Siouxsie Sioux- New Song in TV Series

Siouxsie Sioux is back! It is her first new offering in almost 8 years. It appeared in the season 3 finale of Hannibal and it is a another masterpiece whose mood and atmosphere remind of early 90's "Face to Face" tune. It is haunting and her voice still sounds amazing. It was written and performed by Siouxsie Sioux and Brian Reitzell, but has not been announced a single.

The Dears Release of their Sixth Studio Album

Montreal based The Dears have shared "Here's to the Death of All the Romance", a great new single which will be featured on their brand new album 'Times Infinity Volume One'. This will be their sixth studio album and the first one since 2011's 'Degeneration Street'. The band is currently working on promotion of the new alum which has been released this week.

https://soundcloud.com/thedears/heres-to-the-death-of-all-the-romance/s-J8Cld

Mercury Rev to Release a New Album in September

Mercury Rev are back! They will release their first album after 2008's 'Snowflake Midnight'. The album will be entitled 'The Light in You' and "The Queen of Swans" is going to be the possible first single to be taken from it. Mercury Rev will also be heading out on a European tour this fall.

In Conversation: October Dance

It was October 2012 when we first got in to the music of October Dance. It was a lovely autumn electro dance affair of "Houses Falling" that caught our attention back then....and yes it happened in October somehow! It still remains as one of the most memorable songs for this year. Soon after, band's universe started to grow. They secured the first record deal, released first EPs and their fanbase has been growing since that. It hard to describe their music in one genre; it has its roots in art pop and it is dance music inspired by variety and diversity of 70's disco, 80's sytnh-pop and 90's house-pop. This year, they have also been performing on the Roskilde festival for the first time and got big plans for the future. Find out more about October Dance's early influence, music video releases and much more.

Very Special Thanks to Tobias Kiel Lauesen!

Editors Announce New Album for October

Editors have announced the release of a brand new album this fall. The album will be entitled 'In Dream' and it will be their 5th studio album and the follow up to their album "The Weigh of Love" from 2013. The band has already reveled two videos for posssible single releases, "No Harm" and "Marching Orders" both released earlier this year. The band also plans a 40 days European tour which will follow the album release which set for October 2nd, 2015.

Parallels Reveal Brand New EP 'Civilization'

Parallels are back! The band has released a brand new EP entitled 'Civilization' which features six brand new tracks including the title track "Civilization" for which they have recorded a music video. One of the tracks is also a cover version of New Order's "Age of Consent". The band is currently touring and promoting the EP, Canada and US mostly. 

 http://iloveparallels.com/

WAW: FFS- Piss Off

As you already saw on our blog earlier this year, we reported about the new Sparks-Franz Ferdinand collaboration called FFS. Their album is out now on Domino Records and the creative units FFS who perfectly meet with their sounds have reveled two new videos for the singles "Piss Off" and "Johnny Delusional" which were released in April and May. The band has embarked on a big European tour and you might find them in the city close to you.

 

Next Wave: L'Avenir

L’Avenir is the cold synth project of veteran electronic musician and sound artist Jason Sloan. Known throughout the space and ambient music scenes for his contemplative electronic soundscape work for over a decade;
Sloan founded L’Avenir as a side project in 2012 to explore his long time love of synthpop, and dark electronic music created purely from vintage and analog equipment. While releasing over a dozen solo albums and EPs under his own name, Sloan has played solo all over the US, Canada and Europe including the influential Live Constructions radio program at Columbia University, STEIM in Amsterdam and Philadelphia’s The Gatherings concert series, one of the country’s oldest continuing ambient and electronic music series.

Sloan is a Professor teaching full-time in the Interactive Arts department along with being the founder and program coordinator for the Sound Art concentration at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. 

His debut album debut album 'The Wait' is now available on Barcelona’s Cold Beats Records on CD and digital formats while Vinyl will follow.  

https://soundcloud.com/jasonsloan

IAMX Announce new Album to be Released in Fall

IAMX have announced the release of a brand new album this fall. This is going to be their sixth studio album which will be entitled 'Metanoia'. The first single is called ‘Happiness’ and features the remix by Gary Numan. It has been released worldwide as a single on all digital outlets on June 19th. To promote the album release, they have also announced a tour which will include more than 20 European shows.

http://iamx.eu/

New Order Announced a New Album for September

New Order will return in September with their 10th studio album entitled "Music Complete'. It's the follow up to their 2005 studio release 'Waiting For The Siren’s Call' and it sees keyboardist Gillian Gilbert returning for the first time since 2001’s 'Get Ready'. The album will include 11 tracks and will be available in a number of formats and it is set for release on September 25th.

Best of 1985 - Top 50 Singles List

The year 1985 was the year of big charity concerts and records. Following up on the release of "Do They Know It’s Christmas Time" from 1984, the big Live Aid concert was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. The event was held simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London, UK, and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, US. Also inspired by Band Aid, USA for Africa band project released "We Are the World", a song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. 

Among the best selling albums this year was Dire Straits’ album Brothers in Arms which at the same time was the first ever album to be released on CD. Jennifer Rush had the best selling single in the UK with "The Power of Love" while in the USA, Madonna and George Michael both solo and with Wham! ruled the charts. 

With 1985 New Wave completely faded, knocked out by guitar-driven rock most notably by the Jangle rock which in this period of time was popularized as College rock with R.E.M. and The Smiths paving the way. On the other hand, Electronic music was transforming into new rhythms with the emerging Chicago house and Detroit techno that would give hits in the years to come.

The following Top 50 represents the result of the 'Best of 1984 - The Singles List' poll from 2014 together with our in-house votes. 

Updated: 08/2020

01. Kate Bush- Running Up That Hill 
02. The Smiths- How Soon is Now? 
03. Pet Shop Boys- West End Girls 

04. The Cult- She Sells Sanctuary 
05. Depeche Mode- Shake the Disease 
06. Killing Joke- Love Like Blood 
07. Simple Minds- Don't You (Forget About Me) 
08. New Order- The Perfect Kiss 
09. The Cure- Close to Me 
10. Talk Talk- Life's What You Make It 
11. a-ha- The Sun Always Shine on TV

12. Grace Jones- Slave to the Rhythm
13. The Cure- In Between Days
14. Echo & The Bunnymen- Bring on the Dancing Horses
15. Jesus and The Mary Chain- Just Like Honey
16. Tears for Fears- Everybody Wants to Rule The World
17. Madonna - Into the Groove
18. Siouxsie and the Banshees- Cities in Dust
19. King- Love and Pride
20. David Bowie and Pat Metheny Group- This is not America

Retrovision: Kirlian Camera- Blue Room

"Blue Room" was released thirty years ago and it was the only single release for them in 1985. In the second half of the 80's decade the sound of Kirlian Camera became gradually darker, moving away from the synth pop sound that marked some of their early releases. Not sure who directed the video for the song, but it prefectly refelcts the really anxious, claustrophobic and emotionally exciting atmosphere of the song. Kirlian Camera is still pretty active in music and two year ago they released a brand new studio album with the new line up. 

Girls Names to Release 'Arms Around A Vision' in October

Girls Names are back with a new album this year which will be out in October. The album will be entitled 'Arms Around A Vision' and it will be their third studio album and a follow up to their brilliant 'New Life' album from 2013. 'Arms Around a Vision' is expected to be more widescreen and  also more direct and aggressive. Conceptually, the album acts as a love letter to European elegance – Italian futurism, Russian constructivism, Germany’s Zero Group and both Neubaten and Bowie’s Berlin. (from the Press Release). The album is set for release on October 2nd on Tough Love. "Reticence" is the first track out of 12 which was premiered on Quietus. 

Dimension Gondry: Radiohead- Knives Out

A new dimension Gondry episode is here. It's the video for Radiohead's song "Knives Out" which was released in 2001 and which was taken from their album 'Amnesiac'. The video features Thom Yorke in a hospital by the bedside of a woman.. The whole video was shot in one take, quite remarkable considering the scene changes required. Attempts to interpret the surreal imagery and fit it with the song lyrics were dashed when Gondry eventually revealed that the video was autobiographical. Some may find thematic parallels with Gondry's later film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The "Knives Out" video was not included in Gondry's compilation DVD 'The Work of Director Michel Gondry'.

Beck's Summer Opener "Dreams" out Now

Beck is back! He does not seem to have taken much break after releasing his brilliant album 'Monrning Phase' last year for which he also won the Grammy for the best album of 2014. He has also left his somber sound behind and decided to come back with more funky disco guitar driven pop which recalls his early 00's hit "Tropicalia", but bit more upbeat. "Dream" is officially out now and what a way to start the summer! 

Duran Duran's Album 'Paper Gods' set for Release in September

So a quick update on the new Duran Duran album release. The album will be entitled 'Paper Gods' and for now there are only five songs confirmed.The producer line will include some old and new names including Nile Rodgers and Mark Ronson as well some new collaborations which are yet to be announced. The band signed a world wide deal with Warner Bros and the album is expected to be released on September 14th.

Next Wave: Trust in Love

Trust in Love is a brand new music project by Adriana Alba. She is referring to it as a secret love project and it is inspired by colour, movement and dimension. Currently she is Brooklyn based and beside music she also busy directing music videos and has worked among others with Xiu Xiu and Xander Harris. Her debut EP 'Obliquity Series' was released last week on AMDDISCS and features five electro dimensional pop songs. 

Check out the following pages for more info: 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trust-in-Love
http://cargocollective.com/adrianaalba
 

WAW: Class Actress- More Than You

Class Actress will return with a brand new EP this month. This is their first follow up, studio release to their debut album 'Rapprocher', which was released in 2011. The new EP is entitled 'Movies' and it will be out on 'Casablanca' records. Their brilliant video for the song 'More Than You' was premiered on Youtube on June 2nd. 

Bananarama to Release a Singles Box Set with 33 Singles

Edsel music have announced the release of a brand new Bananarama compilation entitled 'In A Bunch – The Singles 1981 – 1993'. The compilation includes every single released from their 1981 debut "Aie A Mwana" to 1993’s "More, More, More" with each remastered CD single presented in an individual card sleeve replicating the original vinyl artwork. The box set will also includes a 48-page booklet featuring full lyrics, discography and new sleeve notes. The Singles 1981-1993 box set will be released on 31 July 2015. 

WAW: Blur- There Are Too Many of Us

In the recent years, Damon Albarn has been pretty much active in music and this year his band Blur returned with a brand new studio album 'The Magic Whip'. This is their first album in more than ten years and a direct follow up to 'Think Thank' which was released in 2003. One of the outstanding tracks from the album certainly is "There Are Too Many of Us" which was premiered in March on Youtube. The video for the song was shot during the rehearsals and was directed by the band.