Blancmange release new single and John Grant remix ahead of latest album, ‘Private View’ – listen here
(Photo by Helen Kincaid) Out on 30 September via London Records is Blancmange’s upcoming album “Private View”. Benge returns as a key collaborator, and David Rhodes (Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Scott Walker) returns as the guitarist, having previously performed with the band on 1982’s debut “Happy Families” (as well as several other Blancmange albums). The new album will be followed by an extensive UK tour that runs from 1 October through to a London Assembly Hall appearance on 10 December, with Stephen Mallinder, Bernholz, Oblong, Rodney Cromwell and Alice Hubble as special guests across the tour.
But first they release a new single, “Reduced Voltage”, alongside a John Grant remix of the track. You can view the accompanying video, created by Harvey Wise, right below.
The new single is accompanied by a remix from long-time collaborator, John Grant who adds: “I have loved Blancmange for close to four decades, so it’s such an honor to be asked to remix a track off the new record. It was a blast and it’s my first. Hope you enjoy.”
You can listen to the John Grant remix below.
Blancmange formed in Harrow, London, in 1979. The band were a duo for much of their career, composed of Neil Arthur (vocals) and Stephen Luscombe (keyboards). Their first real exposure came via the track “Sad Day” on the “Some Bizzare Album” compilation, alongside acts such as Soft Cell and Depeche Mode. This led to them signing a recording contract with London Records. In December 1981 they supported Japan on their “Visions of China” UK tour. What followed were five UK top-20 singles: “Living on the Ceiling”, “Waves”, “Blind Vision”, “Don’t Tell Me” (their best single we would say) and of course also their excellent cover of ABBA’s “The Day Before You Came”. They released three albums during that decade: “Happy Families” (1982), “Mange Tout” (1984) and “Believe You Me” (1985).
The duo parted in 1986 but reformed in the late 2000s, and in 2011 released their fourth album, “Blanc Burn”. Luscombe left following the release due to ill health, and since then Arthur alone has continued to perform under the Blancmange name, releasing nine new studio albums along with a re-recording of the band’s debut album, titled “Happy Families Too…”. He has also been involved in a further three collaborative albums as Fader (with Benge) and Near Future (with Jez Bernholz).
An instrumental album by Blancmange, “Nil by Mouth II”, was released on 22 November 2019 as a limited-edition run of 1000 copies. The album was released on a larger scale on cd in June 2020. A new album, titled “Mindset”, preceded by a single with the same title in February, was released in June 2020.
Extensive UK tour throughout October, November and December
Here are the upcoming UK dates.
- 1 Oct – Rough Trade East, London
- 6 Oct – The HMV Empire, Coventry – w/ Bernholz
- 7 Oct – The Junction, Cambridge – w/ Oblong
- 8 Oct – Subscription Rooms, Stroud – w/ Oblong
- 13 Oct – Arts Centre, Colchester – w/ Oblong
- 14 Oct – University Y Plas, Cardiff – w/ Oblong
- 15 Oct – Cheese and Grain, Frome – w/ Oblong
- 20 Oct – Sub 89, Reading – w/ Oblong
- 21 Oct – The Level, Nottingham – w/ Oblong
- 22 Oct – Glassbox Theatre, Gillingham – w/ Oblong
- 27 Oct – The Fleece, Bristol – w/ Alice Hubble
- 28 Oct – The Boilerroom, Guildford – w/ Alice Hubble
- 29 Oct – Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne – w/ Alice Hubble
- 4 Nov – Exeter Theatre, Exeter – w/ Rodney Cromwell
- 5 Nov – The Brook, Southampton – w/ Rodney Cromwell
- 10 Nov – The Mill, Birmingham – w/ Alice Hubble
- 11 Nov – Kanteena, Lancaster – w/ Alice Hubble
- 12 Nov – The Forum Theatre, Barrow-in-Furness – w/ Alice Hubble
- 17 Nov – Corn Hall, Diss – w/ Rodney Cromwell
- 18 Nov – Gorilla, Manchester – w/ Stephen Mallinder
- 19 Nov – Hangar 34, Liverpool – w/ Stephen Mallinder
- 24 Nov – The Wardrobe, Leeds – w/ Stephen Mallinder
- 25 Nov – The Leadmill, Sheffield – w/ Stephen Mallinder
- 26 Nov – The Riverside, Newcastle – w/ Stephen Mallinder
- 1 Dec – The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen – w/ Stephen Mallinder
- 2 Dec – The Liquid Room, Edinburgh – w/ Stephen Mallinder
- 3 Dec – Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow – w/ Stephen Mallinder
- 9 Dec – Concorde 2, Brighton – w/ Stephen Mallinder
- 10 Dec – Islington Assembly Hall, London – w/ Stephen Mallinder
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