A BLAZE COLOUR - The New Ones (1982)

Ludo Camberlin - vocals, electronics, drums / Bart Azijn - electronics One of the many influential electro pioneers from Benelux countries, A Blaze Colour only released a demo cassette in 1981, plus a 7 inch and a 12 inch EP in 1982 (both titled Against the Dark Trees Beyond, which seems to have been part of the band’s full name at the outset), from which this track is taken. I also have a decent quality tape of a 1983 gig in Leiden, Holland, easily downloadable with a swift net search. Their style was minimal, stripped-down, occasionally experimental, somewhere between DAF and early Sheffield scenesters like Cabaret Voltaire & Vice Versa, prefiguring the trademark Belgian EBM sound; ’Attractive in its own way, despite the pair’s obvious attempt to maintain a suffering-for-art pose: dire lyrics and jolly dance-rock for robots,’ as a review in Trouser Press would have it. I think it’s better than that, of course. ’Ludo Camberlin’ is the nom-de-plume of Carl Johansen, who went on to produce many electro acts including The Neon Judgement, Poesie Noire, The Weathermen, Vomito Negro and Attrition. Bart Azijn graduated to excellent Belgian electro new wave band Aimless Device; their material is also recommended.