Stephen Emmer – International Blue

Stephen Emmer – International Blue

Singers who didn’t need Auto Tune

Once upon a time, there existed a breed of singers who didn’t need AutoTune: they could bend, shape and twist their voices any way they wanted to. Dutch Composer Stephen Emmer, a passionate aficionado of this great genre has brought together a collective of supreme voices, creating an album of days gone by Bond-esque proportions.

 

The lost art and elegance of pop-crooning

International Blue pays tribute to the lost art and elegance of pop-crooning, and thus to the people who Stephen considers the style’s main architects, Scott Walker and David Bowie.

 

Tony Visconti

Stephen has again had the pleasure and honor of working with Tony Visconti, David Bowie’s long time collaborator, who produced the album at Abbey Road Studios (London) and Avatar Studios (NYC).

Featuring artists include Midge Ure (Ultravox), Neil Crossley (Furlined), Liam McKahey (Cousteau) and Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17), who was recently invited by both Tony Visconti and David Bowie to vocally perform the ‘The Man Who Sold The World’ live tour in the UK. The mighty Glenn Gregory plays a key roll in the IB project, since he collaborated on 4 out of 10 album songs.

 

Release date : 15 December 2014

 

Tracklist

01. Let the silence hold you ft Glenn Gregory
02. Taking back my time ft Midge Ure
03. Blown away ft Liam McKahey
04. Sleep for England ft Neil Crossley
05. Untouchable ft Glenn Gregory
06. Song for a deserted wife ft Liam McKahey
07. Seachange ft Neil Crossley
08. Break in the weather ft Glenn Gregory
09. Mama’s mad ft Liam McKahey10. In the mirror reflected ft Glenn Gregory

 

Singles taken from the Album

 

Let the Silence Hold You / Taking Back my Time

The new double A-side single from Dutch composer Stephen Emmer (The Associates, The Lotus Eaters, The Minny Pops) featuring Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17) and Midge Ure (Ultravox) respectively, is an exquisite tribute to the lost art and elegance of pop-crooning.
With platinum-selling Gregory on vocal duty – for the double A-side’s lead track – along with legendary producer Tony Visconti (whose credits include some of the biggest selling acts of all time from Iggy Pop to Morrissey to Bowie to T-Rex) something truly exceptional has been crafted. The single is an aural preview to the hugely-anticipated upcoming LP ‘International Blue’ which features a stellar line up of established artists, including; Liam Mckahey (Cousteau), Neil Crossley (Furlined), and Michael Dempsey (The Cure).

Release date : 30 June 2014

 

Untouchable

‘Stephen Emmer is one of those musicians & composers who knows the musical rules best and therefore also how to break them.’ – Tony Visconti

 

Untouchable’ is a poignant ballad of loss and epic heartbreak, combined with a celebration of life and love. Composed and arranged by Stephen Emmer, the lyrics were written and performed by Glenn Gregory of the pioneering 80’s synth pop band Heaven 17. ‘Untouchable’ is a tribute to the late Billy Mackenzie of The Associates, singer on the eponymous hit single ‘Party Fears Two’ a great friend of the band and an exceptionally talented singer, lost to a premature and untimely death. This stunning single is the first release from the forthcoming album ‘International Blue’ created by Stephen, joined by a collective of artists.
Coming out of the Sheffield electronic music scene in the early 80’s, Heaven 17 have accrued 7 top 40 hit singles and 4 top 40 albums reaching Platinum status throughout their glittering career. Their first top 40 hit single ‘Temptation’ in 1983 shot the band into the charts at number 2 as they fast became one of the most respected, stylish and celebrated bands of that era.
The Times (saturday 12th April 2014): “Heaven 17’s Glenn Gregory channels Scott Walker on Stephen Emmer’s darkly sumptuous, orchestral tribute to his late Associates bandmate Billy Mackenzie. As classy as a gleaming vintage Rolls.”

Release date : 7 April 2014

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