Blancmange & xPropaganda

Blancmange featuring Neil Arthur and Finlay Shakespeare and xPropaganda, featuring Claudia Brücken and Susanne Freytag, have announced plans for a joint UK tour, bringing together two bands whose music helped shape the electronic pop landscape of the 1980s.

Both acts emerged during a period of experimentation in British and European electronic music, developing distinctive sounds that continue to find an audience more than four decades later.

Blancmange, led by singer and songwriter Neil Arthur, first came to prominence in the early 1980s with singles including Living on the Ceiling, Waves, Blind Vision and Don't Tell Me. Their combination of synthesised rhythms, melodic songwriting and Arthur's distinctive vocals established them as a significant presence in the UK electronic music scene.

Since returning to recording and performing, Blancmange have maintained a steady output of new material, exploring different approaches to electronic songwriting while retaining the character of their earlier work.

xPropaganda, featuring original vocalists Claudia Brücken and Susanne Freytag, emerged from Düsseldorf in the early 1980s and became closely associated with Trevor Horn's ZTT Records. Their 1985 album A Secret Wish brought together electronic arrangements, atmospheric production and the contrasting vocal styles of Brücken and Freytag. Tracks including Dr. Mabuse, Duel and P-Machinery remain among the band's best-known recordings.