12/11/2010
The Human League return after a ten year gap with the irresistible ‘Night People’. An outrageously catchy burst of suburban disco pop with some of the after dark urban drama of classics like Sound Of The Crowd, this is a track that bridges the gap between the League as influential forebears and a bang-on-the-button 2010 contemporary call to arms to clubbers all over the world, whatever decade they first danced in.
The Human League are probably more highly regarded in 2010 than they were in 1981 when they released their landmark album Dare. They’re used to everyone from Madonna to Moby, Pet Shop Boys to Robbie Williams, citing them as an influence. Now the dubstep generation – notably, the acclaimed Darkstar, who cover the Leagues 1982 B-side You Remind Me Of Gold on their current album – have begun to pay homage to the original synthphonic sound of Sheffield.
Then there are the ‘L’ girls, the new generation of synth-driven female pop artists, who have got in on the League-adoring act: La Roux is a known admirer of the electro pioneers, while Little Boots is such a fan she requested Philip Oakeys input on her debut album. Even Lady Gaga professed to be a devotee when she met the fabulous Human League girls on tour recently.
But not surprisingly for a group who were famously described by David Bowie in 1979 as “the sound of the future”, indeed the band themselves were once known as The Future, The Human League have never been about resting on their laurels or relying on past glories to see them through. Which is why, in March 2011, they will be releasing their 10th studio album Credo, as brilliant a distillation of their ideas about pop and dancing, glamour and electronics, as anything they have ever done.
Credo is part of that particular pop lineage that goes from Bowie, Roxy and Kraftwerk to Donna Summer, Chic and Michael Jackson to Lady Gaga, Usher and Girls Aloud. Supremely infectious chart pop music with a twist of subversion. Credo manages to makes itself heard above the brashest state-of-the-art pop productions and brings some of that primitive essence to the milieu, as well as The Human League’s unique quality of apartness.
A nothing less than brilliant remix package accompanies the new single – see below for list and quotes from the remixers on The League …
Cerrone:
"Being part of the night people myself, since the early days of disco, I have to say that I really enjoyed adding my French touch by doing a remix of this dedicated song by The Human League. Long live the night people”
Mylo:
"I heard the rumours earlier in the year that Wall of Sound had The Human Leagues record and hassled them all summer to get the parts to 'Night People'. It's classic HL and Philip's voice hasn't changed at all. I tried a few different things and ended up hearing the song as a 4/4 glam rock stomper”
Emperor Machine:
“The Human League has and still is a permanent inspiration in my music. The first time I ever attempted a remix as a teenager was ‘Mirror Man’, I did this using a pause button on an old tape deck. I still have the pause button re-edit somewhere. So to get the opportunity to re work The Human Leagues new single was fantastic, I love Philips voice, its one of them voices that has always sat so perfectly in the mix with synths. I wanted the Emperor Machine mix to sound like a disco version of 2 early league Lp’s ‘Reproduction’ and ‘Dare’ but with a modern EQ. Job done!”
Villa:
“We are so honoured to remix one of THE bands that inspire us... Tracks like ‘Things That Dreams Are Made Of’ or ‘Being Boiled’ are Villa classics! Night people we are....”
The Human League – Night People is released on 22/11 followed by the remixes on 06/12. The Human League are on tour from November 29th – full dates on the band website.
Courtesy of Wall Of Sound
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