“Listening to Blancmange obsessively. Probably the most under-rated electronic act of all time.” – Moby

London Records release a vinyl box set of Blancmange’s first three albums – ‘Happy Families’ (1982), ‘Mange Tout’ (1984) and ‘Believe You Me’ (1985). Each gatefold 2LP release includes the original album (remastered), plus B-sides, extended versions, remixes, previously unreleased tracks and demos. Digital download card included.

‘Happy Families’ feels like a fully-formed electronic pop classic. Highlights include ‘Living On The Ceiling’ (a striking #7 hit in 82 thanks to its mix of electronics with tabla and sitar), the melancholia of ‘Waves’, ‘Feel Me’s call-and-response electro-funk, the intense ‘I Can’t Explain’ and ‘God’s Kitchen’, which is an early example of Neil Arthur’s gift with images and wordplay.

Blancmange’s second album, ‘Mange Tout’, reached # 8 in the UK Charts in 1984 and spawned more hits – notably ‘Blind Vision’ (#10), ‘Don’t Tell Me’ (#8) and their fantastic cover of ABBA’s ‘The Day Before You Came’ (much loved by ABBA, who let them use footage from their original video for the Blancmange promo). It signals another change for the band’s music, now increasingly built around deep, propulsive dance grooves.

The third and final Blancmange album of the 1980s, ‘Believe You Me’, was released in 1985 and features bitter-sweet pop songs such as ‘Lose Your Love’, ‘Don’t You Love It All’ and ‘What’s Your Problem.’