Soft Cell set to release new remix album!

The label that was the first to release tracks by Depeche Mode, The The and Blancmange has just recently announced plans for a 2CD set that will celebrate the world's most influential synth duo.

Some Bizarre/Universal will be releasing 'Heat: The Remixes' on Jan 28th 2008 featuring new electronic interpretations of Soft Cell's analogue classics including singles, choice album tracks (such as it-should-have-been-a-single 'Secret Life')', b-sides and rarities.

The project coordinators include Some Bizarre supreme Stevo who as a teenager in 1982 helped spearhead a UK electro invasion of the US music charts and the much in demand Manhattan Clique who have worked with the coolest of acts including Goldfrapp, Human League, Erasure, B52's, Sophie Ellis Bextor, and Matinee Club.

All the mixes have been provided by genuine fans and this new collection has been described as a 'respectful updating of a seminal electronic era.'
Genre remix faves Cicada (Client, Depeche Mode) bring their distinctive club sound to 'Memorabilia' - a single that influenced the Acid music scene of 1988 whilst Richard X (Girls On Top, Pet Shop Boys, New Order and EY lady of 2007 Roisin Murphy) provides a new mix of 'Seedy Films'

'Heat: The Remixes' has also attracted the knob twiddling talents of The Grid, S-Express innovator Mark Moore and electro Cell/Grid legend Sir Dave Ball.

Soft Cell had an ear for unique sounds and analogue textures that often matched the very best of fellow sound pioneers The Human League and Heaven 17 (the recently discovered demo of 'Temptation' owes much to the dirty analogue minimalism of Almond and Ball).

One of the 80's finest electro albums is the Cell's debut 'Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret' with tales of the darker aspects of English society to some of the catchiest electro hooks ever written, if Michael Caine's uncompromising gangster flick 'Get Carter' were a musical then it would sound exactly like Soft Cell but with saucy club scenes where anything goes and fake glamour.
Reportedly recorded on a diet of alcohol and an endless supply of ecstasy (which was a designer drug back then), the album would ultimately lead sardonic Smash Hits editor Neil Tennant to Chris Lowe who would both pick up what Soft Cell prematurely dropped back in 1984.

It would be so hard to imagine a world wothout the Pet Shop Boys - Soft Cell are still massively influential and we have much to thank them for.

Fans will be pleased to know that an expanded digital release of 'Heat: The Remixes' will also be available with extra tracks whilst a very collectable DJ promo featuring two MHC mixes of 'Torch' are currently finding their way into London's electro clubs (and there are now so many of them).
To help celebrate this release, Manhattan Clique are kindly offering three copies of the vinyl 12" featuring both the vocal and dub mixes of 'Torch' for EY readers to win.
To enter, simply send us your name and postal addy to us with the header 'Torch' via this link.

(comp closes 30/11/07)

The final tracklisting and sequencing is yet to be confirmed but Some Bizarre have released a provisional glimpse:

Memorabilia - Cicada Remix, Seedy Films - Richard X Remix, Bedsitter - Manhattan Clique Remix, Sex Dwarf - The Grid Remix, Tainted Love - Paul Dakeyne Remix, Torch - Manhattan Clique Remix, Where The Heart Is - Marcas Lancaster Remix, Numbers - Spektrum Remix, Heat - Yer Man Remix, The Art Of Falling Apart - Atomizer Remix, A Man Can Get Lost - Marcello Remix, Secret Life - George Demure Remix, Surrender To A Stranger - MHC Remix, So - The Grid Remix, Frustration - Punx Soundcheck Remix, Chips On My Shoulder - Mark Moore & Kinky Roland Remix, Entertain Me - Kinky Roland Remix, Best Way To Kill - Dave Ball Remix, Barriers - Dark Poets Remix, Her Imagination - Monkey Farm Frankenstein Remix.

'Heat: The Remixes' has an official MySpace page and you can sample the new Cicada and MHC mixes by following this link. New mixes are set to follow so keep an eye on that page.

Some Bizarre also have plans for the Soft Cell studio albums with expanded 2CD delux releases featuring demos and previously unheard Cell gems. More news on those when we get them.

[via electronically yours]

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