Journey through the music of a generation in one of the UK’s most vibrant and creative cities. Features classics, rarities, album tracks and TWELVE previously unreleased gems from The Human League, Pulp (and members thereof), Heaven 17, Thompson Twins, B.E.F., Artery, ABC, Clock DVA, Hula, The Danse Society, In The Nursery, Treebound Story and many more.

So much excitement and anticipation brewed among fans and critics alike soon after the members of A-ha, whom called it a day (or two) in 2010, announced almost five years later that they would reunite albeit only for one album and a world tour. True to their words, A-ha eventually unleashed their most-awaited new album on September 4th. Entitled "Cast in Steel", it is the tenth studio full-length of the Norwegian trio.
"Cast in Steel" is yet another well-planned, well-written, and well-arranged masterpiece. It is steeped in melancholic poetry; cast in Pop, New Wave, and Classical sensibilities; and painted with catchy choruses and memorable melodies…

Founded in the southern German city of Bietigheim-Bissingen by Heiko Maile, Oliver Kreyssig and Marcus Meyn in the year 1984, the band Camouflage scored an unexpected international hit with their debut album 'Voices & Images' in 1988. Their sophomore album 'Methods Of Silence', released just a year later, was an even bigger success. Songs like 'The Great Commandment' and 'Love Is A Shield', went on to become perennial classics of the synth pop genre. Heiko Maile and Marcus Meyn recorded their fourth album 'Bodega Bohemia' in the synthsound studio of Belgian producer and electro-pop pioneer Dan Lacksman. It was released on 26 April 1993. To mark the 30th anniversary of the album, the band opened up the archives to assemble a special bonus edition including a wealth of rare and unreleased recordings.

Blancmange's first album, 1982's Happy Families, yielded the minor radio hit "Living on the Ceiling," which also received a good deal of attention from early MTV. Though Happy Families can accurately be described as techno-pop, it's techno-pop with a modicum of taste and sophistication, putting it more in the ballpark of genre pioneers like OMD and Yazoo than of annoying '80s anachronisms like Kajagoogoo or EBN-OZN. Neil Arthur's lyrics are interesting enough to reward close listening, and his Bowie-esque voice, while somewhat limited, serves the material well. The sound of Happy Families is built largely around synthesizers, played by Arthur and partner Stephen Luscombe. The duo have a knack for catchy basslines and drum programming, on top of which they strategically deploy guitars, Eastern instrumentation, and female backing vocals…

All the ghouls, ghosts and goblins of gothic rock past, present and future have gathered on this very special 2CD Halloween-themed compilation! Includes exclusive tracks not found anywhere else by Lebanon Hanover, Buzz Kull, R. Missing, Bauhaus's David J and others PLUS classic tracks by Ministry, Christian Death, The Damned, Corpus Delicti, The 69 Eyes, Powerman 5000, Skold and more!

A major change of direction for Berlin, Count Three & Pray was an artistic triumph but a commercial disappointment. After making a name for itself playing very European-sounding synth pop, the L.A. trio recruited producer Bob Ezrin (known for his work with Alice Cooper and others) and unveiled a more hard-edged, guitar-oriented sound. From the rockin' "Trash" (which features none other than Ted Nugent – the last person one would expect to work with Berlin!) to the ballad "Pink and Velvet" (a tale of two heroin addicts' romance that is as poignant as it is disturbing), Count Three & Pray leaves no doubt just how much lead singer Terri Nunn and her colleagues were enjoying this radical change. But sadly, record buyers weren't ready for it. Despite the inclusion of the hauntingly pretty number one hit "Take My Breath Away" (included in the film Top Gun) the album didn't sell nearly as well as Pleasure Victim or Love Life. Geffen was bitterly disappointed, and Berlin soon broke up.

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of a new re-mastered compilation of the best of musician / producer Rupert Hine’s albums released under the guise of Thinkman. Following three highly innovative albums as a solo artist, Rupert Hine’s profile as producer of such artists as Howard Jones, Tina Turner et al saw him return to the area of making records as a solo artist under the name of Thinkman. The debut album under this name, “The Formula” was issued in 1985 and was a conceptual work. This was followed in 1988 by the album “Life is a Full-Time Occupation” and in 1990 by “Hard Hat Zone”. All three albums were innovative and imaginative and the music retains a loyal following three decades on. “Fighting Apathy With Shock” has been compiled by Rupert Hine who has personally selected his favourite material from the three albums he recorded as Thinkman. The tracks have been newly re-mastered by Stephen W Tayler.

While it has some mediocre moments, this tense, quirky release also has some magnificent outings, including the epic "Martin" (based on the obscure George Romero psycho/vampire movie), a cut that was originally included on a bonus 12", and the relentless title cut. Not as cheap or sleazy in its sound as Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, the album was still prone to melodramatic writing and performance.

Cherry Red Records are equally delighted and proud to announce the newly remastered and expanded release of Howard Jones’ second album Dream Into Action.
Super deluxe edition includes the two CD + DVD edition, limited vinyl picture disc LP pressing, an extra bonus CD containing the Farmyard Sessions plus other previously unreleased and remastered tracks.
Dream Into Action begins with Howard Jones singing "Things Can Only Get Better," a sentiment that only hints at the good vibes touted by the synth pop singer on his second album. On his debut, 1984's Human's Lib, Jones sang about positivity, but this sequel plays like a self-empowerment manifesto, filled with cautionary tales and anthems of hope…

A unique figure in British music, Anne Clark is a singer and lyricist who works in both electronic and acoustic music, performing literate but emotionally charged songs of contemporary life.
Arguably her strongest overall release, this EP goes hard on the chilly synths except for the first track that's dominated by organic instrumentation. Thing is, even that composition is constructed as if the violins and such are emulating minimal cold synth-work. A unique track that doesn't lighten up concerning the tense, gloomy topics.
Anne's spoken word delivery gets a better mix than in her earlier days, sharper tone and a crystalline clarity that stands out from the soundscapes without overwhelming them. Thus this album sounds super-cold, almost menacing at times…

When they recorded the follow-up to their surprisingly successful debut, the members of Visage appeared to be dealing from a position of strength. But the dance club-fueled, style-obsessed new romantic movement that had propelled the group to success in England was already crumbling, and frontman Steve Strange had begun to take his role as the movement's figurehead a little too seriously. The Anvil, rumored to be the subject of a multi-million dollar feature film (a project that never materialized), emphasizes Strange's penchant for melancholy and melodrama. Where the band's debut undercut such pretensions with humorous tracks like the twangy "Malpaso Man," only one tune here - "Night Train," with a rubbery bassline and blasts of brass backing a tongue-in-cheek tale of intrigue - dares to take liberties with Visage's moody image…