Best of 2011- The Singles List

Another great year is coming to an end. Here are the highlights from our monthly round ups and the year end list with Top 30 official single releases. The album list coming up next week!

01. Austra - Spellwork
02. The Horrors - Still Life
03. The Ropes - Lack of Technology Made Me a Killer
04. PJ Harvey - The Glorious Land/ On Battleship Hill
05. Duran Duran - Girl Panic
06. Twin Shadow - Changes
07. Still Corners - Cuckoo
08. Section 25 - Colour, Movement, Sex & Violence
09. Brett Anderson - Brittle Heart
10. A Terrible Splendour - Slaves To The City

Instant Hit: Section 25- Je Veux Ton Amour

Thirty years ago Section 25 released their third single "Je Veux Ton Amour", a french version of the track "Friendly Fires" which appeared on their debut album Always Now. "One True Path" appeared on a flipside, and for this release it was translated in Hawaiian becoming "Oyo Achel Ada". It was produced by Martin Hannett and released through Factory Benelux. 

Vince Clarke and Martin L.Gore Announce Details of VCMG collaboration

After 30 years working on their respective ongoing music projects, Vince Clarke (Erasure / Yazoo / Depeche Mode) and Martin L. Gore (Depeche Mode) come together for the first time since 1981 as VCMG to release a brand new album preceded by a series of EPs.VCMG is the fruit of initially tentative discussion and subsequent enthused collaboration where Vince and Martin, both influential as pioneers in electronic music, get to exercise their lifelong love of the genre as the techno inspired VCMG. 

The writing and recording of the album was done in a typically unique way with the pair working alone in their respective studios, communicating only via email, exchanging files until the album was ready. It was in May 2011 that the pair met for the first time to discuss the project when they both performed at Short Circuit presents Mute festival in London.
The first VCMG EP 'Spock EP1'is available now! 

 More info: http://mute.com/vcmg

WAW: Scratch Massive feat Jimmy Sommerville - Take Me There

Jimmy Sommerville has a brand new website and currently, he is finishing a new EP which will be released at the start of 2012. In the meanwhile check out this great collaboration with Scratch Massive from Paris for the song "Take Me There". The first video clip from their new album "Nuit de Rêve" which is out now.   

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Scratch-Massive/
http://www.jimmysomerville.co.uk/Jimmy_Somerville/Home

   

Next Wave: Space March

Space March is an Australian synth-pop project of Craig Simmons, an artist and designer who has released three solo albums as Space March. His debut album was ranked #1 by music critic Ann Sterzinger in the Chicago Reader's 'The Best Music of 2004' year-end feature. This time Space March has teamed up with legendary producer Mark Saunders whose production and mixing credits include artists like Erasure, Depeche Mode, A-ha, David Byrne, Freezepop, Pnau and also includes seminal albums such as Tricky’s ‘Maxinquaye’ and The Cure’s ‘Wish’. 

The new Space March album 'Monumental' is out now.You can listen to the new album 'Monumental' on SoundCloud in full: 

http://soundcloud.com/spacemarch/sets/monumental/

http://www.facebook.com/spacemarch
http://www.spacemarch.com

November Singles Round Up

November Singles Round up is here. What was hot? Little Boots has returned with her first official release since 2009. The new single is called "Shake" and it's also announcing a new album, yet untitled, for 2012. Erasure have released a seven track CD single "Be With You" which includes five different remixes of the song. The Fall have issued "Laptop Dog", the first song from their new album released this month too. Closing this round up, comes Amanda Lear with her latest single Hi-NRG style "I Don't Like Disco", new album for her again next year.

That's it for this year.
Next Round up in January!
Stick Around!

Howard Jones announces 2012 UK Tour and radio series‏

Howard Jones will embark on a nationwide UK tour on Wednesday 11th April at the O2 Academy Bristol. This will be the first time that Howard will perform his first two studio albums 'Human’s Lib' and  back to back, live in their entirety, on a full-scale nationwide UK tour.

Tickets for what promises to be an unforgettable tour of ground-breaking, classic electronic pop, will go on sale to the general public on Friday 2nd December at 10am by booking online from www.ticketweb.co.uk or calling the 24 hour ticket hotline 0844 477 2000.

Fans that can’t wait for the general ticket on-sale date on Friday December 2nd will be able to take advantage of a special “Ticket Pre-sale” with Absolute 80’s radio at 10am on Wednesday 30th November via the following web links – www.absolute80s.com andwww.absoluteradio.co.uk/tickets.

Rational Youth and YUL Records Are Back!

The original YUL Records is back and celebrating it's 30th Anniversary with the return of Rational Youth whose original three members Tracy Howe, Bill Vorn & Kevin Komoda are back together and recording again. Back as well are Monty Cantsin, in the flesh and as a virtual apparition, Cham-pang. These are the three artists that started a Montreal electro-pop revolution! Joining them are new artists Derek Falls and Truth Division. The label YUL (aviation code for Montreal) is also back with original (d)istributor UNIDISC, who were incredibly instrumental in our success during the 80s.

 In early 1981, it only took a call from Tracy Howe armed with a freshly recorded demo, played over the phone to local scene maker & record store owner Marc De Mouy, to officially launch the YUL Records brand. Along with the self proclaimed motor mouth Pyer Desrochers, and disco producer Pat Deserio, this group of renegades carved out a slice of Montreal musical history by releasing such influential records as Rational Youth's debut LP "Cold War Night Life", Monty Cantsin's "Neoist Songs" and Cham-pang's "Tantum Ergo" which are all now regarded as 80's classics and vinyl collectables.

Now 30 years later we are putting together a series of very special limited edition extended play "CD EPs" priced as CD Singles all with 6 or more tracks and bonus tracks never previously available and brand new recordings. To complete the set of releases a full-length debut CD album from Truth Division. Later in 2012 we will start issuing special vinyl products such as a Collectors 180 Gram Audiophile 30th Anniversary Edition of "Cold War Night Life" and more vinyl 7 & 12 inches form our 80's vault and new recordings from the 21st century.

Follow the link to find out more about the first batch of releases will be available at the finest record stores across Canada, USA and Europe.

http://www.yulrecords.ca/merchandise.php

In Conversation: Claps

Claps are back! After two great EPs from last year, they have released their fantastic debut album entitled 'Wreck'. They might be the next Experimental Products singing and producing music for modern living in the 00's. A modern take on classic minimal synth. Let's hear what Pat, Sara and Jed said about their music, their influences and more.

Kate Bush- 50 Words For Snow

Today (Monday 21st November) marks the release of Kate’s 10th studio Album “50 Words For Snow”. It is the second album to be released on her own label, Fish People. It is her first all-new studio album since 'Aerial' from 2005, and marks the first time since 1978 that she has released two new albums in one year. The album consists of seven songs "set against a backdrop of falling snow" and has a running time of 65 minutes. The first single from the album, "Wild Man" was released on October 11, 2011.

http://www.katebush.com/