Oct 18 2013

[Audio] Vince Clarke reMixes Blancmange’s ‘Living On The Ceiling’

It’s all go in the world of 80s SynthPop legends Blancmange right now. Irene & Mavis, their much lauded début EP from 1980 has been reissued by Minimal Wave records. The six tracks of classic British electronic experimentation, before the catchy Pop tunes, is out now. Alongside which Blancmange are about to head off on a UK tour playing their 1982 breakthrough album, Happy Families, in it’s entirety. Available exclusively on the tour (with a general release coming later) will be Happy Families Too…, a limited edition album set which includes updated recordings of the original songs and reMixes. One of those reMixes sees ElectroPop godfather Vince Clarke, of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure & The Assembly fame, reMixing Blancmange’s biggest hit, Living On The Ceiling. We’re proud to bring you the world exclusive premiere right here on electronic rumors.

A while back Vince Clarke tweeted about how much fun he was having with this reMix, and it sounds like it. Keeping the originals song structure intact (well, you would with such an instantly recognisable tune wouldn’t you), Vince beefs things up a bit with some pounding Techno, borderline EBM, drums and tough synth riffs. Dropping in the odd Acidic squelch here and there, Vince drives the energy levels up as the track heads toward an epic piano breakdown before launching back into it’s power synth finale. As a meeting of SynthPop pioneers, it definitely doesn’t disappoint.

♫ Blancmange – Living On The Ceiling (Vince Clarke reMix)

Blancmange’s Irene & Mavis reissue is out now. Happy Families Too… will be available on their forthcoming UK tour, dates here, in advance of a general release soon.

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Apr 12 2013

[Audio] Vince Clarke reMixes Chad Valley

You know you’ve made it when you can get the most important person in SynthPop to reMix your tracks. We’ll deserved too, Oxford ChillPopster Chad Valley’s Young Hunger album was one of the highlights of last year, now he’s got SynthPop legend Vince Clarke, of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure & The Assembly fame, to rework his track Up And Down. Exciting stuff.

And Vince certainly works his classic SynthPop credentials here,it’s a nice contemporary take on a 80s sound. Almost Erasure-like in places, the reMix rides along on a bouncy synthetic bassline and popping percussive synths while all the time delivering a stomping dancefloor beat. Working well with Hugo’s vocals, in fact making them sound totally retro, Vince proves once again why he is as revered as he is.

♫ Chad Valley – Up And Down (Vince Clarke reMix)

Up And Down is taken from Chad Valley’s début album, Young Hunger, out now.

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Jul 12 2012

Vince Clarke & The Good Natured

The Good Natured

Amazing! That’s what we thought when we heard there was a collaboration between awesome dark ElectroPop princess The Good Natured and SynthPop legend (and if there is one man in the whole world who you can really use the words SynthPop legend in conjunction with, it’s him!) Vince Clarke of Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure & The Assembly fame. Can it really be as good as he sum of it’s parts?

Ghost Train is certainly something special. It’s a modern update on that particular early 80’s SynthPop sound, juxtaposing the deadpan and the epic within the track. Sarah slips between the robotic and the anthemic, which just the smallest nod to contemporary Pop. Under which Vince works his classic SynthPop magic. Buzzing synths cut through the mix alongside pads that really capture the mood of the track and the lyrical content. We’re not sure where this collaboration is going, but we’d definitely like to see an EP at least.

♫ Vince Clarke & The Good Natured – Ghost Train (Vox Mix)

They have also collaborated on anew mixtape, you can here is here.

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May 25 2012

Vince Clarke reMixes LIARS

LIARS

‘No.1 Against The Rush’ is the new single from Californian Indie-Electro weirdos and Mute signees, LIARS. The track starts of well with some lovely electronic tones but around the halfway point slips into slightly mediocre Folktronika. Luckily one of the biggest perks of being on Mute must be access to the legend that is Mr. Vince Clarke.

Vince’s reMix of ‘No.1 Against The Rush’ is a pulsing, synthetic, joy. Combining elements of EBM, House and his love of all things analog synth this reMix whisky your up in it’s dancefloor mesmerism and turns the vocal, originally a half heard sigh amongst the dirge, into a powerful lament. At one this track is both fresh and reminiscent of some of the heydays of clubbing. Mr. Clarke’s repetitive, undulating groove pins the whole track down with the kind of driving force found on early ‘90’s dancefloors in dimly lit European clubs. He’s bringing the New Beat back!

♫ LIARS – No.1 Against The Rush (Vince Clarke reMix)

‘No.1 Against The Rush’ is released 28th May on Mute.

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Jul 23 2010

Vince Clarke reMixes Goldfrapp’s new single

SynthPop legend and all-round synth guru Vince Clarke has reMixed Goldfrapp’s third single from their ‘Head First’ album, ‘Believer’.

The Depeche Mode/Yazoo/The Assembly/Erasure pioneer has gone seriously retro on the track which could easily be ‘2nd album era’ Yazoo, with a syncopated bassline that’s so 80’s it’s amazing! It’s a really cool reMix that sounds retro with out sounding ‘old’.

♫ Goldfrapp – Believer (Vince Clarke reMix (Edit))

Vince is currently in his Cabin studio with Any Bell working on new Erasure material, if this reMix is an indication of the musical mood he’s we could be in for a treat.

‘Believer’ is released 7th September on Mute with reMixes from Vince Clarke, Subway, Joris Voorn and Davide Rossi.