THE SMILE WALL OF EYES XL RECORDINGS 2022 was a breakthrough year for The Smile, the latest project from Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, and Sons Of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner, where the trio released its impressive debut studio [. FUTURE ISLANDS PEOPLE WHO AREN’T THERE ANYMORE 4AD It’s been a long wait for Future Islands’ latest effort, with it being four years since their last release, the acclaimed As Long As You Are. Not that Benge doesn’t get involved with that, but I usually have the song structure and lyrics in place before I send them to him.

Lean and tanned, with cropped hair and beard, he still plays proper, competitive football in an Over-50s FA League. Blancmange vocalist Neil Arthur has been keeping busy since their 80s synthpop heyday, with Private View their 16th album. From the opening song, “What’s Your Name”, with its mellow keyboards, until the last piano note of the album, Arthur and company utilize sound uniquely.

David Rhodes and Dinesh were in hysterics, and Stephen had his back to me in his sari… I thought ‘Oh God, he’s really pissed off with me’. I was thinking about the difficulties everyone is going through, and about the people that aren’t here any more. She borrowed her mum’s Mini Clubman and picked our gear up, dressed to the nines in this beautiful 1950s dress and high heels. But, as you listen intently, you realise Neil Arthur weaves subtle conversational threads through them all.

I thought was a mate having a laugh, some bloke saying ‘Grace Jones wants you to support her next week. We were on our way to the Brunel Rooms in Swindon to play in front of fifty people, and we went across three lanes of the M4!Since reforming just over a decade ago, Neil Arthur has used Blancmange to experiment with sounds and express new found soundscapes across a further ten records.

Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe started experimenting with tape loops and kitchen utensils, before discovering electronics and developing into one of the definitive chart-topping British electronic pop acts of the 1980s. Like to make my life look super cool and exciting online, but usually found at home, with my dogs, sipping wine and listening to Nicki French! It’s reminiscent of past glories in parts, evident with a vintage electronic sheen manifested in Here We Go Go, which has been on the back burner since the 80s according to Neil and is satisfyingly now getting an outing here.With a steadfast pulsing motorik, ‘I Tried To Be You’ features several glorious synth sections which are very pleasing to the ears. years on from BLANCMANGE’s debut album on London Records, ‘Private View’ shows Neil Arthur can still spring some surprises. And that made me think about the miner’s strike, and all kinds of other stuff from the late 1970s and early ‘80s.