UNCUT REVIEW OF THE SHAPE OF THINGS

7/10

The original alienated synthesist, still exploring the analogue . . .

Before finding success with vocalist Midge Ure, Ultravox were led by the Chorley-born John Foxx, whose pale, alien appearance and passion for synthesisers proved a little exotic for a general public still absorbing the shock of punk. The zeitgeist, of course, caught up with Foxx although he still remains on the fringes. Unfairly, perhaps. The Shape Of Things, a collaboration with London synth collector Benge, couches his dolorous laments amid a retrofuturist show of bubbling electronics. It works well enough that when ‘Falling Away’ pastes on some broiling guitar feedback it sounds almost superfluous.’

There are still some VIP tickets remaining for the John Foxx And The Maths show at the Haunt in Brighton on Friday 24 Feb. The John Foxx And The Maths set will run from around 8.30pm until 10pm, so there’s time for people to get home (including a train back to London). This show will be the only UK gig for at least a few months as John, Benge, Hannah and Serafina are all busy working on a number of different collaborative and solo projects. You can buy VIP tickets for the Brighton show HERE

Gazelle Twin is a special guest for this show, following her appearance with John Foxx And The Maths at XOYO, London last year. She also recently remixed ‘A Falling Star’ from the Interplay album.

You can read a new interview with Gazelle Twin on metamatic.com HERE

John will be a guest on Radcliffe and Maconie’s show on 6 Music next Tues afternoon (31 Jan).

John Foxx And The Maths are set to release a 16 track single CD version of the new album, The Shape Of Things on 19 March, 2012.

The single CD will feature ‘Talk (Beneath Your Dreams)’ which is a collaboration with Matthew Dear, and features a vocal by the US electronic artist. John and Benge included a track from Dear’s 2010 album Black City on their Quietus mix HERE

‘Talk (Beneath Your Dreams)’ will also appear on a new EP, currently being recorded at The Maths’ studio in London and due for release in the spring.

The full tracklisting for the single CD version of the album is as follows:

1 Spirus
2 Rear-View Mirror
3 Talk
4 Psytron
5 September Town
6 Unrecognised
7 Modreno
8 Falling Away
9 Invisible Ray
10 Vapour Trails
11 Buddwing
12 Tides
13 Astoria
14 The Shadow Of His Former Self
BONUS TRACKS
15 Talk (Beneath Your Dreams) Featuring Matthew Dear
16 Where You End And I Begin Featuring Tara Busch

You can pre-order the album now for £9.99 from the Official Store at Townsend Records HERE

The double CD, featuring a bonus album of remixes, is also still available HERE

For more information about Matthew Dear please visit his OFFICIAL SITE

FACT MAGAZINE have previewed the new Belbury Poly Mix of ‘Summerland’, taken from the ltd edition double CD of the new album, The Shape Of Things. They also describe the new album as ‘rooted in the classic electronic pop tradition but sounds thrillingly contemporary.’ To hear the track and read the full news story please visit HERE

The full interview is HERE

Taken from the double CD edition of The Shape Of Things. Available from HERE

Photo by Mike Cooper.

John Foxx And The Maths will play two live shows in February, 2012:

The Haunt : Brighton, UK on Friday 24th February 2012. Doors at 7pm. Band will play from 8.35pm -10pm. Tickets are available HERE PLATINUM VIP tickets are available HERE

Aarschot, Belgium on Saturday 25th February 2012. Entry is free for fans who bought a ticket to the 2011 Sinners Day Event. Or you can buy a ticket for 15 Euros on Presale. For more info please visit HERE

The band line-up for both shows will be John Foxx, Hannah Peel, Serafina Steer and Benge.

You can watch an interview about their live set-up HERE

Photo by Mike Cooper.

There’s a new in-depth interview with Hannah Peel HERE

You can also follow Hannah on Twitter HERE

Thanks to The Quietus who voted Interplay at Number 21 in their Top 50 Best Albums of 2011. You can see the full list HERE