BLANCMANGE

Happy Families/Mange Tout/Believe You Me (Deluxe Editions) 7/10, 7/10, 7/10 Underrated synth-pop surrealists finally get their just desserts

Part of a bumper cohort of synth-pop duos that emerged in the early ’80s, Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe remain one of the most lyrically surreal, sonically adventurous and unfairly overlooked. Spanning 1982 to 1985, their first three albums confirmed Blancmange as an agreeably incongruous hybrid of talking Heads and erasure on infectiously neurotic new-wave electro-funk tracks such as “I Can’t explain”, “Don’t tell Me” and the sitarpowered, wibbly-wobbly chart smash “Living On the Ceiling”. But they also did stately autumnal melancholy, notably on the sumptuous orchestral ballad “Waves” and “the Day Before You Came”, an Abba-approved cover version featuring a sly musical homage to Coronation Street. the mountain of bonus archive material reveals a restlessly versatile band who emerged from the doomy noirrock shadowlands of Joy Division to embrace a broad spectrum of leftfield electronica, from pre-Aphex ambient gleamscapes like “Business Steps” and “Black Bell” to the Indian-influenced audio collage “Vishnu”, which could almost be an offcut from Byrne and eno’s My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts. Unexpected riches galore. Extras: 7/10. In total these reissues feature six extra discs of remixes, demos, alternate versions, radio sessions and live tracks. new penchant for doomy synth-rock. Instead, Panorama’s rough ride prompted a return to the slick pop of Shake It Up and Heartbeat City, albums that better served the bottom line, but now feel more like dead ends. Extras: 7/10 the CD and gatefold double-vinyl editions come with new liner notes by David Wild and interviews with elliot easton and Greg Hawkes.