Blancmange bring Wanderlust tour to Northampton

The synth-pop band, led by Neil Arthur, released their new album Wanderlust in October.

Composed by Arthur and arranged, co-produced and mixed with Benge at the latter’s Memetune Studios in Cornwall, the record follows their collaborative project Fader.

They also worked together on last year’s Blancmange record Unfurnished Rooms which was described by Mojo as "detached, wistful, touched by computer-age unease".

Wanderlust is Arthur’s second album in 2018, following his collaboration with electronic solo artist Jez Bernholz on Near Future’s debut album Ideal Home in May.

Since Blancmange’s Stephen Luscombe was forced by illness to stop touring or recording after 2011’s Blanc Burn, the band has continued with Arthur at the helm.

The band released their dark pop-savvy Semi Detached in 2015 and their first instrumental album Nil By Mouth later in the same year.

The minimalist, brutalist and raw Commuter 23 arrived in 2016, to be followed by Unfurnished Rooms last autumn which also featured John Grant on the closing track, Don’t Get Me Wrong.

Continuing their evolution, Blancmange have been reaching new audiences of late with the 2017 remix of What’s the Time? and a new collaboration between Blancmange and Kincaid.

The new album is focused on similar themes but there’s a new energy to the approach. This spirit is supported by the music, which is vital, percussive, full of analogue machine-noise and chunky basslines.

Blancmange headline the Northampton venue on Saturday, November 24.

Doors open at 7.30pm, tickets cost £19.50 before fees.

For more information, visit www.blancmange.co.uk