(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

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Out now is “Data Regina [Embodied]” by Olivia Louvel presenting a selection of live tracks taken from “Data Regina”. “Data Regina” was centered around a tale of 16th century British history with Mary Queen of Scots, her poetry and her battles and was released in early 2017.

This new EP – running over 38 minutes – was compiled from 3 recordings in Bexhill (Outland, 13 June 2019), in London (Iklectik, 22 May 2019) and in Leeds (Synth Remix tour, 10 November 2018). To date, this set was last performed at the Chapter Arts Center in Cardiff, 6 March 2020.

About “Data Regina”

On “Data Regina” Louvel assembles a digital narrative through 17 electronic compositions (including a series of instrumentals) capturing different palettes, tones, playing with identity within the ‘duality-duel’ relationship of the two women, two queens and cousins, who were never to meet.

As well as the publication of a CD, the interactive digital work www.dataregina.com provides a further platform to showcase the 3D animations produced by young animator Antoine Kendall as well as curated historical references.

Composed and mixed by Louvel, the album also features Fiona Brice (Bella Union, John Grant….) on violin.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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Yann Tiersen has shared a newly recorded version of one of “Rue des Cascades” featuring Ólavur Jákupsson on vocals. Originally recorded in 1997, “Rue des Cascades”, the new version will be featured on his forthcoming album, “Portrait”, out on 6 December 2019.

Tiersen explains, “I always had it in my mind to re-record it one day. The opportunity to re-record the track with 21 others from across my career and three new songs, presented itself after the completion of my recently built analogue studio on a remote Breton island.”

For the occasion Tiersen has been working alongside collaborators such as John Grant, Gruff Rhys from Super Furry Animals, Stephen O’Malley from Sunn O))), and Blonde Redhead.

Here’s the video for the newly recorded version of “Rue des Cascades”.

“Portrait” is a collection of 25 newly recorded tracks from throughout his career that includes three new songs. The tracks span Tiersen’s entire career: from his debut album “The Waltz of the Monsters” (1995) through to “Dustlane” (2010) and includes his most recent albums, “EUSA” and “ALL”.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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“Portrait” is a brand new career-spanning (all re-recorded) album for Yann Tiersen featuring Gruff Rhys, John Grant, Stephen O’Malley and Blonde Redhead and also including 3 new songs. PORTRAIT

Recorded to 24-track 2-inch tape, mixed to stereo ¼ inch tape then mastered from tape to vinyl, the album is a fully analog approach for Tiersen. “Limiting our ability to digitally manipulate, overdub or make changes after deciding a creative path gave an energy and beautiful tension to the recording process which I’d found was being lost with the limitless possibilities of digital recording. Not translating sounds into 1 and 0 keeps music in the real world.”

Besides the before mentioned featurings, the album was recorded with touring collaborators Emilie Tiersen, Ólavur Jákupsson and Jens L Thomsen at The Eskal, the new analog studio complex Tiersen recently built on his home island of Ushant in Brittany.

Below you can listen to the first two tracks to be launched from the album, “Introductory Movement (feat. Stephen O’Malley)” and “Monochrome (feat. Gruff Rhys)”:

“Portrait” tracklisting

• Introductory Movement (feat. Stephen O’Malley)
• The Long Road (La Longue Route)
• Monochrome (feat. Gruff Rhys)
• Chapter 19 (feat. Ólavur Jákupsson)
• Rue des Cascades (feat. Ólavur Jákupsson)
• The Old Man Still Wants It
• Gwennilied (feat. Emilie Tiersen)
• Prad (feat. Stephen O’Malley)
• Diouz An Noz (feat. Emilie Tiersen & Ólavur Jákupsson)
• Porz Goret
• La Dispute
• Pell (feat. Emilie Tiersen)
• Erc’h (feat. Ólavur Jákupsson)
• The Wire (Sur le Fil)
• The Waltz of the Monsters (feat. Emilie Tiersen)
• Closer (feat. Blonde Redhead)
• Naval
• The Jetty
• Koad (feat. Ólavur Jákupsson)
• Prayer No.2
• Gronjord (feat. Ólavur Jákupsson)
• Kala (feat. Ólavur Jákupsson)
• Comptine d’Un Autre Été (L’Après-Midi)
• Tempelhof (Part 2)
• Thinking Like A Mountain (feat. John Grant & Stephen O’Malley)

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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French born electronic chansonnière Olivia Louvel has a new concept album: “Data Regina”. The project is inspired by the reign of Mary Queen Of Scots and Elizabeth I. You can order the album right now as a CD digipak via Bandcamp, it will be released February 8. A first track can be previewed below.

On “Data Regina” Louvel assembles a digital narrative through 17 electronic compositions (including a series of instrumentals) capturing different palettes, tones, playing with identity within the ‘duality-duel’ relationship of the two women, two queens and cousins, who were never to meet.

As well as the publication of a CD, the interactive digital work www.dataregina.com will provide a further platform to showcase the 3D animations produced by young animator Antoine Kendall as well as curated historical references.

Composed and mixed by Louvel, the album also features Fiona Brice (Bella Union, John Grant….) on violin. “Data Regina” was mastered by AGF (aka Antye Greie-Ripatti). The project has been brought to fruition with the financial support of the Arts Council, England (Grant for the Arts).

Over the last decade, Olivia Louvel has released 5 solo albums. Her debut album “Luna Parc Hotel” was released on Angelika Koehlermann (Austria), “Lulu In Suspension” inspired by silent-movie star Louise Brooks was released on Optical Sound (France). Since 2011, she has been releasing her music on Cat Werk Imprint, her own label.

Bernard - Side-Line Staff

Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!

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