Blancmange

Deriving their moniker from a traditional British dessert, the electronic pair Blancmange fused the sophisticated, cosmopolitan grooves associated with Talking Heads and the eccentric theatricality of early-1980s U.K. synth pop. The lineup centered on Neil Arthur handling vocals and guitar alongside Stephen Luscombe on keyboards; the two assembled the project in London, England toward the end of the 1970s. Laurence Stevens briefly occupied the drum stool before the group substituted a drum machine for live percussion. Between 1982 and their initial disbandment in 1986, Blancmange maintained a steady presence on British and continental European charts. Following their 2011 reformation, Luscombe stepped away because of health concerns, after which Arthur issued a steady stream of recordings under the Blancmange banner throughout the ensuing decade and afterward.

Initially operating as L360, the duo gained prompt attention by forwarding the track “Sad Day” to DJ Stevo, who placed it on a various-artists compilation of unsigned new-wave acts that also included future alternative stalwarts Depeche Mode and Soft Cell. After signing with London Records, Blancmange issued the 1982 singles “God’s Kitchen” and “Feel Me,” both of which achieved modest U.K. success, the latter falling just short of the Top 40. Their debut long-player, Happy Families, followed later that year and performed strongly, buoyed by the first Top Ten single “Living on the Ceiling,” which climbed to number seven on the British charts. The song showcased the group’s distinctive synthesis of electronic pop and pronounced Middle Eastern inflections within a largely European dance framework. Subsequent releases “Blind Vision” and “Don’t Tell Me” likewise reached the U.K. Top Ten, while their interpretation of ABBA’s “The Day Before You Came” surpassed the original’s chart showing by peaking at number 22. The 1984 album Mange Tout cemented Blancmange’s status among Britain’s leading electronic acts; in contrast to many contemporaries, the duo readily integrated acoustic elements—sitar, strings, woodwinds, and horns—into their primarily synthesized arrangements.

The third album, 1985’s Believe You Me, however, failed to resonate commercially, prompting the band’s dissolution the following year. Arthur pursued solo work while Luscombe launched the West India Company. Their 2011 reunion yielded the Proper label release Blanc Burn. A 2013 U.K. tour presented the debut album live in full; revised versions appeared in 2014 as Happy Families Too…, augmented by bonus remixes from Erasure’s Vince Clark and the synth outfit Komputer. Luscombe exited after suffering an abdominal aneurysm, leaving Arthur as the sole member for the stark 2015 album Semi Detached. The instrumental collection Nil by Mouth surfaced shortly thereafter via the group’s own website. Arthur then entered an exceptionally active phase, issuing at least one album annually: 2016’s Commuter 23 and 2017’s Unfurnished Rooms each combined vocal tracks with instrumentals, the latter inaugurating a series produced by Benge at MemeTune Studios. The same collaborator contributed to Wanderlust (2018), Mindset (2020), Commercial Break (2021), and Private View (2022). On the final of these, Arthur reunited after many years with session guitarist David Rhodes, whose contributions imparted a rugged, guitar-driven edge to the project’s melodic electronic pop.