Vince Clarke, Neil Arthur and Benge Unite New Project Doublespeak Release "Rock On"

DOUBLESPEAK; THE NEW PROJECT FROM VINCE CLARKE, NEIL ARTHUR AND BENGE SHARE THEIR TAKE ON THE DAVID ESSEX CLASSIC “ROCK ON” LISTEN   SELF-TITLED DEBUT ALBUM OUT MAY 29 PRE-ORDER / PRE-SAVE HERE [VIA LONDON RECORDS]

LISTEN | VISUALIZER “ROCK ON”   PRE-ORDER/SAVE DOUBLESPEAK (ALBUM)   A perhaps unexpected union between Vince Clarke (Erasure), Neil Arthur (Blancmange) and Benge, Doublespeak captured the public imagination with their debut track - a leftfield take on Fad Gadget’s "Back To The Nature". Heralded with attention spanning Pitchfork, Stereogum, The Quietus, MOJO, NME, The Line of Best Fit and more, it put the accelerator on anticipation for their self-titled debut album which follows on May 29. Doublespeak now share their second track, a new interpretation of the David Essex classic “Rock On.”   Listen to “Rock On” HERE.   Released in 1973, the original “Rock On” shattered the mold. Produced by Jeff ‘War Of The Worlds’ Wayne, it possessed more space, echo and feedback than instrumentation, no guitar or keyboards, making it the original Anglo-American dub record. Vince and Benge transpose Herbie Flowers’ original doubletracked bass into an electrostatic void and Neil’s powerful vocals stand out as he audibly relishes getting his teen idol on. As the trio prove throughout their upcoming debut album, they find the sweet spot between reinventing the song while respecting the traits that made the original so memorable.   Vince Clarke says, “I bought this single. Still love it, and I love David Essex, the movies, the music, everything about him was fantastic. ‘Rock On’ was such a weird, interesting production. There was nothing like that on the radio back then. Still isn’t. So, we thought, we have to have a go at this.” Neil Arthur adds, “It was really, really good fun putting this together. It was one of the earliest we did.”   Benge comments, “This was the first one I got involved with. Neil’s vocal on this is just amazing.” ‘Rock On’ is backed with the band’s take on lost 80s band The Sounds’ and their single, ‘I Just Can’t Escape Myself’.Bringing a sparse, ‘Warm Leatherette’ intensity to the song.   As the trio allude to, “Rock On” was the moment that got the Doublespeak album started. It is a record seven years in the making, one in which songs both rare and renowned are transposed into analogue electronics, in each case their humanity unlocked by Neil’s uncommonly empathic delivery. Split almost evenly between songs from the postpunk netherworld brought blinking into the light (Fad Gadget, Thomas Leer and Robert Rental, Young Marble Giants) and pop radio monsters ushered back down a dark stairway into the club (ABBA, David, Essex, The Carpenters), ‘Doublespeak’ amounts to a shadow autobiography of Vince, Neil and Benge’s musical education: the great human songbook, synthesized.   The album is available to pre-order from the official store, with physical formats in the shape of black vinyl, green ripple vinyl, CD and cassette.   Stay tuned for more news & music from Doublespeak, coming soon.   “Rock On” is available to stream worldwide today. Pre-order the album HERE, out May 29.

TRACKLISTING: Back To Nature (originally by Fad Gadget) Brand - New - Life (Young Marble Giants) The Visitors (ABBA) I Can’t Escape Myself (The Sound) Goodbye To Love (The Carpenters) Rock On (David Essex) Smoke And Mirrors (The Magnetic Fields) Day Breaks, Night Heals (Thomas Leer and Robert Rental) Gentle On My Mind (John Hartford) Richard! (Ed Dowie) End Credits (Laptop) Photo Credit: Courtesy of Doublespeak   FOLLOW DOUBLESPEAK OFFICIAL STORE | OFFICIAL WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK