There are a lot of important anniversaries coming around on the Post-Punk calendar right now. Ian Curtis' suicide was three decades ago this coming week, while sublime recordings like Joy Division's 'Closer', Magazine's 'The Correct Use of Soap' and The Pretenders' eponymous debut are enjoying the expanded re-issue treatment to coincide with their 30th birthdays.
That 1980 was an important year for music is well-documented, but another album from that year deserving to be held in equally high esteem is JOHN FOXX'S first post-Ultravox album, 'Metamatic'. Originally released on Richard Branson's catch-all Virgin label, it was a remarkable record which married cold futuristic synthscapes and an off-kilter pop sensibility and garnered several hits in the shape of songs like 'Underpass', 'No-one Driving' and 'Burning Car'.
Foxx has actually ploughed a fascinating furrow ever since. He may not feature in the 'charts' these days (though what do they represent now anyway?) but he remains busy and has made fine, post-millennial records, not least his excellent Louis Gordon collaboration 'Crash & Burn' in 2003. His new 'band' THE MATHS actually seems to be a collaboration with synthesizer musician/ producer Benge rather than a full band per se (at least for studio purposes), but this trailer single suggests we have a right to expect vintage stuff from the album due this autumn.
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Although it opens with the sound of metal on metal, 'Destination' soon settles into a surprisingly muscular electro-groove which sounds like both a recognisable cousin of post- 'Metamatic' single 'Miles Away' and also a fine, anthemic single in its' own right.
Nominal flip-side, 'September Town' is another excellent track. It's actually probably closer to the 'Metamatic' blueprint with its' stark, autumnal feel, minimal beats and bloops and a commanding, melody-toting vocal from Foxx. It's the sound of an innovative performer getting his second wind and staying ahead of the game. Tremendous.
Metamatic official site
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