| Wanderlust | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 19 October 2018 [1] | |||
| Length | 45:52 | |||
| Label | Blanc Check Records | |||
| Producer | Neil Arthur, Benge | |||
| Blancmange chronology | ||||
| ||||
Wanderlust is the tenth studio album by British synth-pop band Blancmange, released in 2018. It was produced by Neil Arthur and Benge, and reached No. 22 on the UK Independent Albums Chart. [2] The single "Not a Priority" features Hannah Peel on backing vocals. [3]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Louder Than War | favourable [4] |
| MusicOMH |   [5] |
| The Spill Magazine |  [6] |
Upon release, Paul Scott-Bates of Louder Than War wrote: "...if anything, this album is potentially [Neil Arthur's] finest work. It is sparse whilst having depth, it is humorous whilst maintaining seriousness, but most importantly of all, it shows a man on the top of his game." [4] Aaron Badgley of The Spill Magazine commented: "Wanderlust is a brilliant album, and it does not sound like any other Blancmange album. Arthur, along with Benge has created a rather dark and at times frightening album. In its darkness, it is quite beautiful." [6]
Nick Smith of MusicOMH considered Wanderlust to be a "brilliant album", containing "dark and inspired comment on modern life". He also felt the album was reminiscent of the 2009 album Yeah Ghost by Zero 7. [5] Patrick Clarke of The Quietus noted: "Wanderlust may be hit and miss, in terms of seizing its own momentum and blending Arthur's left-field writing with its steely electronica, but it shimmers with personality." [7]
All tracks are written by Neil Arthur and Benge
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Distant Storm" | 5:31 |
| 2. | "In Your Room" | 3:53 |
| 3. | "I Smashed Your Phone" | 4:43 |
| 4. | "Gravel Drive Syndrome" | 3:55 |
| 5. | "Talking to Machines" | 5:22 |
| 6. | "Not a Priority" | 4:30 |
| 7. | "TV Debate" | 3:44 |
| 8. | "Leaves" | 4:22 |
| 9. | "White Circle, Black Hole" | 4:42 |
| 10. | "Wanderlust" | 5:30 |
Other
| Chart (2018) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Independent Albums Chart [2] | 22 |
Blancmange are an English synth-pop band formed in Harrow, London, in 1979. The band were a duo for much of their career, composed of Neil Arthur (vocals) and Stephen Luscombe (keyboards). They came to prominence in the early 1980s, releasing four UK top-20 singles: "Living on the Ceiling", "Waves", "Blind Vision" and "Don't Tell Me". They released three studio albums during that decade: Happy Families (1982), Mange Tout (1984) and Believe You Me (1985).
Peel Sessions 1979–1983 is a compilation album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 2000. The songs were recorded between 1979 and 1983 for the BBC Radio 1 show presented by John Peel. "Electricity" is added as a bonus track and is the original version that was featured on their debut single on Factory Records (FAC6). "Bunker Soldiers" was recorded for the first and fourth sessions; the version from the fourth session was not released on this album.
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"Blind Vision" is a song by English synth-pop band Blancmange, released in April 1983 as the lead single from their second studio album Mange Tout (1984). Written by Neil Arthur and Stephen Luscombe, and produced by John Luongo, "Blind Vision" reached No. 10 in the UK and remained in the charts for eight weeks. A music video was filmed to promote the single, which received light rotation on MTV.
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