a chorus and it's never getting played on the radio!' *laughs*
And that was wonderful!!

We just did what we felt like doing and that freedom was just like being a teenager again!
I didn't care!

I was just doing what I wanted to do. Which generally over the last 30 years, I should know by now tends to be a: it makes me happy and b: it actually seems to be better received than when I worry what people are going to think about it!

You mentioned the new OMD album earlier. How is it coming along and can we expect more synthesizers on it than on the last album 'Universal'?

You certainly can expect more synthesizers on it, it basically sounds like OMD.

'Universal' was a problem for me because effectively I spent several years in the mid-90s wondering what I should sound like and then deciding to try not to sound like OMD!

And now in fact it's quite cool to sound like OMD again!

Indeed, 'Hero' by KLEERUP and 'A Seated Night' by MOBY are great contemporary examples of how the classic OMD instrumental palette is still around. And MARSHEAUX's 'August 15th Remix' of 'Summer' sounds like the 12 inch version of 'Telegraph'!

Exactly, so if OMD can't sound like OMD, then who can? There's lots of analogue synth sounds! There's lots of drum machines sounds! There's lots of Mellotron sounds!
There's even a few cheesy organ sounds in there as well!

Excellent stuff, I'm happy about this for one! So how do you envisage this album being released? Through a conventional record label? Limited edition physical release? Download only?
Some Peter Saville designed digital artwork?



All of the above and more! I think everybody is looking for new models now. The old original model doesn't work...just trying to sell it and hope for the best! I think you will see us exploring all sorts of things.

Certainly servicing every different type of way of selling it but also hooking up with possible sponsors, soundtracks, theme tunes, advertising music, film and television.

I'm hoping that we'll be trying to explore all sorts of avenues.

What else is on the cards for OMD in the future?




The immediate future, we have the concerts with Simple Minds this year.

In the new year, I am hoping that the new album will be out April or May. And I'm not sure about how we're going to go about the touring schedule.

Having just completed the concerts with Simple Minds etc, I think to go out with the album April or May, it might be a little early.

And also, I'm hoping that there might be some interest for us in television and interviews and radio etc.


So we might want to keep ourselves free during that period to do press and stuff rather than go on tour immediately with the record. And then I would personally prefer to do some festivals in the summer with the view to doing our own concerts in the Autumn.

That would be the way I would like it to pan out, but I don't know.

And I think in the Autumn, we would be looking to do a substantial British and European tour with the possibility of looking to try to get to America, Asia and Australasia if we can. It just depends on whether the promoters want us or we can find sufficient money or sponsorship to go to different markets.

I certainly want to expand our touring. We haven't toured nearly enough.

And finally, looking back to the Autumn of 1981.  As well as 'Architecture & Morality', there were albums by THE HUMAN LEAGUE, HEAVEN 17, DEPECHE MODE, JAPAN, JOHN FOXX, SOFT CELL, SIMPLE MINDS, ULTRAVOX, NEW ORDER and GARY NUMAN.
All of it was brilliant, artfully intelligent pop.
What was it about that post-punk period that made it such a wonderfully exciting and creative time in music that really hasn't happened again until very recently? 




I think that the whole new wave / post-punk explosion opened a lot of doors.
For a couple of years, the industry de-centralised and the A&R men in London weren't just sitting there waiting for you to come to them, they had to go out around the country and find the new 'hot things' in the provincial towns who all had their hot little new wave clubs like Eric's or The Limit or The S-Club or King Tut's or whatever.

Every provincial city had its groovy post-punk club where people were going to play and doing what the hell they felt like doing.
There were no rules, there were no parameters.

I don't think any of them thought they were really going to be successful, they just wanted to do it.

And that's why it was exciting because people were not trying to make it in the record industry.

They were just trying to express themselves and they just happened to come up with interesting things because they'd blown off the shackles of trying to get into the music industry.

I think the rule book was thrown away for a couple of years in the late 70s. And the fruit of that was everything that happened in '79, '80, '81...those years were I think for those reasons, very exciting.

Thank you to Andy McCluskey and special thanks to Paul Browne of the Official OMD Website at www.omd.uk.com

John Hughes - February 18, 1950 - August 6, 2009




Following the interview with Andy McCluskey, EY were sad to hear of the death last weekend of John Hughes, writer and executive producer of the film 'Pretty In Pink'.

His other credits included 'The Breakfast Club', 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off', 'Weird Science', 'Some Kind of Wonderful', 'Uncle Buck' and 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles'.

Capitalising on the rise of MTV in the mid 80s, Hughes combined his simple teenage angst comedies with a soundtrack of what was referred to in the USA as 'new wave'.

British bands such as OMD, SIMPLE MINDS, THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS, NEW ORDER, ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN, THE SMITHS and DREAM ACADEMY plus Germany's PROPAGANDA all featured in Hughes' films.


Introducing many young Americans to an exciting new sound from Europe, it showed them there was more to life than the retarded John Cougar Mellencamp and Journey 'rawk' nonsense that the US was then infested with.

Andy McCluskey said of John Hughes: 'I am very sad indeed! It was his personal request that we wrote for 'Pretty in Pink'. I really enjoyed meeting and working with John.'

While many under the age 45 can recall having a crush on Molly Ringwald or Kelly Le Brock and laughing at the nerdy antics of Michael Anthony Hall or John Cryer,
Hughes' films also helped create an open minded environment in Stateside colleges which allowed UK electro acts such as DEPECHE MODE and PET SHOP BOYS to flourish in the difficult American market.

In fact, Neil Tennant once referred to DM as California's leading 'Pretty In Pink' band!

Hughes later gave the world the 'Home Alone' franchise before becoming more reclusive in later life.



Aged just 59, he leaves a worldwide cultural legacy which keeps an exciting period in film and music alive for future generations to come.

Edited by Chi to La Roux and Little Boots 'Hands' ;)





HTML presentation constructed by Orac to 'La Roux', Propaganda's 'A Secret Wish' & Marsheaux's 'Lumineux Noir'

Having turned down countless requests from other artists following the 'unpredicted' success of 'In For The Kill', it now seems likely that two mighty EY faves could be joining forces.

La Roux have confirmed that they would like to work with Heaven 17 according to an exclusive in UK tabloid The Daily Star.


In a 'celeb' article entitled 'La Roux in Retro Heaven', the Star reports that their music journalist James Cabooter 'hooked' up with 'ice-cream haired' La Roux singer at the Osheaga Festival in Canada where Elly confirmed her desire to work with 'their shoulder-padded heroes' Heaven 17.



'Glen Gregory, the lead singer with Heaven 17, heard I was a fan and has been in touch. We email each other a lot. We finally met at an awards do recently, he's lovely', says The Girl from BEF according to the Star.


Elly later adds: 'Greg and Ben are going to meet up to have a coffee and discuss some things. We'll see what happens.'
This news follows a BBC Radio 5 discussion on female electro where Human League founder Sir Martyn Ware offered to produce new La Roux material to Elly who was giving an interview on the phone.




In a recent online article, Elly explained that her love for Heaven 17 was a direct result of her elusive co-writer and producer Ben Langmaid (age 37 according to The Daily Star) who also introduced the 20 year old singer to the likes of Depeche Mode and early Eurythmics.



When EY first heard the La Roux demo of 'Reflections are Protection' back in late 2008, three letters immediately entered our mind and they were B...E...F.

This La Roux/H17 collaboration (plan) is 'written in the stars above....'

To read the La Roux article in full plus Elly's thoughts on the Little Boots 'backlash', please click here.


(With thanks to Annalise Gamboni)

The Pansentient League reviews 'EY VOL 1'




Recently name checked in The Culture section of The Guardian, The Pansentient League has long been covering Spotify - an online platform that is currently growing at an unbelievable rate and changing the way we listen to new music.


The Pansentient League has been keeping an eye on Spotify's content and all the wonderous sub genres contained within electro, with its own Spotify playlists and the Pansentient author Afront even finds the time to knock out left of field remixes including one that appeared on EY a few years back for The Human League's 'Darkness'.



Afront recently purchased a copy of 'Electroncially Yours Vol 1' and here's his review cheekily lifted in full from The Pansentient League...




'Three years in the making, but the wait has been worth it: Rob aka Orac's baby finally see the light of day and he's not reneged on his promise to showcase the very best in new synthpop (as well as some choice tracks from slightly better know artists such as Client, Marsheaux, and Northern Kind).

It's certainly something special: the care and attention that's gone into this release shines through from the selection, mixing, sequencing, and gorgeous packaging including two pull-out posters of custom art from Christina Christoforou.

Deservedly the number 1 selling album on MusicNonStop on release, this compilation is a great primer to the current state of female-fronted British and European synthpop.

You won't find many of these artists on Spotify yet, but if you have any interest in electronic music then get yourself a copy of Electronically Yours and enjoy some great electro-pop music!'

Related link: The Pansentient League
Buy 'Electronically Yours Vol 1'

Text: Orac

Musicnonstop - Europe's leading online music store for all things electro - are offering a whopping 15% discount on three recent titles exclusively to EY readers when you include the following code 'EY03' with your order.


First up is the very lush four disc 'Sounds Of The Universe' boxset that includes Depeche demos as far back as 1987's 'Music For The Masses' and quite possibly the best boxset we've ever seen from Mute or anyone.
To find out more details of all the wonderous things included in this sleek box and grab 15% of the RRP - jump here.



Next up is the debut Maxi CD single from Parralox on our very own EY label featuring 14 remixes of 'Shaper Than A Knife' with contributions from Marsheaux, Oblique and Mark Reeder.
Parrolox have just signed a deal with German label Conzoom Records for the second album 'State of Decay' that will be released in November.
The album will be supported by two high profile digi singles beginning in August with one of the finest Parralox tracks 'Hotter'.

To grab 15% off the 'Shaper Than A Kinfe' CD single - please click here.


The final title in this special MNS promotion is 'Orbit Electro' - a 2CD compilation on German label Major Records - released within a few weeks of MNS Number 1 'Electronically Yours Vol 1' -
'Orbit Electro' acts include genre faves Ladytron (represented here by a Hot Chip remix of 'Destroy Everything Your Touch'), Scarlet Soho, IAMX, Tenek and One Two featuring EY legend Claudia Brucken.

For futher product details - please head on over to Musicnonstop and quote the 15% code of 'EY03' via this money saving electro link.

Chi Ming Lai recently caught up with premier electropop princesses Marianthi and Sophie of Marsheaux a few weeks prior to the release of the girl's third studio album 'Lumineux Noir'.

In an exclusive Q&A with EY, M&S discuss the new album, their fave LM tracks, Depeche influences and artists they currently admire.

Stick your copy of 'Lumineux Noir' in the CD player, marvel at opening track 'Exit', grab a glass of wine and then read on...




Chi: The new album 'Lumineux Noir' shows MARSHEAUX taking on a darker but sophisticated sound.

What prompted your move into more 'filmnoir' territory?




Marianthi: If you exclude 'eBay Queen' which was made in five days, with 'Peek A Boo' and now with 'Lumineux Noir', we put more attention to our albums and for each of these, we wanted to present something different.

'Peek A Boo' took us six months to finish while 'LN' almost nine.


Sophie: We wanted 'LN' to be our best CD. It sounds a bit like DEPECHE MODE with female vocals but this is not bad, right?

We both were disappointed with 'Sounds Of The Universe' actually and we were talking about doing an album that would remind people a lot of DM. 


CML: Yes, 'Sorrow' in particular sounds like one of the best songs DEPECHE MODE never recorded. You've attracted a large 'Goth' following in Europe.
What do you think about your music which appeals to them? Did your popularity with them have any influence on your new direction at all?


Sophie: It is crazy even for us what is happening with the Goths, especially in Germany. We still don't know why they like us. We are pure pop! No distorted vocals, no heavy basslines, nothing!
Maybe with MARSHEAUX, they find their way to electro pop.

Marianthi: We don't feel like a part of the Goth community but it is nice dealing with Goth people. We like their style a lot. 




CML: What new musical influences have there been? I can definitely hear more 21st Century electronic acts like LADYTRON and REX THE DOG on this album.




Sophie: We like both and REX THE DOG's album was one of the best CD's of 2008. We always have our ears open for good new things but when we make an album, we want only to write good pop songs.
Songs that people will sing along, nothing more and nothing less. It's not the easiest thing in the world but this is what we try to do.

Marianthi: This is true. We are listening to a lot of new things. We have different tastes in music but strangely, we decide to follow the same route in the studio. In the period that we were making 'LN', we were listening a lot to EMPIRE OF THE SUN, CUT COPY, JUNIOR BOYS and KLEERUP but you can't say that you notice influences from them in 'LN'.




Can you briefly talk about your songwriting process and how you build the songs up?





Marianthi: During the 'LN' making period, the process was a bit different to when we made 'eBay Queen' and 'PeekA Boo'. On the first two albums, we spent many hours together to write the songs.

Now we work from our home studios and we exchange ideas through emails when we don't have time to meet each other.

But now we spend more time with Nick and George from FOTONOVELA in the studio, mixing and producing.








CML: I must say the production on this album is amazing. How have you achieved this sound and what equipment have you been using? Are there any 'new' synthesizers into your set-up?

Marianthi: We use a lot of soft synths (it's easier!) but we have used many analogue sounds from hardware like the Roland SH-101, Minimoog and Akai AX-80. Many of the drum sets are coming from a Roland TR-727 which is great.

Sophie: You can hear a lot of Casiotone on 'LN'. It is like a game but we like it a lot. But the Korg Kaossilator is the one gadget we both love for live work.
  

CML: 'Radial Emotion', 'So Far' and 'Sorrow' are three of my favourites from the album. I also really love the wonderful 'August 15th Remix' of 'Summer' which reminds me a bit of OMD's 'Telegraph'.

What are your favourite songs from 'Lumineux Noir'?


Marianthi: 'Destroy me' , 'Exit', 'Summer Remix' and 'Sorrow'.

Sophie: 'So Far', 'Summer' and 'Exit'. 


CML: The first MARSHEAUX track I ever heard was your cover of WHEN IN ROME's 'The Promise'. You are well known for doing covers but 'Lumineux Noir' is your first album without any cover versions.
Why is that and how do you feel about doing them now?

Are there any songs you would still like to do?



Sophie: We love doing covers. Always the covers come when we have been running out of good ideas in the studio for some reason!
We made a superb cover last year of BILLY IDOL's 'Eyes Without A Face' which is the best we have done so far but it is still unreleased.

Marianthi: The truth is that we wanted to do one or two covers but we had made fourteen tracks for 'LN' and if we had to make the covers, we would have to leave out two of the new songs. We liked all the songs and couldn't put aside any of them.
That's why we didn't do any covers. 



With the acclaim you've received for 'PeekA Boo' and the new deal with Out-Of-Line Records, your international profile is now much higher. As a result, expectations for the new album have been raised.
How are you handling all this interest? What are your feelings about having to possibly appear on videos and TV, or satisfying the more demand for live appearances?


Marianthi: Our point of view for MARSHEAUX is the same as it was when we started; we try to have good time. If any of us get bored then the next day we will stop.
Our chemistry between us is very good and we understand each other very well. Some journalists have written that we are sisters, some even wrote that we are a couple!

We don't mind about record companies (Out Of Line and Undo) expectations. If they get a good album from us, they are all happy.

Sophie: We still don't want to appear at the TV. We don't have any problem appearing out of our video clips. 



 
How do you feel about all the recent praise from respected BBC music observers such as Stuart Maconie and in particular, Tom Robinson who has already been playing MARSHEAUX on Radio 6Music?




Sophie: The funny thing is before that, we had read a superb article in 'Word' magazine by Stuart Maconie and we were talking about his new book.
Two days later, we heard that he liked 'So Far' very much. Isn't it strange?

Marianthi: Tom Robinson? I didn't know! Is he the same Tom Robinson who released 'War Baby' in the past? We liked that! We are very happy! 




Yes, he's the same Tom Robinson who also did '2-4-6-8 Motorway' in the late 70's. 
You are known for your exquisite CD packaging with your Undo releases.
Can you tell us what we can expect this time around? Will this just be for the Undo version?




Marianthi: The Undo guys and their designers have a really strange, optimistic and romantic view about the future of discography.

They do crazy things with the covers, not only for us but all their artists.

We are sure that it is a pain for their pockets but they love what they are doing.



Sophie: The strange thing with the new cover is that you have to destroy all the package to open it! It sounds strange but it's really good.

The CD idea was to have different blacks into the package. It's cool! The Out-Of-Line version will of course will go to a normal digipack.


How important is the presentation of MARSHEAUX from how you look on stage and in photos, to the artwork and posters?


Sophie: We try not to expose our faces in the artwork. Out-Of-Line wanted our faces on the covers; 'See, ROYKSOPP did it! Why don't you do the same?' was their words.

Marianthi: We feel and look very good on stage and doing pictures. We try harder now. We spend a lot of time now preparing our live shows.


Who have been your favourite artists of the last 12 months, electro or otherwise?



Sophie: LILY ALLEN, TWINS NATALIA (their 7 inch single 'When We Are Young' is a killer!!!), JONATHAN JOHANSSON ('En Hand I Himlen' is the best track of 2009, this is so new romantic!), KID MOXIE, AEROPLANE and HEARTBREAK.

Marianthi: BAT FOR LASHES, BLACK EYED PEAS, JUNIOR BOYS, AEROPLANE, ROYKSOPP's 'Junior' album and of course EMPIRE OF THE SUN.

And a final message to all your fans throughout the world?





Marianthi: Thank you so much for the support!



Sophie: The best is coming!

A big thank you to Marianthi and Sophie.
And special thanks to George Geranios of Undo Records

Grab a copy of the 'Lumineux Noir' limited edtion via this link.





Marsheaux Comp!



We have two copies of the Out Of Line edition of 'Lumineux Noir' that includes 'Ghost' and EY's current playlist Number One - Summer (August 15th Remix) plus two copies of the new Client album 'Command'!

All you need to do is send us your postal address along with the header Marsheaux to this email link.

This comp closes on 25/08/09.


Related links:
Undo Records news
The official Marsheaux forum

As part of the build-up to KRAFTWERK's recent triumphant concert at the Manchester Velodrome, music journalist Paul Morley interviewed Lady Victoria Hesketh aka LITTLE BOOTS for 'The Guardian' about the influence of the Klingklang quartet both on popular culture and her own music.


She tells of how she first really got to know Dusseldorf's finest via her producers Greg Kurstin and Joe Goddard.

Victoria also mentions one of her favourite synths, the Roland SH101 with its 'random' feature ('you don't get that on a guitar do you?' she exclaims) and her latest acquisition, the Korg Poly 6 which 'sounds more Russian!'




Of her ubiquitous Yamaha Tenori-on, Victoria tells how she's fascinated by it as it gives her 'the process and physicality of playing'.
Her synths and gadgets, she says, are her 'tools of expression'.
Despite describing electronics as 'the future of music', she expresses her frustration that no-one is inventing new instruments despite all the advances in technology, that the way things are still being developed is almost 'medieval'.

Paul Morley also draws on the fact that the type of conversation he is having with Victoria is usually associated with boys and that it is unusual for a girl to come into the world of electronic machinery.
Victoria amusingly mentions that whenever she has a query on the Moog forums, a lot of boys always seem keen to help out!!
But she describes some of the negative attitudes towards girls using technology as 'sexist' and wants to destroy the whole thing about how only boys can be 'the brains who press all the buttons!'





Finally in the interview, it's alluded to by Paul Morley that if KRAFTWERK was a girl, it would now be LITTLE BOOTS.

And it appears that 'Das Madchen-Maschine' has actually become reality judging by the promo video for her new single and EY Single of The Week 'Remedy'.



Victoria poses coolly with her complex of Moogs positioned around her like the nerve centre of a Spacelab. Looking amazing like a peroxide Princess Leia, LITTLE BOOTS is well back on track after the embarrassing 'urban dogging' extravaganza of 'New In Town'!

LA Roux's astonishing debut album recently rated 9.5 by EY was today confirmed as one of twelve nominees for this year's prestigious Mercury Music Prize.


La Roux's nomination grabs the headlines over at BBC News online as well as NME.com and with the awards usually being dominated by dullard indie guitar bands, La Roux becomes one of the first artists to be nominated in the award's 17 year history with an electro hit album that is still in the UK top 10 three weeks after its release.




La Roux faces competition from Florence and The Machine with the debut album 'Lungs' that was also pipped to the the top spot by the late Michael Jackson whose back catalogue is currently dominating the UK album charts.

Surprisingly, Little Boot's 'Hands' failed to receive a nomination with nods given instead to Kasabian, Friendly Fires and the lovely Bats For Lashes.

La Roux is currently 6/1 to win with Kasabian leading the bets and the BBC have a run down of all the nominees including La Roux where Depeche Mode and Heaven 17 also get a mention.

The BBC's 'potted biographies' can be reached here and the Mercury winner will be announced on September 8th.

La Roux also received a second nomination this morning in the 2009 Popjustice Twenty Quid Music Prize - a cheeky award ceremony that now attracts the same level of press interest as the likes of NME and Q Awards.
La Roux's 'In For The Kill' - that has now shifted over half a million copies here in the UK alone - has reached the shortlist along with some serious competition from the Pet Shop Boys with 'Love Etc', Little Boots 'New In Town' and JLS 'Beat Again'.

The full list of nominees can be viewed here.

EY's money is on La Roux to walk away with both awards..

Smirnoff came up with a dream line-up for their latest club promotion by playing host to the PET SHOP BOYS and LITTLE BOOTS live plus DJ sets from HOT CHIP and Tom Middleton.


Several months ago, the two main acts were openly Twittering with enthusiasm about doing a joint concert in Blackpool, hometown of Chris Lowe and Victoria Hesketh. So it was fantastic to see the gig become reality, albeit in the surroundings of the Matter club in London's O2.

LITTLE BOOTS arrived on stage to her usual wolf howling intro tape before launching into a full live set with 'Earthquake'. Looking as glamourous as ever but a bit more relaxed than when she performed on 'Tonight With Jonathan Ross', Victoria Hesketh proved tonight why she attracted all the praise from the various plaudits at the beginning of the year.





Joining her on stage for two numbers was HOT CHIP's Joe Goddard who was a key mentor in the realisation of LITTLE BOOTS.

(image: Chi Ming Lai)

As co-writer and producer of three of her best songs 'Meddle', 'Mathematics' and 'Stuck On Repeat', he added a crunchy synergy to the combined melodism and experimentation of Victoria's songwriting.



This was particularly evident on 'Mathematics' where armed with his analogue modules, Joe fought Victoria to the death in the biggest synth war of the 21st century during its soaring solo. Watching them on stage during that and 'Stuck On Repeat', it was obvious that Victoria and Joe were totally comfortable playing their squelch games together.

There was an electronic synchronicity about the pair tonight that makes it so obvious they should work together exclusively on the next LITTLE BOOTS album.

The final home straight is one of the highlights of a LITTLE BOOTS live set and Victoria didn't disappoint with a brilliant solo rendition of 'Symmetry', an audience assisted 'Remedy' which just whacks you in the face played live and the Freddie Mercury cover 'Love Kills'.








All over her Korg like an overexcited massage therapist, she gave her delightful 'Sooty and Sweep' interpretation of the original's guitar solo which is often wrongly credited to QUEEN's Brian May.
In fact, it was played by Richie Zito who also contributed those amazing histrionics on 'Together In Electric Dreams'.

Adding an antenna-less Theremin to her instrumental repertoire at the end of 'Stuck On Repeat', the evening showed that one of the strongest cards LITTLE BOOTS holds is in live performance.

An hour and a half later at about 1.10am, a giant 'Rubik's cube' was unveiled as Chris Lowe's keyboard station while a vocodered voice counted in the intro to 'Two Divided By Zero'.

Neil Tennant arrived on stage with the retro-futurist look of a 1950's banker trapped in the year 2525 and was accompanied by an impressive quartet of young singer/dancers who at various points breakdanced, vogued and catwalked across the stage as a counterpoint to the mature duo's usual static demure.

But the PET SHOP BOYS weren't completely like showroom dummies. At various points, Neil choreographed himself to compliment the energetic dancing around him while during the coda of 'Why Don't We Live Together?', Chris even joined them for a quick crowd pleasing routine.

The short, sharp 30 minute set also featured a singalong 'Always On My Mind' but the best track of the evening came in the form of a tremendous throbbing Moroder-esque reworking of 'Left To My Own Devices'.





The epic essence of the original retained, Neil smiled as he delivered all the songs classic lines accompanied by the audience. However, the crowd participation almost became a necessity as his voice could hardly be heard clearly for a large part of the set.

The sound mix was at times very poor. But to end a colourfully theatrical performance, the boys encored with an extended 'West End Girls', Neil even taking time to read a newspaper during a break in the middle eight!

However, the crowd participation almost became a necessity as his voice could hardly be heard clearly for a large part of the set.

A one off Kraftwerk gig in the UK in an unusual setting, how could I possibly pass on the opportunity?


Rumours were abound beforehand that this was going to be something rather unique, and as we arrived at the Velodrome we were handed a pair of 3D glasses contained in a wallet which simply said KRAFTWERK 3D 9:30.

The air of anticipation had already begun.
This Velodrome definitely has the impressive 'wow factor' as you walk in. It has a banked cycle track surrounded by seating, we were in the standing area in the middle of the track.



After the World premiere of Steve Reich's 2x5 performed by 'Bang On A Can', and a chance meeting with Andy McCluskey of OMD, the lights went down at 20:30 (catching some people out as they believed it was 9:30 as per the time on the glasses) and the usual opening of 'Man Machine' was met with huge appreciation from the crowd, back-lit onto curtains were huge silhouettes, and yes I did see movement, the curtains opened to a huge roar and we had begun.





A huge mitrix screen filled the back of the stage, 80's retro computer writing, ZX Spectrum type graphics fused seamlessly with state of the art visuals. Ralf was in his normal far left hand position, and I was transfixed.




At this point I have to say that the sound quality in the Velodrome was immense, for a sports venue the acoustics were amazing, every note every nuance was crisp and powerful, by the end of the first track I was already in electro heaven.

A few tracks in and the unmistaken heavy breathing of 'Tour De France' filled the arena, this flowed immediately into the 2003 'Tour De France Etapes' soundtrack. Immediately the Velodrome cycle track lit up and Olympic Team GB cyclists took to the track and raced around us in a wave formation to the pounding beats. This was probably the most surreal moment I have ever experienced at any concert and not for the first time of the evening I did have a small tear of joy.




The set continued, almost like a greatest hits, 'Autobahn' and 'The Model' getting the loudest cheers. The first part ended and the curtains closed.

Suddenly, strobe lights lit up some unearthly creations again in huge silhouettes, the curtains opened and the 4 robot alter-egos proudly started to raise their robotic arms in unison to the thundering opening of 'We Are The Robots', after being cycled around this strangely seemed quite normal.




The curtains closed again and by now it was 9:30 and we had a sea of people wearing 3D glasses.

The curtains reopened and the 4 members were now wearing luminous neon gridded skin tight costumes, reminded me of the film 'Tron', then the screen kicked in...

Numbers flew in and out of the screen and into the audience, the collective gasp said it all, forever pioneers, while live 3D had been done before, this was surely the perfect concert to exploit its potential. The 3D continued for the whole of the 2nd part, and was probably at its most effective during Vitamin, where pills of all shapes and sizes seemed to come without touching distance.

My track of the evening was the stunning 'Radio-Activity', while now turned into a protest song, it is even more powerful live. Again, I stood transfixed, as static as the men on the stage.




The concert entered the final straight with some of the 'newera' Kraftwerk tracks and finished with 'Music Non Stop', while each member took their turn in the spotlight and then exited stage right, leaving Ralf on his own and to the biggest cheer of the night.



Then it was over, the 2 hours flew by in a flash. It was more than I ever imagined it would be, going to see Kraftwerk is no longer going to a concert, it is going to a multi-media experience. In an ideal World it would have been nice seeing more than 1 original member, however quite seriously I will say that this was the gig of the year, and quite possibly the gig of my lifetime.



Setlist: - Heute Abend - The Man Machine - Planet Of Visions [Expo 2000] - Home Computer - Tour De France - Tour De France Etapes - Autobahn - Computer Love - The Model - Neon Lights - Showroom Dummies - Trans Europe Express - We Are The Robots - Numbers - Computer World - Radioactivity - Vitamin - Aero Dynamik - Musik Non Stop

Kraftwerk live images © the finalword.co.uk

Related link: online stream of Radio-Active live.

Robert Rumbell is a co-creator and moderator of the official Marsheaux forum





'EY Vol 1' processed & dispatched




Europe's coolest electro label Undo Records have posted the following news regarding 'Electronically Yours Vol 1' that has now spent three weeks in the Musicnonstop top 5...

'Undo Records would like to thank all those who have contacted us regarding our 'Electronically Yours Vol 1' Deluxe Art CD.

Undo Records have now processed and dispatch over half of the orders received for the recent Musicnonstop Number One and we estimate that delivery will be between approximately 14 days from Athens.

We thank you in advance for your patience and hope you enjoy 'EY VOL 1''

To keep up to date with Undo related news, please jump at this link and bookmark it.

'Electronically Yours Vol 1' can be purchased in the UK from Musicnonstop and Undo Records for the rest of Europe.


Coming up...Chi reviews Little Boots, Hot Chip's Joe Goddard and Pet Shop Boys live with stunning pics from Richard Price!

A few weeks back, we offered EY readers the choice to win two albums that would eventually go on to top the charts at Musicnonstop here in Blighty.

The prizes were four copies of the UNDO 'Lumineux Noir' promo signed by Marianthi and Sophie along with the deluxe art edition of 'Electronically Yours Vol 1'.

The four lucky winners include:

Emilie Dekker (The Netherlands)
Pedro Pino (Portugal)
Alan Adkins (UK)
John Andrews (Liverpool)




'Lumineux Noir' is now on sale worldwide and you can grab a copy here.

Marsheaux have today added one of our personal faves 'Exit' to their offical Facebook page. To hear this opening 'Lumineux Noir track in its full glory - jump at this link.





'Electronically Yours Vol 1' can be purchased in the UK from Musicnonstop and Undo Records for the rest of Europe.

For those who have purchased 'EY VOL 1' in the UK from Undo records, rest assured that the label is currently processing and dispatching copies and they should be with you soon, Over half of the orders have already been dispatched from Athens.




For Orac's monster track by track guide to this UNDO/EMI release, please scroll down to the previous update.


Coming up...live reviews of Electro Gods Kraftwerk from Rob Rumbell, Little Boots & Pet Shop Boys at the Smirnoff live event by Chi Ming Lai plus more giveaways including Marsheaux and the lowdown on the new album and Northern Kind!

Good in here innit?

'Electronically Yours Vol 1' was officially born on a pleasantly warm and sunny Thursday afternoon outside a tube station close to Piccadilly in London on October 9th 2007...

The offer of a compilation based upon Electronically Yours came from George Geranios, a passionate electro fan who also owned Undo Records and had co-produced a spellbinding album called 'Peek A Boo'.
October 9th was the day of Marsheaux's debut UK performance - an event born out of my own selfish desire to simply see these girls on stage in London performing choice tracks from 'Peek A Boo'.





I'd already been handing the Greek master tapes for our my most treasured Human League album 'Travelogue' as a gift from Undo ahead of the Marshy girls on stage in Hoxton so emotions were already buzzy when George suggested a compilation.

When I nodded rapidly at such a fine idea (easy work I thought), George pulled me close and said; 'but all the tracks have to be really good'.




I smiled knowing that the site had already covered several tracks that would make it on the tracklisting of similar electro compilations.

I also thought it would be 'easy work'.

It was a dream come true having spent much of the 80's compiling Depeche, League, Heaven 17, Pet Shop Boys and other assorted electro compilations on TDK C-90's in the 80's for friends and girls with passionate names like Yvonne H, Jackie, Catrina, and Anna Grant who were all yet to fall under the alluring spell of electro.





Marsheaux took to the stage a few hours later and it remains as one of my most cherished EY moments.

In the weeks that followed, the compilation became 'UNDO_EY' and 'dead cert' EY tracks included...

Electrobelle 'Mirrorball', Cassette Electrik 'The Smartest Bomb', Northern Kind 'On & On', Hidden Place 'Memories', Daggers 'Money' (they eventually turned us down thought we forgive them as we love the Hurts so much), Necroluxe 'Carbon Monixide Smile' Beauty Skool Dropout and a track from Ultrasonics that we can no longer mention.


Undo would chose the other half that would feature a brand new track from Greek Sensations Marsheaux as a major selling point.

A release date for the CD was set for May 2008 but weeks after Sarah Schmoof and myself had booked Industry for the launch party, it was clear that the album was no where near ready.




EY2 featured Electrobelle with their debut UK performance, EY's first 'signing' Noush and Northern Kind live who all played their 'UNDO_EY tracks live to a very lovable and friendly audience.
It was in this same very audience that I met Chi Ming Lai officially for the very first time (it later transpired that Chi was working on the door at an OMD warm up gig prior to the band's national tour that EY was lucky enough to get in to).



Chi was also at EY1 for Marsheaux's debut UK performance and following the gig, he posted a passionate review of the event plus thoughts on the EY website that he compared to the League's original manifesto - a manifesto that I had built this entire site upon.

When I finally met Chi, the first thing I did was give him the 'UNDO_EY' promo that featured one or two tracks that didn't make it to the final cut.


Chi was my test subject. If he didn't rate this electro compilation then it was all doomed.

A few days later, Chi came back to me with a passionate track by track review and he would eventually go on to write the official EMI press release for the 2-CD compilation in December 2008

EMI pressing plant heartaches would follow plus the discovery of newly discovered electro gems...and packaging problems, but read on for Orac's insiders guide to compiling an electro compilation....



01 Electrobelle: Mirrorball (UK)
(Lyrics: Charlotte Sanderson / Music: Barry Mallon)


Given this site's history with the Human League, it is somewhat fitting that 'EY VOL1' begins with a homage to one of our fave League tracks ' Open Your Heart'.
All similarities swiftly end as 'Mirrorball' takes on its own identity to become one of the finest tracks EY has heard in recent years.

One of the few requests made by Undo back in November 2007 was that 'EY VOL 1' had to begin with this pop gem and we totally agreed.
Leicester based duo Electrobelle consisted of the powerful 'bluesy' vox of the diminutive Charlotte Anderson who also wrote the lyrics whilst Barry Mallon provided hooks, keys and very impressive production.


An astonishingly powerful and memorable track - Marsheaux included 'Mirrorball' in a Athens DJ set in January 2008 and people in the audience were coming up to the Marshy girls already aware of the track and saying how much they loved it.
There were tentative plans for Undo to release the single in 2008 but due to the EMI plant being constantly booked by newspapers pressing free DVD's - the entire Undo release schedule was badly effected.


As a result of this, we were able to ensure that people got to hear the Marsheaux Extended Remix by including it on CD2 back in December 09.
This is the first commercial appearance of 'Mirrorball' on CD (the track was included on the EMI double CD promo entitled 'Blind' in 2008 that also featured Marsheaux's 'Ghost'.

Electrobelle made their live debut at EY2 in May 2008 and the band now appears to be on hiatus.


www.myspace.com/electrobelle



02 Client: It's Not Over (Marsheaux Radio Edit) (UK)
(Katie Holmes/Sarah Blackwood)


The inclusion of this track was made possible by Undo and EMI.
Their involvement in what is a fairly ambitious release containing unsigned and untested talent, enabled us to gather together a collection of very strong tracks - a factor that may have blighted 'patchier' electro compilations.

EY was the first blog to ever review Client and the band have gone on to inspire many bands since 2003.

'It's Not Over' is one of Client's strongest singles to date and it would be hard to imagine this album without it since it was added to 'UNDO_EY' in December 2007.

The track is represented here with a sublime Marsheaux Radio Edit that appears on CD for the very first time.


Since signing to Out of Line records, Client have built up a considerable following in Germany and they've just released their 4th studio album 'Command' here in the UK.

www.myspace.com/client


03 Cassette Electrik: The Smartest Bomb (UK)
(Bugiel/Freke/Van Kann)


London based duo Cassette Electrik released this bittersweet track in late 2007 and was one of several tracks that we had down for the compilation from day 1.

It was always the intention to have the compilation kick off with this opening trilogy of tracks that flow so perfectly together.
In the months that have followed, Cassette Electrik have supported both The Human League and Client.

Lucy and Oli are currently recording their second album and Oli kindly sent us the following production notes:




'The Smartest Bomb' was one of those rare tracks that virtually wrote itself. The chord sequence immediately suggested the main riff and then Lucy wrote her passionate tale of unrequited desire around it.  

It was also one of our first tracks to successfully contain all the elements that we think are important in good electronic pop music -  great lyrics, strong vocal melody, cool beats & riff - and most importantly, an evocative atmosphere. I also had fun making the whooshes and beeps in the middle-8...like I say, all the most important elements of electropop present and correct!''



www.myspace.com/cassetteelectrik


04 Oblique: All We Want (Spain)
(Sonja/ Gonzalez/ Torres )


A pumping and energetic track from Spanish Sensations Oblique who have since moved over to EMI following coverage on EY early last year.
Like Marsheaux, Oblique are passionate fans of the genre and this clearly comes through in their music.

There were many choice Oblique tracks to choose from including 'Wonderful Opulence' and 'This Is My' but we eventually went for 'All We Want' with gorgeous accented vox from lead singer Sonja.

This track showcases Oblique's talent who tend to avoid predictable structure with extended intros and unexpected instrumental breaks.

They also understand the importance of the middle eight and how wonderfully effective it can be.

Along with Marsheaux, this is currently some of the finest electro production we've heard - very slick and dynamic.


Oblique have recently released their new album 'Without Making Noise' - more on that soon.

Oblique's Sonja provides these words....

'All We Want' is a song taken from our EP 'Acapulco (Special Edition)'.
We created this track for the dance floor, with a very powerful analogue (Orac: sorry Ben) bassline that reminds us of Simian Mobile Disco and a lot of Martian melodies.
This collector's treasure offered to Electronically Yours is probably the best track to have with no doubt in your collection.

'All We Want' provides the listener with a lot of melodies mixed with a few powerful rhythms that will make your body 'dance' while you're humming the catchy chorus 'All we want is to be glamorous....'
The lyrics transport us to those magical nights of clubs like Studio 54 - full of glamour and fun.
We think that this track should not be missed on any DJ set, if you don't want that the dance floor to be empty... yeahhhh!'


www.myspace.com/obliquemusic

05 Katsen: Where Nobody Can Find Us (UK)
(Donna Grimaldi/ Chris Blackburn)


Fantastically bleepy and 'wonky' DIY pop from Brighton duo Katsen. EY fell in love with this track as soon as we heard it and thought that it could be a big summer pop hit if released on a major label.
Fronted by the lovely Donna Grimaldi with Chris Blackburn providing the left of field sonics, 'Where Nobody Can Find Us' is essentially a classic pop song brilliantly executed that still very much reminds us of Mint Royal's 1999 hit 'Don't Falter'.

(Donna image: Russ Bell 2009)

As soon as we heard this song, we emailed Undo begging to have it added to the CD. Sophie of Marsheaux loved the track and although it would ultimately push back the release date (the CD was 'locked' by August 08), we had to have this track.

The song has since appeared on three other CDs that beat our eventual release date of June 19th but we have the exclusive extended remix that is included on CD2.





Katsen knob twiddler Chris Blackburn explains how the track came about:


'The basic idea for WNCFU was complete within seconds of a phone call with Donna- We hadn't seen each other for a while, and were planning where to meet, and I remember saying 'Let's just go where nobody can find us...'
The rest of the song is both a tour guide for an imaginary city and a romantic invitation. That's what happens when you are dehydrated and hallucinating on a severely overheated Victoria Line tube to Brixton! 'I'm mostly good, but have an underground...'

We completed the song together in Brighton.

The real instruments you can hear on the track include:

Casio VL-1 (modified)
Casio MT-68 (pride and joy!)
Roland SH-01 (held together with gaffer tape)
Yamaha CS-01 (thru delay pedal for some drum sounds)(modified, or broken? we can't tell! don't care either, cos it sounds great!)
Teisco 110-F (weighs a ton, sounds like an odyssey)


Virtual Instruments:
GMedia Oddity (glorious)
Native Instruments Pro-53
Waldorf Attack
Odo Synths 38911 Bytes (Free C64 SID chip emulator...Get One!!!)




www.myspace.com/katsenbeeps



06 Tiger Baby: At Least I'm Honest (Denmark)
(Tiger baby)

Fronted by Pernille Pang who is originally from Indonesia, Tiger Baby's 'At Least I'm Honest' is a Marsheaux fave and one of several tracks chosen for 'EY VOL 1' by Undo Records.

Though the backing is sweet and very melodic, the lyrics are bittersweet and love gone totally wrong - a theme that is touched upon with many of the tracks on this compilation.


With influences that include Client, Pet Shop Boys and Dubstar, we think that this song is pure Saint Etienne ie: utterly lovely.



www.myspace.com/tigerbabymusic






07 Marsheaux: Sadly (Greece)
(Marsheaux)


When the 'EY VOL 1' CD was first discussed with Undo, we would have been happy just to include one of the many gems from 'Peek A Boo' and the main front runners were 'What You Don't Like' and 'Hanging On'.

When Undo suggested that Marsheaux would write an exclusive new track just for us we were simply ecstatic.
'Sadly' is pure Marsheaux with lead vox from Pop Princess Marianthi fitting in nicely somewhere between 'Ebay Queen' and 'Peek A Boo'.

Like most of the Marshy tracks, 'Sadly' is warm and buzzy and a blinding instrumental break in the final third that has to be heard loud.


Recording on this track was completed in late May 2008 and this is its first and only appearance on CD and absolutely essential for collectors of all things Marsheaux.

Marsheaux have just released their third studio album 'Luminuex Noir' and for EY, it is way up there with the La Roux debut.

Wouldn't it be nice to see the girls live in the UK again at a special electro event...?


www.myspace.com/marsheaux




08 Red Blooded Women: You Made Your Bed (UK)
(RBW & Trademark)



This was a very, very late edition that we squeezed on to the CD last November after RBW produced an astonishing live set for EY3 in Hoxton.

Due to an influx of new tracks that were so impressive, Undo agreed that the EY release should now become a double CD.


There were several RBW tracks under consideration but a few were earmarked as possible singles whilst others contained samples that hadn't been cleared such as Yazoo's 'Don't Go' for 'Colour Me Dirty'.


In the end, we decided to go with RBW's debut single 'You Made Your Bed' which was the first track that made us fall for them.
With stunning production from Trademark and soaring vocals, this track kicks off EY VOL 1's sequence of pure pop before things get mean & moody again towards the end of CD1.



RBW momentum was effected somewhat by the sudden departure of Carly whose vocals had already been recorded for the debut album (which is a blinding collection of pop songs).

New girl Katie did a fantastic job of stepping in at the last possible minute to perform with Candy and Liz at the Ultrasonics album launch in April and the band are currently busy re-recording songs with Katie's vocals.



http://www.myspace.com/redbloodedwomenmusic




09 The Ultrasonics: Perfect Girl (UK)
(Cliff Millender - James Kinnear - Jon Kinnear)

Another late edition to 'EY VOL 1', 'Perfect Girl' was brought in to replace another Ultrasonics song that we can't name due to contractual reasons.

There are a few promo CDs floating around with the original track that blending perfectly into 'X Minus One'.
We were gutted to lose the track but thankfully, the Ultra's had just released 'Perfect Girl' described as 'Thunderous disco polish...top British pop!' by top UK music site Popjustice.

This track fits in effortlessly and the version on offer here is the original single edit from 2008 with vox from Johanna Lee Gervin (pictured opposite).

Ultrasonics released their debut album ' Ultrasound' in April with a special EY edition that included a brilliant Parralox remix of ' Go Electro'.

Stuart Maconie recently played 'Go Electro with new vocalist Hannah Saunders on his BBC6 show Freakzone and dedicated it to all those who came along to the 'Electronically Yours night'.


The Ultra producers a re very talented guys and Jon K has writing credits on the latest album from Belgium dance act Cascada who this week knocked La Roux off the top slot (boo!) with their single ' Evacuate the Dancefloor'.
Jon K has kindly sent us the following notes on 'Perfect Girl';

'Perfect Girl' is one of the first tracks we recorded for our album 'Ultrasound'. We wanted to create a song that was built around a bouncy synth bassline, inspired by early 80s Human League and Depeche Mode.
As with many of the songs on our album, the lyrics in 'Perfect Girl' are very much story-based, and under all the production there's a fun pop song.
We released 'Perfect Girl' as a single towards the end of 2008, for which a selection of remixes were made. One of these - coming courtesy of Parralox - has also been included on 'EY Vol. 1''.

www.myspace.com/ultrasonics




10 Parralox: X Minus One (Australia)
(John Von Ahlen)


This was to be Parralox's CD debut ahead of anything else but the 'Electricity EY Special Edition' superseded the compilation when it was released in late August 08.


'X Minus One' was always our first choice Parralox track with its New York flavoured production and sharp drum programming.



Always a tireless and talented worker, Jon Von Ahlen stumped up a lot of his own cash to come over and play just for us at EY3 and his passion for the Parralox project is infectious.
'X Minus One' could frequently be heard blasting out of EY HQ in 2008 from the moment we discovered the Australian Sensations and the track sounded amazing when played over the PA at Queen of Hoxton for EY4 & EY5.

Should've been a single.

Parralox are currently putting the finishing touches to the 'Electricity' follow-up 'State of Decay' which is due for release in Autumn 2009 and its all sounding very promising with just a hint of darkness including this brand new track 'Isn't it Strange' that reminds us a little bit of the New Order classic 'Touched By The Hand of God'.

Terrific stuff - go and have a listen here.

Parralox are tentatively booked to come and play at EY7 in Jan/Feb 2010 if that pesky black obelisk doesn't turn up and swallow everything as predicted by the late Arthur C Clarke.

www.myspace.com/parralox



11 Mikro: Restart (Greece)
(Music: Nick Bitzenis/Lyrics: Ria Mazini)


Chosen by Undo, Mikro are a big band in Greece with regular tours and appearances on prime time TV.

The group have also taken part in several ad campaigns that include having their image splashed all over cartons of orange juice and the band's continued success in Greece has enabled Undo to sign new acts.

'Restart' is probably the most European sounding track on the compilation whilst much of their other output is chilled electronica that evokes thoughts of quiet beaches, blazing sunshine and a fridge full of cool beverages.
EY would love to see them live.


Lead singer Ria who is pictured above provides the following 'Restart' notes;

''Restart' is a song about the web and the social networks, such as myspace and facebook. Avatars and profiles mixed with pictures, videos and animations. The lyrics talk about this new way of sharing your music around the world and the new meaning of the net friendship. The sound is electro, happy and vibrant, influenced by the music of the late 80s.

We are currently working on our new album, which is going to be released on September. We are also in the middle of our summer tour in Greece and we hope that we will soon introduce our work abroad.



www.myspace.com/mikrospace




12 Rachel Car: Love Love Baby (US)
(Rachel Car)


Soulful and sultry vox from Rachel Car set to some stark and broody synth lines that could have come out of Berlin in the late 70's.
Rachel composed, produced and sequenced all the synths on this DIY track and her talent reminded us a much of Noush when we were working with her on tracks.

Rachel is also a bit of a character and sends us the odd postcard greeting from Las Vegas where she's currently recording new material.
'Love Love Baby' is a cheeky and playful seduction song and we love the dark bassline.

A friend was listening to the EY promo a few months back and he picked this track as one of his faves and was convinced that it had been a chart hit some years ago.

The idea with both CDs was to slow it down at the end so that you don't have to rush to turn the CD down late at night.

EY cares about its neighbours...


www.myspace.com/rachelcarmusic





13 Noush: Tropic (Undo Edit) (UK)
(Anouska Chatoo)



The Mighty Noush suddenly appeared into the life of EY like force gale of epic proportions.

Our wine consumption jumped by 70% with boozy nights in the seediest parts of London and we had some very memorable nights discussing plans of electro domination.





A few months after EY1, it became clear that we needed a brand new track for the compilation and by this time we were officially 'managing' Noushie and trying to guide her creatively.
For a good few years before Little Boots and La Roux opened up the charts to nu-electro, we had this very strong feeling that female led electro would eventually challenge RnB and Noush looked like the perfect pop star from the moment we first saw her in Bethnal Green in September 2007.

Never short of anything to say, Noush had a brilliant mind and was very quick when it came to witty replies that would've been great for interviews.

'Tropic' was recorded as a demo in Reading in May 2008 not far from where Martin Rushent worked on 'Dare' and Noush recorded three songs with a long time friend of EY Nic Blake.

The sessions were long and fruitful and any one of those three tracks could have made it on to 'EY VOL 1' but eventually, we opted for 'Tropic' a song based on a doomed but intense love affair that Noush was going through earlier that year.




During these recording sessions, there was an under current of bad feeling with people bending Noush's ear about introducing a drummer and guitars to her live sound.
This was totally at odds with the philosophy of EY and our idea of an artist that would pre-date La Roux.

There were also disagreements with production. EY felt that things had to have a sonic edge in order to compete with everything else and bands such as Marsheaux and Parralox had raised the bar in that respect.






Nic did a great job but the recording of 'Tropic' needed some post-production polish to bring it up to CD standard. We sent all the isolated parts to Undo who loved the track and gave it a futuristic sheen.
Many of the original session layers are included on this Undo version and its very faithful to the original. Undo completed this remix in November 2008 and Noush was very happy with the results.

There was no huge row towards the end, just a quiet parting of ways not long after Noush turned up to Gordon's wine bar for a gathering wearing a Guns & Roses t-shirt and the writing appeared to be on the wall at that point.

Our favourite Noush moment was this dialogue somewhere, sometime in London:
EY: 'We need to get you out of that school uniform. You are always wearing it. How about PVC?
Noush: 'I'm not some f***ing doll for you to dress up!'

The last time we saw Noush was live at Synthetic around August last year but since then she's done really well getting live slots on the NME/XFM tour with thrash metal band Rubella along with a recent interview on the BBC's 6Music.

We still think that 'Tropic' is a genius track both lyrically and musically and all this came from a girl who was just 19 at the time...

www.myspace.com/neonoushie

CD2

01 Technologic: We Are Technology (Austria/Amsterdam)
(Martina Mars, Ray Grant)




Technologic's manager contacted EY in the summer of 2008 offering to send us an album that had been under lock and key for a good few years.
We had a listen and immediately singled out the track 'We Are Technology' and within moments we were ripping the track and uploading it for the ears of Undo.

'We Are Technology' is actually the oldest track on this compilation, recorded in 2003 - it was actually a radio hit in Poland with interested that extended to MTV Europe who ran several features on the track including interviews with Martina Mars and Ray Grant who revealed that they had actually met in the official forum of the Pet Shop Boys a few years earlier.

No surprise really when you hear this track as it is classic Tennant & Lowe with lush instrumental breaks and tingly chords - it all sounds like a big budget recording.

During a meeting with Jon Von Ahlen in Gordon's wine bar, London, we played him this song and when it had finished, John looked up beaming and said in a strong Australian accent; 'Brilliant! Ready for radio!'.

This is the prefect intro to CD2 and we were delighted to gain permission for use of this rarely heard gem.

www.myspace.com/wearetechnologic

02 Kid Moxie: La Romance D'Hiver (Motorbikes in Tokyo Remix) (Greece)
(Kid Moxie)


Undo recommended this track and if you close your eyes whilst listening to it, you may be reminded of fuzzy French porn with Elena Charbila's breathy and sensual vocals.
Filmic in nature and a bit of a grower, Elena sings some of the song in French and Motorbikes in Tokyo who opened EY3 add to the atmosphere with some clever keyboard work.
We took Elena to a Human League concert last December in London and she's utterly adorable - Elena has sent us these whispery thoughts on ' La Romance D'Hiver':

'This song was featured on the Season 4 premier of the American hit TV series 'The L Word'. It's a song about spy intrigue,winter romance and obsession and the story takes place in a city where people wear black and the elevators in the buildings look a bit like cages ...maybe Paris?'

Kid Moxie have just released ' Selector' on Undo Records and we will be taking a look at that very shortly...

www.myspace.com/kidmoxie




03 Hidden Place: United (In The Name Of Memory) (Italy)
(Lyrics: Sara Lux Vitelli, music:Fabio Vitelli, Giampiero Di Barbaro, Antonia Lasenna)



'EY VOL 1' goes a little bit Gothic with this atmospheric slab of Italian electro.
The band fronted by Sara Lux (opposite) contacted us via myspace in late 2007 and 'United' was the first track we sampled.
We requested a copy of the album instantly and many weeks passed until we decided we had to buy a copy.
At that moment, something dropped through the letterbox, a copy of Hidden Place's debut album 'Fantastic Meccanica' encased in a fabulous slip case with a photo of striking singer and Italian glamour socialite Sara lux complete with a Thunderbirds 2 hat.

The album was solid a moody (Chi heard it for the first time recently and was full of praise for the album that has completely sold out).

We think that Sara looks oriental but she assures us that she's Italian - Sara gives us the following thoughts on 'United';:

'United is the most radiant track of Fantasia Meccanica.

Its born from the pop side of the album, and the voice becomes more clear and ironic without loosing the elegance of Hidden Place.

United is an electro hymn, an electro ballad where the keyboards prove it with their rhythm.

The lyrics are in harmony with the music with an invitation to dance'.


www.myspace.com/hiddenplaceitalia



04 Electrobelle: Mirrorball (Marsheaux Remix)

With Undo release delays and pressing plant problems, this remix was almost lost never to be heard but we saved it and pressed to CD here in England thanks to some timely recommendations from Northern Kind.

This is a brilliant Marshy take on a track they positively love and like the remixes that follow - we have kept to the traditional 80's remix (extend the great bits, add some clever bits and ultimately...show respect to the brilliance of the source material).


This was one of our most played remixes of 2008.


05 Parralox: X-Minus One (EY3 RMX)


EY's guidelines to JVA when we requested a remix of this track:

1: Classic early 80's extended remix

2: Make it like the 12" mix of Shannon 'Let The Music Play'!!!

3: Beef up the drums

John came up with this mix within a few days of EY3 hence the title (though its radically different to the slowed down version performed at EY3 that you can hear on the EY Myspace player).

Fantastic mix this...


06 Ultrasonics: Perfect Girl (Parralox RMX)

Parralox are simply so good at remixes. This one was already in the bag by the time we were commissioning new remixes and we really liked the new synthy hooks that Jon had added to the mix.
'Perfect Girl' was an immediate choice when it came to including mixes of CD1.



07 Marsheaux: Hanging On (Extended Remix)



With all the delays and banging on tables, Marsheaux eventually took pity on EY and provided EY with a dream wish.

During the second half of 2008, the Marshy girls were busy composing their next studio album and were understandably reluctant to go back and work on previous songs.

'Hanging On' was an EY 2007 fave and during a long wait outside the Roundhouse, London for an OMD gig in October 2008, EY pleaded with Undo for a remix of this track.
Undo were a bit worried as Marsheaux were already on the compilation with a new track and remix of Client and felt that it may be overkill for the Greek act.

We pointed out to Undo that this CD wouldn't have existed without Marsheaux...EY may never have continued had we not found Marsheaux in late 2006.

This brilliant 'old school' remix was completed in November 2008 and we will always fondly remember Undo's George Geranios prior to a Human League gig in London, telling us how much we would love the new remix of 'Hanging On'.

He was right as always...


08 Katsen: Where Nobody Can Find Us (Tragedy Mix)

This was the final track added to 'EY VOL 1' that was 'locked' for the final time in October.
I think I asked Katsen's Chris for an extended remix for my own listening pleasure but upon hearing it, I emailed Undo begging to have it included on the compilation.

Chris gave me the WAV file for this mix at EY3.

A most adorable extended remix - with more arcade game bleeps and more of Donna...

09 Northern Kind: On & On 2008 Extended Mix



This remix was originally intended for CD1 before it evolved into a 2-CD deluxe pack and the mix came about because we thought the track would be perfect as a traditional extended version.

Matt Culpin knows his Mute history inside out (and is currently working with an ex-DM band member) and we knew that he would produce a most perfect remix of a very catchy song from their debut '53 Degrees North'.

Matt kindly provided the following notes on this exclusive remix:

'Today's remixes tend to be complete re-workings of songs but in the  early 80's most where done by the artists themselves. I really like DM's Combination mix for 'Get The Balance Right' and I love the way it breaks down the track into it's component parts

This is really the idea I had for this remix''



10 Fotonovela: Unfair

This track was delivered to us the same night as Marsheaux's 'Sadly' and we adored it.
Undo also wanted this track to close the CD (before it evolved into a double CD edition).

Lat December, Undo told us that they were thinking of removing it and we screamed 'Nooooo!'
This dreamy OMD inspired track is perfect late night closure to a project that has been an absolute joy to work on.


A big thank you to all the artists involved and I dedicate this monster update to all each and every one of you very talented electro people.

www.myspace.com/wearefotonovela



Grab a copy of the deluxe 'EY VOL 1' via this link



Much love...orac xxx

EY is currently working on a track by track guide to 'Electronically Yours Vol 1' with notes from many of the artists involved in this stomping UNDO/EMI compilation .
'EY VOL 1' surrendered the top spot on Musicnonstop earlier this week to the lovely new Marsheaux album 'Luminuex Noir' that also occupies Number 3 with the Greek edition.

In the meantime, please enjoy Chi Ming Lai's December 08 EMI press release in full....




This month saw the release
of 'ELECTRONICALLY YOURS EY VOL.1', the most significant collection of new electronic pop music since 1981's 'Some Bizarre Album' which launched the recording careers DEPECHE MODE, SOFT CELL, THE THE and BLANCMANGE.




Featuring synthly the best new acts on Planet Earth, 'EY Vol.1' has been pre-programmed for your listening pleasure!

'Electronically Yours' started as a blog in tandem with 'Secrets Online', both in celebration of synthesizer pioneers THE HUMAN LEAGUE.

The thrill of electronic music merged the two sites into one.
But then in late 2006, the discovery of Greek electro-maidens MARSHEAUX changed everything.

EY webmeister Rob Windle AKA Orac's belief in the duo's wonderful analogue synchronicity and Eurocentric charm led to them headlining the first 'EY Night' for their live UK debut in London and the aftermath was an enthusiastic union with Undo Records to bring you this 'Electronically Yours' CD.

Only one condition was specified...all the tracks had to be 'really good'!

So it is only apt that MARSHEAUX contribute a brand new track 'Sadly' to this collection as well as having a hand in several of the remixes on show.

'EY Vol.1' perfectly captures a fantastic moment in time. The last 24 months has seen a resurgence in what is known to many as 'electropop'.
In the past, it was the mainstay of boys with their toys who were prepared to play the role of 'outsider' in yesterday's tomorrow.

What has revitalised the genre without a doubt are the feisty, glamourous ladies who are not only fronting the music but are helping to create it too. No electropop puppets here! But it's the warmth that comes across these songs that will surprise many critics.

So taking the lead from 21st Century female fronted electronic acts LADYTRON, GOLDFRAPP and MISS KITTIN, this brilliant compilation brings together the best of 'neu musik' for those who still love the sound of synth.

No guitars here and frankly who cares?

No wonder Arctic Monkeys sang 'I bet you look good on the dance floor, dancing to electropop like a robot from 1984'.

That phrase could apply to any of the ladies present on 'EY Vol.1'.

Electropop as we know it has been around since 1977 when the GIORGIO MORODER produced 'I Feel Love' hit No1 with DONNA SUMMER.


Yes, there was KRAFTWERK but what has to be remembered in the context of the time is that 'Autobahn' was considered a novelty record.





'I Feel Love' designed the future and is the root DNA of this compilation.



21st Century electro is fresh BECAUSE of the female voices...80's synth pop never sounded this sexy! So TECHNOLOGIC's 'We Are Technology' brings 'I Feel Love' into the noughties, retaining its sequenced hypnotism.

Leading the British contingent are CLIENT with a MARSHEUX remix of their single 'It's Not Over'. Indeed, 'EY Vol.1' has added value in the supplement of some good old fashioned '12 inch' extended mixes, a format very much suited to electro in its 80s prime.

UK synth duo NORTHERN KIND provide an long version of 'On & On', complete with middle section 'breakdown' and boosted counter melodies while MARSHEAUX contribute a long awaited extended remix of 'Hanging On' which will delight their fans.

Also from the UK are ELECTROBELLE, CASSETTE ELECTRIK, THE ULTRASONICS and electro-girl band RED BLOODED WOMEN who provide their ode to the Ikea generation with 'You Made Your Bed'. Its bassline is just pure octave shift heaven!

But it's not all pure pop. Eccentric quirkiness, an important factor in interesting electro, is provided by KATSEN and NOUSH. From LA via Athens come KID MOXIE, led by the beautiful Elena Charbila, last spotted acting in a new film with Al Pacino. A remix of 'The L-Word' soundtracked 'Ma Romance D'Hiver' takes things to a darker edge with an added 'Je ne sais quoi'!

Australia is represented by PARRALOX who's tremendous 'X Minus One' combines the best of old technology such as Linn Drums and sparkling analogue synths with a New York disco beat. It's so infectious; this is one that you won't stop playing!












'EY Vol1' also features OBLIQUE from Spain, RACHEL CAR from the USA, HIDDEN PLACE from Italy, Denmark's TIGER BABY and another popular Greek electro act MIKRO with the stomping 'Restart'.

Finally, token male duo FOTONOVELA complete 'EY Vol.1' with an androgynous slice of vocodered atmospherics entitled 'Unfair'.

Indeed, the international flavour of this collection shows just how far the influence of the synthesizer has stretched. The world is finally in the Moog!

New electro is what keeps the blood flowing at 'Electronically Yours'.





Following on from the eventual success of the 'Some Bizzare Album', here's hoping that at least four of the acts on 'EY Vol.1' make it big too.

Keep it electro!

Chi Ming Lai - December 2008

Grab a copy of 'EY VOL 1' via this link.

Europe's electro wonderland www.undorecords.com

The very best of Electronically Yours 2007 - 08....


Tracks:

CD1

01 Electrobelle:
Mirrorball
(Lyrics: Charlotte Sanderson / Music: Barry Mallon)
www.myspace.com/electrobelle
02 Client: It's Not Over (Marsheaux Radio Edit )
(Katie Holmes/Sarah Blackwood)
www.myspace.com/client
03 Cassette Electrik: The Smartest Bomb
(Bugiel/Freke/Van Kann)
www.myspace.com/cassetteelectrik
04 Oblique: All We Want
(Sonja/ Gonzalez/ Torres )
www.myspace.com/obliquemusic
05 Katsen: Where Nobody Can Find Us
(Donna Grimaldi/ Chris Blackburn)
www.myspace.com/katsenbeeps
06 Tiger Baby: At Least I'm Honest
(Tiger baby)
www.myspace.com/tigerbabymusic
07 Marsheaux: Sadly
(Marsheaux)
www.myspace.com/marsheaux
08 Red Blooded Women: You Made Your Bed
(RBW & Trademark)
http://www.myspace.com/redbloodedwomenmusic
09 The Ultrasonics: Perfect Girl
(Cliff Millender - James Kinnear - Jon Kinnear)
www.myspace.com/ultrasonics
10 Parralox: X Minus One
(John Von Ahlen)
www.myspace.com/parralox
11 Mikro: Restart
(Music: Nick Bitzenis/Lyrics: Ria Mazini)
www.myspace.com/mikrospace
12 Rachel Car: Love Love Baby
(Rachel Car)
www.myspace.com/rachelcarmusic
13 Noush: Tropic (Undo Edit)
(Anouska Chatoo)
www.myspace.com/neonoushie

CD2

01 Technologic: We Are Technology
(Martina Mars, Ray Grant)
Original recording Technologic 2008
www.myspace.com/wearetechnologic02 Kid Moxie: La Romance D'Hiver (Motorbikes in Tokyo Remix)
(Kid Moxie)
www.myspace.com/kidmoxie
03 Hidden Place: United (In The Name Of Memory)
(Lyrics: Sara Lux Vitelli, music:Fabio Vitelli, Giampiero Di Barbaro, Antonia Lasenna)
www.myspace.com/hiddenplaceitalia04 Electrobelle: Mirrorball (Marsheaux Remix)
(Lyrics: Charlotte Sanderson / Music: Barry Mallon)
www.myspace.com/electrobelle
05 Parralox: X-Minus One (EY3 RMX)
(John Von Ahlen)
www.myspace.com/parralox
06 Ultrasonics: Perfect Girl (Parralox RMX)
(Cliff Millender - James Kinnear - Jon Kinnear)
www.myspace.com/ultrasonics
07 Marsheaux: Hanging On (Extended Remix)
( Marsheaux )
www.myspace.com/marsheaux
08 Katsen: Where Nobody Can Find Us (Tragedy Mix)
(Donna Grimaldi/ Chris Blackburn)
www.myspace.com/katsenbeeps
09 Northern Kind: On & On 2008 Extended Mix
(Lyrics:Sarah Heeley/Music: Matt Culpin)
www.myspace.com/northernkinduk
10 Fotonovela: Unfair
(Fotonovela)
www.myspace.com/wearefotonovela

EY sleeve art by Christina Christoforou



'EY VOL 1' interviews with Marsheaux, Client, Northern Kind, Parralox & Kid Moxie can be reached via this link.

Chi Ming Lai braved a heat warning in cental London where temperatures were higher than Thailand to witness an act who are currently on top of the UK singles and album charts



Here's Chi's report and photos of the La Roux album launch at the HMV Forum....

It has been a bit deja vu these last couple of days. The UK is locked a heavy recession with an unpopular Prime Minister at the helm, the threat of two rival championships in Formula One has narrowly been averted and Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' album is in the Top 10.


So in a strange week where events have echoed like an episode of 'Ashes of Ashes', it was apt that a new star named Jackson should hit the top of the singles charts on the occasion of MJ's passing.

Sister Elly Jackson (for it is she) has been making noises since LA ROUX were shortlisted for 'BBC Sound Of 2009'. And I'm not just talking about her falsetto voice!
Last December, she proclaimed 'Girls look wicked playing synths' and she was spot on.

Meanwhile, other forthright views about how women should dress to avoid attracting undesirable men and the state of manufactured pop have polarised opinion but at least Elly has something to say.



After years of being patronised with retarded R'n'B and its accompanying videos of misogyny, young women in particular are spurning all this junk and are relating to LA ROUX.

The red-headed one's success and distinct image has finally woken up the music industry to the fact that the public are also tired of vacuous drama school graduates like THE SATURDAYS, who are presented as models of aspiration and X-Factor wanabees who break into dull acapella every time they're stuck for something interesting to say!

Of course, we haven't even talked about the music yet. Last Autumn's 'Quicksand' introduced LA ROUX as a contemporary sound influenced by the melodic bleeps of classic synthpop and the funky Minneapolis rhythm structures of PRINCE and JAM & LEWIS.


The belting 'In For The Kill' unexpectedly sold 445,000 and just missed out on the top slot for what seemed like an eternity. However, the crunchy Hi-NRG musical 'two fingers' of 'Bulletproof' has made amends.
It's not often one has bought a single that went to No1, let alone be present at a gig in the week that the artist of said single is actually No1! So here was I, alongside an enthusiastic crowd at LA ROUX's album launch gig at the HMV Forum, London.

Augmented by usual her boy/girl synthesizer line-up of 'Mikey' and Mickey O' Brien (who makes her own music under the name LADYBURDEN), Elly also welcomed the addition of electronic percussionist William Bowerman who played his first gig with the band a few weeks ago on Radio1's 'Live Lounge'.


A standing sticksman in the tradition of Karl Bartos and Wolfgang Flur, the wonderfully quiffed William fitted in well with his brand new Yamaha kit and (for display purposes only!) Simmons bass drum pad.
They're obviously still getting used to what this set-up can do because tonight, the sound isn't perfect.

Unfortunately, the rhythmical snap that is so important to the LA ROUX template seems strangely muted.

Following the opener 'Quicksand', 'Tiger Lily' is instantly a standout. The electro bossa-nova drives along with the thud of synth toms and Elly gives a fantastically spirited delivery.

Add in the poignantly 'Thriller' inspired monologue from Elly's actor dad Kit Jackson and you have a satisfying slice of perfect pop.

The various tempo changes on 'Colourless Colour' are a refreshing alternative to the endless repetition of most dance music, adding a tension and vibrancy to the mix.






'As If By Magic' is brilliant, some people will cry YAZOO but it also recalls that other great lost eccentric synth duo BLANCMANGE. And on 'Fascination', Elly nearly takes your head off as her unique oral timbre lets rip!

Missing from the set though is the gorgeous ballad 'Cover My Eyes'; instead we get the slightly disappointing 'Armour Love'. But Elly's rather chipper mood makes up for it. Uncharacteristically smiling a lot, she thanked the crowd for getting her to No1 and even danced a bit, although usually with her back to the audience. There was certainly an air of 'well, how did I get here?' as she acknowledged all the cheers and applause.

While shy and not a natural live performer, Elly has been working hard on honing her stage act and with time, can only get better.

Ending with her two big singles, the crowd show their appreciation as a white brassiere and pair of knickers are thrown onto the stage. Elly looks a little embarrassed at this but gamely holds the brassiere to her chest and throws it back to a welcoming frenzy, recalling that infamous photo of SMITHS' fans fighting over MORRISSEY's shirt!

Connecting with the largely young female audience who were singing along to every track and even chorusing 'Bulletproof' as they were leaving the venue, Elly has become their new heroine.


The types of girls who would have loved Molly Ringwald's character 'Andi' in 'Pretty In Pink' have now found someone who articulates their angst and despair.





The landscape is changing again and Elly may have to get used to the attention. With Jazz Summers (Yazz, Wham!) now acting as her co-manager, plans are probably afoot for world domination!

But as David Sylvian once sang: 'Les artistes de demain en desespoir agreable.'

With thanks to Mr Blue





Paris Is Burning!

Depeche Mode at Stade de France: Saturday 27 June 2009
Words: Steve Gray / Image: Michael Rose

For the four of us who boarded the Eurostar to Paris on Saturday, Depeche Mode have provided the soundtrack to our lives.

Between us is a long friendship and even two marriages founded on a mutual love of DM. So as we crossed the Channel to see Depeche play their biggest gig to date on French soil, excitement was running high.

In Paris it was a beautiful summer evening; perfect for a gig in the vast open-air stadium that is Stade de France. Here some 80,000 devotees had gathered to see Basildon's finest.

This is a big as electro gets!

There has been genuine concern amongst the fanbase about Dave's recent ill health, which had forced the cancellation of several shows. So when a healthy smiling Dave first appeared on the giant video screens, the roar of delight from the assembled masses was both heartfelt and spine-tingling. And from that moment on, the band could do no wrong.

I won't give too much away, but the set list is, as the French say, 'formidable! If, like me, you're not a big fan of the current album, then don't worry. There are plenty of DM classics to warm the heart of even the most jaded fan, including a few very welcome surprises from the past!

The band were flanked by their now customary video backdrops, and the visuals were striking throughout, but tonight it was really all about the band's performance.

This was a celebration (a black one, naturally) and everyone was celebrating.

Picture a stadium full of people singing 'peace will come to me' under a warm Parisian sunset; or a huge sea of waving arms to 'Never Let Me Down Again'.


Dave Gahan even slipped in a cheeky tribute to the late Michael Jackson, with a high-pitched 'yee-hee!' during 'Strangelove' (no I didn't make that up, it really happened!)

If Stade de France had a roof, DM would've blown it off tonight. When the show finally came to an end and the house lights came up, one of my companions said 'that was the best EVER!' And I smiled, because I'd been thinking the same...

EY's quote of the week - Elly Jackson on 'braindead' RnB:

'I think a lot of it is, 'Baby I love you, I want to kiss you.' It's just like, 'What are you on about? Shut up.' It certainly doesn't make me feel anything special, or doesn't make me think, or go somewhere else in my mind. I just don't get it'

Read Elly's anti-RnB attack over at The Daily Mirror.

The musical times are a changing and we love this girl even more....

20 year old Brixton girl Elly Jackson and retro knob twiddler Ben Langmaid this week released their self produced debut album 'La Roux' on the back of their first UK Number One 'Bulletproof'.


In the months leading up to the official debut single, Elly spoke of her desire for a return to the 'real' pop stars of New Wave and her love for Heaven 17, Yazoo, Depeche Mode and Eurythmics.





A few demos were floated on the net several months ago with glimmers of BEF promise yet the electro backing was so 'primitive' and raw, many pop commentators and blogs across the land marked La Roux as 'least likely to succeed'.
Attention soon turned to Lady GaGa who resisted full on electro with some pleasant and enticing R'n'B flavoured cuts for the Transatlantic Rihanna market.

La Roux's debut opens with 'surprise' hit single 'In For The Kill' - a track originally rejected by Radio One who claimed the single sounded 'too tinny', yet EY was astonished by the quality of this pop tune when the demo surfaced on the net earlier this year.


At this wobbly point, Polydor could easily have panicked and thrown the new tracks over to Lady Gaga's producers or countless other names who have worked with Britney, but to their credit, they kept calm.



Someone at Polydor was in tune with EY and sensing the biggest electro revival since 1981 (the La Roux debut is currently Number One in the midweek album charts).



When the static and rather cheap video was released of Elly sitting in an 80's sports car with glowing white eyes, many thought that the writing was on the wall for this artist until 'In For The Kill' entered the UK top 20.
It then did the unthinkable by rising to number 2 a few weeks later where it would stay for another 5 weeks - the longest grip on the Number 2 slot since ' Vienna' way back in 1981.
Some say that the 'drum and bass' Skream mix contributed to much of that success and in part it's true, EY has heard this mix blasting out from some unexpected places but this wasn't the mix that daytime radio were playing.


Radio One eventually playlisted the single after getting it so horribly wrong and 'In For The Kill' went on to sell a staggering half a million copies with virtually no hype proving that people know a good pop tune when they hear it.




Many other electro acts would have failed at this initial hurdle.


How many times since the birth of this site have we cherished a great pop tune (with synths) and seen it cut short by national BBC radio who played the safe card and opted instead to playlist American led 'urban' (yawnfest) music?





'In For The Kill' works because it's a simple yet brilliant pop tune that currently sounds like nothing else on mainstream radio. Even ff you stripped away the ancient and delightfully raw synth layers, this track would still reach out and shake up the masses.
It's a rare pop gem and they don't come round too often

EY was recently driving through a mile long tunnel in Holland full of speeding strips of multi coloured neon lights whilst 'In For The Kill' was blasting out . For three glorious minutes, it felt like the future had finally arrived.

This track is perfect for night time driving.

Putting aside the stomping opening track that is familiar to masses of people beyond this site and electro genre, the real test for this La Roux debut lays in the new tracks that haven't been leaked.

After the very first listen, EY had already marked 'Tigerlily' as the (possible) 4th single. There was a bit of a buzz about this track from people who had seen La Roux live earlier in the year along with one or two others.


'Tigerlily' kicks off like an electro waltz with sinister fairground backing. The closest to it would be Goldfrapp's 'Satin Chic' from 2005's 'Supernature'.



Theatrical 'Tigerlily' highs include a hilariously creepy spoken monologue from Elly's Father (who must be an actor) that pays timely homage to Vincent Price's cameo on Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'.


The best bit of the track is when Elly doubles up on her vocals to show how good she is with harmonies with the spine tingly line 'I can see you burning with desire for a kiss. Psychbabble all upon your lips'.

The vinyl only debut release 'Quicksand' keeps up the pace with it's blend of funked up electro that lays somewhere between Heaven 17's 'Penthouse & Pavement' and 'When Doves Cry' by Prince. It's the track that undoubtedly helped Elly make it into the BBC's Sound of 2009 once place above Lady Gaga.
Prior to hearing the album, EY was hoping that this single would follow 'Bulletproof' and get a proper release and despite the shining quality of 'Quicksand', there are better tracks to follow...

Almost two months ago, EY made one of it's wild analogue claims about 'Bullerproof'. So convinced of it's pop brilliance, we bravely predicted that it would go one better than 'In For The Kill' and be a future chart topper with a gradual climb to the top.

We just didn't expect it to go straight in at Number One after a few days on sale.

Not only has La Roux saved UK pop, but she's also created a surge in the sales of UK singles with some of the purist electro in over 20 years.




'Bulletproof' is full of mid 80's analogue programming not seen since Dead Or Alive's SAW produced 'Youthquake' debut back in 1985 or some of the early Blancmange recordings, but it's the insanely catchy chorus that makes the track special and Elly's sheer vocal range.

Many of you will observe friends, lovers, work colleagues and other poor souls with no previous interest in analogue electro suddenly singing 'This time baby I'll be Bulletproof'.

EY has already noticed this phenomenon a few times this week and we flash a knowing smile.




For the first initial plays of La Roux's debut album earlier in the week, it took several listens before we could finally get to the end of the album. The reason for this is that we kept skipping back a few tracks to hear 'Tigerlilly' again and this next one....

'Colourless Colour' is a moody and mid temp track that could possibly have come from The Eurythmics 'Touch' period.
There are several moments on this album where you can almost imagine Annie Lennox taking over on vox particularly on the track's best bit where Elly sings: 'Early nineties decor. It was a day for. We wanted to play, But we had nothing left to play for. Colourless colour. Once in fashion. And soon to be soon'.


This is a magical shimmering pop moment where the song steps up a gear with emotional Elly vox and a tingly bassline - the closest La Roux gets to Heaven 17's 'Come Live Me' in terms of haunting synth chords.

EY will now make another prediction. Track 6 'I'm Not Your Toy' is another future chart topper (we are certain that this will be single number 3 in the autumn).
With steel drums, this track is very much like The Knife's 'Pass This On' but with a pop sensibility that will easily result in a massive hit. The chords also remind us a bit of Jim Diamond's 1982 hit 'I Won't Let You Down' but please don't let that put you off (we rather like Jim's track).

Our fave bit is when Elly warns that she's 'not your toy' and that it's 'All false love and attention. You don't like me. You just want the attention'.

Usually, we tend to skip 'ballads'.

When we first played 'Cover My Eyes', there wasn't a dry eye here at EYHQ as were were transported back to the rawness of young love and the point where you see your EX (and love of life) walking hand in hand with a new lover.

'Cover My Eyes' captures all that pain and the stab in the heart.


Elly's emotive range is at it's best on this track which we suspect is single number 4 - a Christmas Number one possibly (though don't quote us on that).


Whilst the emotions are laid bare, the backing is all warm and buzzy with some gorgeous analogue sounds and the lead hook is very oriental - much like Ryuichi Sakamoto lead synth on 1983 gem 'Forbidden Colours'.

Elley is backed by The London Community Gospel Choir during the chorus that helps to give the track a bit of an edge.
Be prepared to reach for the tissues when Elly lays out her soul during the chorus: 'When I see you walking with her. I have to cover my eyes. Everytime you leave with her. Something inside of me dies'.

Probably best to skip this one if you've just split up from a loved one....

'As If By Magic' sounds a bit like something from Sophie Eliis Bextors 'Read My Lips' (2001)- an album that contained one or two gems including the analogue driven 'Final Move'.
There's a slight hint of acoustic guitar on this track but it's no more jarring than the opening chords of Erasure's 'A Little Respect' and it's all handled rather nicely.
This is a very pleasant tune and the first track on the album that hints at Vince Clarke and 'You & Me Both' Yazoo.





'Fascination' and 'Reflections Are Protections' have been available online as demos for many months now.

'Reflections' in particular was the track that convinced EY back in December 2008 that La Roux could be an intriguing future attraction.

It seemed to tune in to the electrical foundation of all things EY with 'Reproduction' sounds and unstable synths.




Our hope back then was that this debut album would match the early promise and quality of these two tracks. The rest of this La Roux debut is infinitely better than these two tracks, Elly and Ben have taken their band to another level and one that few acts can currently match.
So far, this debut is already shaping up to be one of the most important mainstream electronic records since Erasure's 'The Innocents ' that dominated the album charts in 1988.

Penultimate track 'Armour Love' threatens to break out into T'pau's 'China In My Hand' with the opening few bars but thankfully the similarities end as the main melody kicks in and it all begins to remind EY of The Assembly's 1983' hit 'Never Never' with fat synth lines and lovely instrumental breaks. There is always a dual vocal trick going on during the chorus that was used many times by Yazoo.
With vulnerable lyrics about love and loss, there is a very tender and emotional side to Elly's songwriting and lyrically, some of this album is astonishing.

The UK version of La Roux's debut comes with a bonus track. Usually 'bonus' tracks are complete rubbish and worthy of no more than one play.
The only thing that confuses us about the La Roux bonus track is this...
'Growing Pains' is a single!!!
Why was it relegated to a mere 'bonus track' when it's as good, if not better than some of the others?

'Growing Pains' is a chirpy pop song with a bit of disjointed harmonica thrown in before the chorus and it all sounds much like The The's 1983 single 'This Is The Day' - a track we adore here at EY.

'O I make mistakes . And you just say it's growing pains'


La Roux is full of life lessons and growing pains and the girl from BEF is only just beginning to reveal her electro soul.

Electronically Yours Rating: 9.5/10


Choice tracks: All of them.





Grab a copy of 'La Roux' over at Amazon












Additional....




During a recent Radio 5 interview, La Roux's Elly hinted about a shift towards Heaven 17's The Luxury Gap' with the use of full orchestras and the experimental epic nature of 'And That's No Lie' from 1984's 'How Men Are'.

Human League's founding member Martyn Ware has even offered to produce Elly so that BEF collaboration could well become a reality later down the line.


Heaven 17 are currently planning a UK tour next year where they will perform live for the first time their debut album 'Penthouse & Pavement'.




'EY VOL 1' was back at Number One on Musicnonstop after it was briefly overtaken by VNV Nation yesterday whilst Marsheaux climb to Number 2.

We are currently busy preparing a track by track guide to the UNDO/EMI compilation with notes from some of the featured bands and cheeky electro gossip.

o r a c x

'EY Vol 1' looks set to surrender the Number One spot over at MNS shortly with the imminent release of one the albums of the year.
No regrets here at EY HQ as we vacate the top for two of the loveliest girls in electro - Marianthi & Sophie.

Musicnonstop are now taking pre-orders for the Out of Line limited edition version of 'Lumineux Noir'- a 2 CD set that includes additional remixes of 'Breakthrough' and 'Summer' plus 2008 vinyl single and live fave 'Ghost'.

'Lumineux Noir' is released on July 10th and we will shortly be posting an EY track by track guide to this essential album.

To pre-order your copy, please jump here.

(Image © Out of Line)

Lady Victoria at Glasto!

The gorgeous Little Boots yesterday played a half hour set to a packed John Peel set at this weekend's Glastonbury.

Dressed in a very fetching sequined designer dress, Lady Victoria gave an energetic performance that began with the track that we really think should be a single 'Earthquake' with lots of lovely synthy bits.
'Meddle' and 'Love Kills' (with a 'Brian May solo'....on synth!) were both delightful but the real highlight for EY was 'Symmetry' (minus Philip Oakey this time round but still works brilliantly with Victoria singing the entire song).

The biggest cheer however was for the final track of the night and EY's Song of 2008 - 'Stuck On Repeat'.

The BBC have the entire Little Boots performance online and if you're living in the UK, grab a nice cup of tea, sit back and watch this. It's the best thing we've seen on a Sunday morning in a long, long time.





Hear the new La Roux album!

Monday sees the release of La Roux's debut album and EY is patiently waiting for the CD to drop through the letterbox from Amazon.

Despite selling half a million singles this year (which is amazing given that most people had overlooked Elly since the BBC Sound of 2009 and the BBC wouldn't playlist her), Elly has astonishingly been given a tough time in the various electro forums from people bemoaning the lack of success for electro bands fronted by men blah blah blah.


La Roux's success has nothing to do with 'hype'.

La Roux is succeeding because she's co-writing brilliant pop songs that are reaching out to a very wide audience.




We personally can't get our heads around the negativity. UK Electro is finally back at the top of the charts, RnB is finally on the way out and the mainstream press is writing about this genre.

It's good news all round.

Topshop are currently streaming the entire La Roux album. We ask that you jump here and listen to this album.

Some of you are really going to fall in love with this debut album. 'I'm Not Your Toy' is another chart topper in our humble opinion.

The Undo/EMI compilation 'Electronically Yours Vol 1' today overtook VNV Nation's new album 'Of Power, Faith & Glory' to reach Number One on the Musicnonstop Top Ten Bestsellers Chart.

We would like to raise a glass and say a big 'chin chin' to all the fabulous artists from across the globe who helped make this compilation a sonic delight and one that we still enjoy blasting out here at EY HQ.

Additional linear notes and insights into the making of 'EY VOL 1' will follow very shortly.

'EY VOL 1' can currently be purchased online from Musicnonstop in the UK and Undo Records in Greece.

EY's top electro girl heading for UK Number One?





EY has been predicting big things for this 'future chart topper' for quite a while (back here) and the single has dominated EY's playlist for the past few months - so huge congratulations to La Roux who is currently Number 1 in the midweek UK singles chart with the best single of the year so far... 'Bulletproof'.

Previous single 'In For The Kill' narrowly missed out on the top spot to spend over a month at Number 2 whilst the very clever Skream remixes reached out to ghrab an unsuspecting audience and could be heard everywhere.


Click on the 'Louise-esque' single cover to watch the new promo video.

Elly is...the girl from BEF!

orac xx

EY is proud to announce that 'Electronically Yours Vol 1' has today officially gone on sale across Europe via Undo and the UK's premier music store Musicnonstop
where it climbed to Number 4 late last night - one place behind Deppy Mode's haunting new single 'Peace'!

This 2-CD deluxe 'art' edition contains 23 tracks of blistering new female fronted electro.
Packed full of passion and songs of love, dancing and betrayal, 'EY VOL 1' is 100% analogue pop - compiled by Orac and Undo Label Manager George Geranios.

Artists appearing on two luscious EY CDs include; Client, Marsheaux, Katsen, Oblique, Tiger Baby, Parralox, Ultrasonics, Red Blooded Women, Mikro, Electrobelle, Noush, Cassette Electrik, Hidden Place, Technologic, Fotonovela, Kid Moxie, Northern Kind and Rachel Car.

Initial packaging delays late last year eventually led to the commissioning of bonus remixes. Appearing on CD for the first time are the exclusive Marsheaux extended remixes of 'Hanging On' and Electrobelle's 2007 classic 'Mirrorball', Katsen's bleepy 'Tragedy Mix' of 'Where Nobody Can Find Us' and the Parralox 'EY3' remix of 'Electricity' gem 'X Minus One'.

To celebrate this release, we've just added the lovely Extended Marshy Mix of 'Hanging On' to the EY Myspace player - jump here and have a listen.

All tracks have been remastered in Athens by Undo Records who are releasing this compilation along with EMI.



From the opening linear notes by Orac: 'EY Vol 1' would not exist today had it not been for the sonic innovations of Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, Human League, Heaven 17, Yazoo, ABC, Soft Cell, OMD & Gary Numan...'



To grab a copy of the Deluxe 'Art' Edition of 'EY VOL 1' for just 15 euros - please jump here.

Coming soon - a track by track guide to the featured songs and artists on 'EY VOL 1'


2008 EY interviews with Marsheaux, Parralox, Client and Kid Moxie can be reached here.

It is officially Marsheaux week here at EY HQ in Royal Ascot.


We've spent the day blasting out the delicious analogue sonics of 'Lumnieux Noir' repeatedly & totally oblivous to the Queen and her chums who are making a right old drunken racket over at the racecourse (which is up there in EY's pet hates along with fox hunting. rugby, cricket...and Tories).









To hear the final remastered version of the new Marsheaux album on shiny CD together with a bottle of Turner Road Reserve Chardonnay will surely rank as one of EY's most treasured days of 2009.

'Luminoux Noir' is pure space age pop, a collection of twelve blistering pop classics all gorgeously sequenced with tingly vocal hooks and seductive whispers. The album is everything we could have possibly hoped for as a follow-up to EY's album of 2007 - 'Peek A Boo'.









'Lumineux Noir' has delighted EY so much with it's sensual layers and hypnotic analogue pulses that we've decided to give away four gorgeous copies of the official UNDO promo to readers EY as from tonight!

Each copy is personally signed by Premier Space Age Pop Princesses... Marianthi & Sophie and the winners will receive their copies a few days before the official release date of July 10th.

You could be the first to sample the brilliance of 'So Far' - a track that recently so impressed BBC DJ Stuart Maconie (and it is Marshy's finest moment to date), or swoon with a loved one to the DM inspired 'Sorrow'.

Alternatively, you could simply dance till you drop to new anthems such as the achingly catchy 'Summer' followed by the equally instant and warm bleepy buzz of 'Radial Emotion' - and the giveaway doesn't end there as we also have four deluxe copies of the long awaited 'Electronically Yours Vol 1' to accompany 'Lumineux Noir'!






The 2-CD UNDO/EMI compilation is finally here in sumptuous packaging with fold-out posters - full of female fronted electro including Marsheaux, Client, Katsen, Hidden Place, Tiger Baby, Parralox, Noush and many, many more.

All lovingly compiled before Little Boots and La Roux thankfully brought electro back to the masses and the UK media.

To win a double prize of both 'Lumineux Noir' & 'EY VOL1' simply send us your name and postal address here. with the header Marsheaux/EY.

This comp closes on June 30th and is open to EY readers across Europe.


'EY VOL 1' will be available to order via Musicnonstop shortly.


Related links:
Pre-order 'Lumineux Noir' from Out Of Line
Marsheaux @ myspace
Official Marsheaux forum

A few months back, we ran a Human League competition for readers to see Philip and the girls perform live at Forestry Commission's annual Live Music programme on July 9th and we are pleased to announce that the following people will each receive a pair of tickets.

Innovative electro congratulations to:

Michele Bowker
London

Heather Look
Aldermaston

Steven Howard
Aylesbury

Keep up with the very best Human League gossip over at the Secrets forum.




Coming tomorrow - La Roux - the girl from BEF?

Love from a radial emotional orac x

MARSHEAUX have released their most accomplished work in their third opus 'Lumineux Noir'.

All the potential that was showcased on the first two albums 'E-Bay Queen' and 'Peek A-Boo' has now been fully realised.

There are no covers this time, such was the determination of Marianthi and Sophie to make this the artistic statement from their electro heart.
But as the album title suggests, in amongst the night there's something a bit brighter lurking too.

They've not turned into NINE INCH NAILS just yet!

With their contrasting vocal stylings; Marianthi: soft and sweet, Sophie: more alto and icy; they compliment each other in a similar fashion to Helen and Mira in LADYTRON or Claudia Brucken and Suzanne Freytag when they fronted PROPAGANDA.

If PROPANGANDA were 'ABBA in hell' then MARSHEAUX are the 'Hellectro' Agnetha and Annifrid. With a sexy Eurocentric charm, their voices are the crucial additional instrument alongside all the electric dreams.

With a cinematic start in 'Exit', there are no bright lights but it builds. It's also a statement of intent as MARSHEAUX launch a darker approach to proceedings recalling how DEPECHE MODE opened their first black day with a 'Black Celebration'.

'Breakthrough' borrows LADYTRON's electro-rock template with a thundering four-to-the-floor beat and sprinkling of synthesised sweeps.


The 'warm' LADYTRON tag that some have been using to describe MARSHEAUX isn't far off as this has a similar energy to Tron's 'Sugar' but adds an uplifting quality to avoid it slipping into neo-indie rock gloom.

'Who's gonna make you feel alright?' indeed!

Sweetness presides in 'Summer' with an instant melody and hypnotic octave shifts. There's also vibratoed interludes which shows how the inventive use of virtual analogue sounds is very much part of MARSHEAUX's electro DNA, it's quite lovely.

Meanwhile, the more urgent 'Stand By' has a great chorus among the swirling glissando and staccato stomp. The trademark counterpoint between the Marianthi and Sophie's different vocal timbres works a treat here.

'Radial Emotion' is the most immediate track on 'Lumineux Noir' but that's not to say there isn't more substance to it.
Other than being immensely catchy, there is a battle of the squelchy synths taking place amongst the Atari game jingles and syndrums!

The pace slows a little for 'Destroy Me' which is very dreamy with its (shock horror!) acoustic guitar samples sitting alongside the symphonic strings and Teutonic pulse.

Again, the vocals are just gorgeous. They have a breathy quality that will make you melt.


'Loss Of Heaven' is another song you will fall for with its choral edge and meaty syncopated Klingklang beat. Fast, appregiated sequences punctuate the mood towards the climax.
'Faith' shows despite working in a largely electro pop context, MARSHEAUX are not afraid to add in some avant experimentation with some Stockhausen-like detuned tones for extra spookiness.



'It's Fine' is rhythmically a sister to 'Breakthrough' but with a new found aggressiveness.
Whilst not sounding like THE PRODIGY, it's a pointer as to how Sophie and Marianthi were consciously trying to make this album a little less girly.

'Thousand LEDs' is closest to the straightforward electro pop sound of early MARSHEAUX as heard on 'E-Bay Queen'. It's a rather nice way of saying 'Hey, this is what we were like but listen to the next one to hear how we've moved on'.


So with the following 'So Far', it's one of highlights in a remarkable album of highlights. As approved by BBC 6Music's Stuart Maconie who likened it to early HUMAN LEAGUE when he heard the track on its public debut at EY4, it is strangely edgy while still being accessible.
At first, it does sound odd.

There's lots of bleeping and what appears to be a syntax error. And this is where its genius lies. In the same way TUBEWAY ARMY's 'Are Friends Electric?' riff is discordant and off-key, the fat REX THE DOG influenced bassline IS off-beat but it works!
Add in the classic MARSHEAUX angelic vocals and you have one of the most innovative electronic tracks of the decade. Marianthi pining 'I don't know why I still feel you so far!' will be guaranteed to give you goosebumps.

The magnificent closer 'Sorrow' is the best DEPECHE MODE song that Messrs Gahan, Gore, Fletcher and Wilder never recorded.

It is totally epic and wears guilt like shackles round its feet, like a halo in reverse.

Simply brilliant!

This album is technically very accomplished and has a dynamically Krafted sound, thanks to George Geranios and Nick Bitzenis of FOTONOVELA at the production helm.

It's 'Architecture & Morality', 'Violator' and 'Dare' all-in-one, combined with a feminine touch. With hooks galore and plenty of space for all the sounds to work in, 'Lumineux Noir' has the 'air-synth' factor of those afore-mentioned classics plus some enormously hummable tunes that lifts it way above the competition.

So beautiful in places yet slightly unsettling in others, 'Lumineux Noir' has the melancholic realism of Martin L Gore's best songs with the textural grandeur of ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK.

Add in a touch of electro pop sensibility via THE HUMAN LEAGUE with the analogue inspiration of KRAFTWERK and you have one of the best albums of the last twenty years!

'Simply the finest electro album since DEPECHE MODE's Violator'claimed The Fly when it wrote about THE PRESETS 'Beam'...NAH!
That was nowhere near close!

MARSHEAUX's 'Lumineux Noir' is the real thing!

EY RATING: 9.5 out of 10

Related links:
Pre-order 'Lumineux Noir' from Out Of Line
Marsheaux @ myspace
Official Marsheaux forum

Undo Records and Germany's Out Of Line label have released details of one of the key electronic albums of the year - the third studio album from Greek Sensations Marsheaux.


Marianthi & Sophie's new pop gem 'Lumineux Noir' is released on July 10th as an Out Of Line limited edition together with a bonus disc of 'Breakthough' remixes and it's EY's most played album of the week.


This edition also comes with the 2008 vinyl single 'Ghost'.


A standard worldwide version of the album will be available on CD and digital outlets in late July.

The tracklisting for the LTD German edition is now confirmed as:


CD 1

Exit
Breakthrough
Summer
Stand By
Radial Emotion
Loss Of Heaven
Destroy Me
Faith
Ghost
It's Fine Now
Thousand LEDs
So Far
Sorrow

CD 2

Breakthrough - Radio Edit
Breakthrough - Fotonovela Remix
How Does It Feel?
Breakthrough - Auto Auto Remix
Breakthrough - Marsheauxxxx Remixxxx
Summer (Radio Edit)
Summer (august 15th Remix)

To pre-order this edition directly from Out Of line for just 14.99 (Euros)- please click here.




Undo Records are also releasing an alternative Special Edition in lush packaging complete with posters featuring lyrics from 'Lumineux Noir'.

The packaging is pictured opposite and contains the main album minus the Out Of Line 'Ghost' bonus track.
This Undo version will be avaialble drectly from their official site soon.

An EY review of this very special release will follow shortly from Chi Ming Lai, but in the meantime do head on over to the official Marsheaux forum where you could win one of the Undo promos autographed by S&M!

All you need to do is complete the following sentence in no more than 15 words....

'I want to be Luminous Black because....'


The closing date for this comp is Tuesday June 23rd at 21:00 GMT


Related link: official Marsheaux forum

LITTLE BOOTS' debut album was released this week to great fanfare with a big media campaign including TV advertising and a pair of gigs at HMV stores in Blackpool and London.


EY were there at HMV Oxford Street and here's Chi Ming Lai's eyewitness report.

'It's exciting being the new girl, but the hype has put pressure on this album...it's all good though' said Victoria Hesketh to The London Paper.

'LA ROUX's done amazingly well, which shows the charts aren't what everyone thought - that people don't just want Akon or whatever and maybe times are changing'

A large and varied crowd gathered for a free concert and signing by BBC Sound of 2009 and EY fave LITTLE BOOTS. They were of all ages, genders, sexualities and races. But herein lays the potential pro and con of her appeal. Everyone wants their own version of LITTLE BOOTS. Whereas everyone is entitled to their opinion, one clueless criticism came on one forum: 'album is a bit meh...Next album, more pop production, less electro please'.

Huh? It would appear some people don't understand LITTLE BOOTS and the lineage linking her to GIORGIO MORODER, THE HUMAN LEAGUE and PET SHOP BOYS.

She may be glamourous and girly but there's her Korg synth, her Stylophone and Yamaha Tenori'on.

She is one of EY, a 'synth geek' albeit a very pretty one...

One thing for sure is that LITTLE BOOTS needs to be experienced live. Victoria gave her all during the short set on the small shop stage as she had done at Heaven several weeks previously.

Playing keyboards and stylophone, dancing and waving her tambourine, programming her Tenori-on and engaging the gathered throng, she gave an enthusiastic performance that will almost certainly wow festival audiences this summer.

New single 'Remedy' particularly sounded impressive, kicking powerfully with the (say it quietly!) live drum kit than on record while 'New In Town' works well in a concert setting despite its disappointment as a single. But it's the other songs 'Meddle', 'Mathematics' and 'Stuck On Repeat' that show where the spirit and excitement of LITTLE BOOTS truly lies.

Victoria kept her cool as what appeared to be hundreds of Paparazzi tried to photograph her while she was genuinely a bit taken aback to see her live visage on the large live screen projection at the back of the stage.

Afterwards, Victoria met the fans to sign copies of 'Hands'. Record store signings can be distinctly impersonal affairs through no fault of the artist.

Security can often be just a little over zealous as they were to me when I chatted to Victoria and lent over to pass an EY business card to her.

She gave me a quick smile and said she'd check out the site while I was 'moved on'!

But not before she scribbled on my CD booklet: 'Dear Chi, Lots of Love Boots x' (sigh!)







Orac's electro media watch




With such a high profile release this week from Little Boots (and 'Hands' is currently dominating EY HQ's hilariously retro Ghetto blaster), the UK media has been full of coverage for two of it's leading girls - Little Boots and La Roux.

A chart battle is brewing on the horizon which is beginning to catch the imagination of the UK's media, a level of interest that we haven't seen since the head on 1995 Brit Pop collision between Blur and that Gallagher band (whom we refuse to mention here on EY).

Earlier this week, BBC reporter Ian Young posted an article on the 'new pop divas' with amusing pye charts to explain and introduce the new electro sound to an audience whose ears have been repeatedly bashed and damaged by R'n'B.





Little Boots pye chart contains 13% of Human League and a whopping 23% of Saint Etienne (Ian is on to something there) whilst La Roux's biggest influence appears to be the Eurythmics with 25% and a nice slice of Yazoo on 15%.

No mention for Heaven 17 even though Elly has name checked them several times in recent months and declared 'Come Live With Me' as one of her all time fave tunes.

Ian's other pop diva is Florence & The Machine with bits of Bjork and Kate Bush - so we may have to delve into her music at some point.

To read Ian's article in full, please click here.

Elsewhere on the BBC, Lady Victoria explained how and why the perfect collaboration with Philip Oakey became a reality for the stunning 'Symmetry':

A year ago she was singing covers on YouTube. Now she's rolling out dream duets with 80s pop outfit The Human League on her debut album, Hands.

"I'd written this song called Symmetry and it just felt like it needed some male vocals on there," she explains. 'I'm a huge Human League fan and I just didn't think it would happen. When Phil Oakey said he would do it, I was like, 'Wow, incredible', because I'm just a massive fan.
Unfortunately we didn't get to be in the studio together, gutted.'

As for joining her hero onstage at one of the mountain of festivals she's playing this summer, Victoria had this to say: 'In my dreams it may happen, in my electric dreams boom boom.'

For the full interview - jump here.

Staying with the electro loving BBC, the corporation gave 'Hands' a glowing review describing it as 'the sort of album which unites lovers of pop, young and old' with the following praise for 'Symmetry':
'Of the highlights, Phil Oakey popping up to duet on Symmetry is a thing that dreams are made of, and may cause riots if not released as a single at some point.'

Link: BBC Music


Grab a copy of 'Hands' and hear what all the fuss is about...




Depeche Mode resume tour in Germany

Dave Gahan returned to the stage last night in Leipzig, Germany thanking fans for all their support since the singer was taken seriously ill in Athens last month. Twelve shows were cancelled or postponed in total including the high profile O2 gig in London a few weeks back.

Dave also praised the doctors who looked after him during treatment for a low-grade malignant tumour and said 'Being back onstage is an incredible feeling and I'm looking forward to each and every show'.

The Tour of The Universe moves on to Berlin on June 10th and Depeche release their new single 'Peace' on June 15th.

Source: BBC News

'Let's be really honest - this is showbiz. Which is why 'Dare' worked - we had pictures of the group, professional photography and the name of the group very big. We're gonna do what we can to sell it. It's the music we care about, but if people can't walk in the shop and say 'I like that group I saw last night', it's not going to get you anywhere'.
Philip Oakey, from 'Totally Wired: The Post-Punk Interviews' by Simon Reynolds

'The goal, I suppose, is to sell records'. Victoria Hesketh, from interview with Popjustice

'I really clearly thought 'We are going to be the new Roxy Music'. There was a band at the time in Sheffield called The Extras and they had the same idea. But they did it by having one guy be like Bryan Ferry, getting in a sax player like Andy MacKay, getting in a synth guy like Eno! What we thought was 'What would Bryan Ferry do now if he was coming out of art college and wanting to make music? 'That's what THE HUMAN LEAGUE did - notice what was going on and what had changed with technology!'
Philip Oakey, from 'Totally Wired: The Post-Punk Interviews' by Simon Reynolds.

So what would Joanne Catherall and Susanne Sulley do today if they were coming out of school and wanting to make music? With the cheap laptop / keyboard technology available and a taste for quirky pop forms, they probably would have come up with something like LITTLE BOOTS and wouldn't have bothered going on tour with a fragmented synth boy band!

Sharing a musical affinity with THE HUMAN LEAGUE, PET SHOP BOYS and GOLDFRAPP, LITTLE BOOTS aka Victoria Hesketh is possibly the next star of quality electro pop. And she's doing it her way. Not for her, the 'boys with toys' attitude of repeating everything in the DEPECHE MODE songbook.


There has never been a young lady who has fully embraced a love of gadgets, electronic disco and decadent glamour.

All this fused with musicianship and an ambition to become very popular.

She's everything that her older 'electro sister' Alison touched on but never fully realised. Ms Goldfrapp has been one of the most influential figures in 21st Century female pop but there was always the impression she was never totally comfortable on stage and quite embarrassed about playing the role of a space age disco diva.

No such inhibitions for Miss Hesketh though.

LITTLE BOOTS has commanded a lot of attention having been voted 'BBC Sound of 2009'. With every act who has been awarded the 'Sound' accolade going on to major success (except notably, electro-influenced THE BRAVERY), expectations for her debut album 'Hands' have been high.

Many of the tracks have been blogged for over a year now so how fresh can an album be when her audience actually know most of the songs? Certainly as Quentin Crisp once remarked, 'familiarity breeds contempt' and the impact of several brilliant tracks has been dampened as a result.

Of course, this is the modern way of marketing but there are still many who are oblivious to the joys of Lady Victoria and will need to be persuaded to join 'The Cult of Boots'!

'New In Town' was the first song Victoria wrote with Greg Kurstin in LA having been left behind by her former Dead Disco bandmates. She goes into semi-shouting mode because she wants to 'show you a good time'.
It's a feisty if unadventurous opening but luckily, everything else on 'Hands' is better. A great analogue riff opens 'Every Little Earthquake'. Its brilliance comes from the chorus being catchy and uplifting while the downbeat love story is in the best tradition of Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Annifrid.
Will they ever do a musical around the songs of LITTLE BOOTS? Only time will tell but I bet you it will be based on Venus rather than an idyllic Greek island.

Next is EY's song of 2008 and the track that started it all. A co-write with Greg Kurstin and Joe Goddard from HOT CHIP, the Moroder-esque 'Stuck On Repeat' is pure synth heaven!


It was the most downloaded free 'single of the week' in the history of iTunes earlier this year but the savage edit included here makes it feel like a book without its final chapter.


Yes, the original was quite long but a better compromise could have been reached like in the six minute live version.

However, 'Stuck On Repeat' still achieves that PET SHOP BOYS-like ambition of being pop art.

The mood subsides for 'Click' which is full of bubbling effects to a precise chattering rhythm. Victoria is not afraid to use old style analogue sounds and placed together with her sweet voice, a warmth presides through all her songs despite all the incumbent circuitry.

'Remedy' starts with some terrific scaling synth riffage reminiscent of CYNDI LAUPER's 'She-Bop'. And yes, the soaring singalong chorus is pure ABBA!
Enhanced to great poptastic effect with a production by RedOne of LADY GAGA fame, this smells of big hit potential.






Speaking of which, the stuttering beats of 'Meddle' see that song's producer Joe Goddard playing at being Timbaland while Victoria does her Britney.

But if you stuck in crashing distorted analogue noise instead of the digital claps, it wouldn't sound that much unlike 'Travelogue' era HUMAN LEAGUE.

In 'Ghost', we have the world's first electro Argentine Tango.
Appropriately enough, Argentine Tango, like electro, is a continually evolving art form which has changes occurring virtually everyday unlike traditional Ballroom Tango where the steps have been fixed in style for decades!

Sound familiar?






Starting with Victoria's 'ooh-ohh-ooh-ohh' samples before snare drums launch into a military tattoo, the gorgeous ARP-styled string synths provide the chill over the baroque sequences. Like a piece of mini-musical theatre, 'Ghost' has a spirit of adventure.

Anyone remember Pythagoras? His formula helped calculate the size of the different sides of a triangle. Victoria loves her space triangles and 'Mathematics' manages to cleverly mix in numerically correct bleeps with a Sylvia Plath poem. Strange subjects and strange sounds but unlike Fourier analysis, it's all very accessible. The formula for love? 'A heart plus a heart'....that 'nothing can divide'.

'Symmetry' is the long awaited duet with Philip Oakey; Victoria has not hidden her love of Sheffield's finest and the end result really does sound like a League track from the 'Secrets' sessions.


Philip says to Victoria: 'Tell me your dreams and I'll tell you all my fears'.


They compliment each other in a way that's not been heard even on a League record before as this is a proper old-fashioned duet.




With a fabulous chorus, this will be the nearest thing you'll get to a new HUMAN LEAGUE track before the decade is out! Meanwhile, EY has found its next dancefloor filler!

Tune Into My Heart' shows how machines can have a pulse too. Despite some fairly cold wave Moogy backing, Victoria's feminine instincts add charm, colour and melody.

Dynamics are provided by the kind of syncopated 'dry' drum patterns heard on NEW ORDER's mid-80's albums, thanks to production from LADYHAWKE collaborator Pascal Gabriel. It adds a sense of alternative looseness to the programmed proceedings

If you're an electronic music fan and you fail to like this, then your VCO is probably broken!

Things get a bit more leftfield with 'Hearts Collide' where Victoria reveals a taste for the more challenging textures of THE KNIFE and FEVER RAY.

Her 'little girl lost' manner keeps it pop but there's a breathy 'Film Noir' edge about it.


The work of Gallic Chanteuse MYLENE FARMER (who had a French No1 with MOBY) springs to mind. Victoria says 'her hands are tied'...what could she mean? There's definitely more to this girl and this is what sets her apart from some of the other acts she's thrown in with.

On closer 'No Brakes', love overtakes as a female interpretation of 'Love Comes Quickly' provides the 'L-Word' electro generation with a PET SHOP BOYS tribute. Victoria delivers a Northern lass monologue over the beautiful strings which then build around the pulsing bass sequences like classic Tennant and Lowe.

It's simply quite Bootiful!

But just as you think the CD ends, there's a hidden track that brings us a token piano ballad. Victoria said she didn't want to make a Tori Amos type 'girl on a piano' album but here she is with 'Broken Heart'. Still, 'Hands' is a strong debut so she can be forgiven.

Better that's she's being Tori Amos than bloody Katie Melua!

'Hands' has a major emotive quality despite all the programmed technology in its backbone.

The word ' heart' is used rather a lot. Women are known to be better at expressing their feelings than men so it was always a given that if they ever took to control of a synthesizer, modern electro pop would be forever changed from its Krafty origins.



LITTLE BOOTS' debut really has been worth the wait!

EY RATING - 8.5 out of 10

Choice tracks: 'Click', 'Earthquake', 'Meddle', 'Symmetry'. 'Hearts Collide', 'Tune Into My Heart', 'Remedy', 'Stuck On Repeat'.



'Hands' is released in the UK on June 8th

Already praised by some of the UK's finest music sites including Worrapolava and Popjustice who swiftly awarded the following track as a PJ Song Of The Day, Hurts are a brand spanking new all boy(!!) duo who have risen from the ashes of Manchunian electro band Daggers.

The Daggers quickly became a fave of NME headlining several shows that eventually led to a Gary Numan support slot before disbanding for reasons unknown.
Their track 'Money' - which kicked off the very first EY event with Marsheaux - was one of our most cherished pop tunes of 2007 (we even tried to get it for 'EY VOL 1').


Not one to hang around and forever armed with his bible (a copy of Simon Reynold's definitive guide to early 80's new wave 'Rip It Up and Start Again'), singerTheo has created a new band and knocked out a future pop hit called 'Wonderful Life' and it's a stunning track.



Not to be confused with Black's equally brilliant and somber single of 1987, Hurts really do have a gem on their hands here that reminds EY HQ of ZTT and the genius of Propaganda (MK1).

With lots of sweeping chords, powerful hooks and the odd analogue bleep, this all seems very, very promising at a time when the girls are really leading the pack here in the UK with electro.

Special mention must go to the black and white promo video with some of the best dancing since Chris Lowe's little twist in the video for 'What Have I Done To Deserve This'.

Can we have some more?

Hurts @ myspace



Marsheaux bring on 'Summer'



Not too long to wait now for the brand new Marsheaux album 'Lumineux Noir' in synchronicity with a very rare hot spell here in the UK, the Marshy girls have added the insanely catchy 'Summer' to their official myspace player.

Once it's in your head, it simply won't leave so be warned before hitting this link.

An exclusive UNDO extended version of the track is still on offer for a limited time if you head over to the Marsheaux forum and sign up here.



Marsheaux made their debut over at Amazon.co.uk with the official Out Of Line release of 'Breakthrough' - the first single to be lifted from 'Lumineux Noir' on May 29th.

For just under 4 squid - you can get a digital bundle that includes Marsheaux's first ever b-side 'How Does It Feel' - or you can grab the tracks individually for 79 pence each.

Click here to legally download some Athens brilliance.

orac

With just over a week before her long-awaited debut album 'Hands' is released, LITTLE BOOTS aka Lady Victoria Hesketh played under the arches at London's Heaven for her biggest headline show yet.


Much has been anticipated since she was voted BBC Sound of 2009.

Amidst some press and (so-called) pop fan backlash while her first major label single 'New In Town' was launched, Victoria took to the stage in a beautiful gold dress and matching heels accompanied by one of the brightest light shows in clubland.

Opening with 'Earthquake', this is the electro-ABBA number that Phil Oakey had been threatening to do since around 'Dare'. With her Agnetha-like soprano vocal, Victoria does that Bjorn and Benny trick of fusing downbeat relationship lyrics with a high octave killer chorus topline. Despite the melancholy, like with ABBA, you can't help but smile while being graced with this delightful ditty.





Two singles followed and played back-to-back, they couldn't be anymore different.


'Meddle' is wonderfully squelchy with its stuttering rhythmic backbone and Gregorian chant middle eight while 'New In Town' is all shouty and in-yer-face, a bit like a hen night in Blackpool!


LITTLE BOOTS' music is varied if nothing else.

Lady Victoria loves her gadgets and is a real Tesla girl. On stage were her ever faithful Tenori-on, a fantastic LITTLE BOOTS branded Stylophone and ubiquitous Korg synth.






With THE KNIFE-like 'Mathematics', she pulls off that brilliant past trick done by KRAFTWERK, THE HUMAN LEAGUE and OMD of adding some equations into the pop mix.

Simmer with some additional references from Sylvia Plath's 'Life Is A Parralax' and you have something for the smarter than average bear.

Next came 'Click'. As one of Victoria's moodier numbers, it's a grower in the truest sense of the word. Criticised by some for being too slow, it's hardly a dreary Snow Patrol power ballad!

With its layered sequencing and her lyrical frustration at the lack of chemistry with a potential suitor, it showcases the ambition of her songwriting.

'Tune Into My Heart' sounds like 'Telekon' era GARY NUMAN defrosted to room temperature with some added feminine glitz. A bassline in triplicate drives it along while the pretty melody does what it says on the tin. What strikes you about this one is how all the weird juicy Moog noises are somehow cleverly voiced into a pop context.

One can picture beautiful robots dancing alone!


The scaling analogue riff of 'Remedy' brings to mind the wonderful 'She-Bop' by CYNDI LAUPER. With a soaring, singalong chorus, Victoria looked astonished as the crowd joined in. If there is a belting hit single in the LITTLE BOOTS cannon, it has to be this one! Getting one of the biggest cheers, it was one of the highlights of the evening.

Victoria announced the next song 'Symmetry' as a duet recorded with Lord Philip Oakey for her album ' Hands'.
As she started, she looked around nervously as if waiting for a date to arrive.

Suddenly as the chorus was about to start, a tall familiar figure with the dead-pan baritone appeared stage right to the delight of everyone. An electric dream sounding like a lost HUMAN LEAGUE classic, Victoria did her best Susanne Sulley impression in a 'Don't You Want Me' for the 21st Century.

It really was love in perfect symmetry although it was amusing to see the diminutive figure of Lady Victoria standing next the six foot plus frame of Lord Oakey. A fitting endorsement from one of the pioneers to the new girl in town, it was like a synthetic baton being handed over for the next phase of electronic pop music.





'Love Kills' has now become so associated with LITTLE BOOTS that no-one seems to remember it was written by Giorgio Moroder and Freddie Mercury! And herein lays the clues to Lady Victoria's muse.



It's the influence of European electronic disco forms like 'Italo' and Moroder's Music Machine that readily aligns her with people like PET SHOP BOYS (who she'll be supporting on their upcoming US shows) and of course, THE HUMAN LEAGUE.

She has passion for music, knows her history and it shows.

'Stuck On Repeat' is the ultimate nod to Moroder and got rapturous applause as the encore; this classic is infectious, melodic perfection. Performing it with her band, she's like a cross between Kylie Minogue and Alison Goldfrapp.



While still honing her stage act, Victoria is naturally both lively and engaging. While perhaps not as relaxed as she has been at previous shows due to the bombastic PA which drowned her out at times and most probably, the suits from Warners watching her every move, she still danced, smiled and played to her hearts content to the delight of the predominantly male crowd.

The pace of the show was kept very vibrant; there was no time to take a breather.
Even the slower numbers were closer to a Unicorn gallop rather than a steady canter.

As her YouTube covers attest, her brief but sharp show really was ALL ABOUT THE FUN!

For those who may have found 'New In Town' a little disappointing, luckily every other song played tonight from 'Hands' is much superior.


And this is without numbers like the sophisticated electro-tango 'Ghost'[ which was absent from the set tonight.


Believe the hype, LITTLE BOOTS really is the future of pop. Ignore her if you must but you'll be missing something!

Related links:
Pre-order 'Hands'



Myspace are now exclusively streaming the entire Little Boots debut album 'Hands' from today for a limited time only.

Do grab some wine and nibbles and check out our fave tracks 'Tune Into My Heart', 'Remedy' and future Number One - 'Symmetry' just to see what all this EY fuss is about,


Simply jump here jump here for one of the biggest things to happen to UK electro since The Human League.