Empress Touch

Hope everyone's well. Apologies that I've been blatantly ignoring your interaction and loyalty. I'll be dropping a personal line to you all soon.

A brief word of praise to Thought Beings, whose dark disco voxless track 'Interdimensional' is a must-listen future classic. Praise too to Mike Haunted & Chris KD's superb synthwave cover of Lana Del Ray's 'Summertime Sadness' song.

And, as always, praise to Depeche & Duran for defying the age barrier of creative success in their 2023 albums: 'Memento Mori' & 'Danse Macabre' - both must-listen CDs.

Take great care
and enjoy 2024.

Recording, discovering, re-recording and rediscovering new music;
it's all as much a joy now, as it ever has been the day I began to appreciate how lucky we all are - just to be able to listen to one of life's greatest gifts.

That said: I've made you all promises in the not-too-distant past that I have no intention of breaking.

I hoped to be taking uploading music mp3s here to the next level in 2022. And so far, it hasn't happened; partly to my frustration, but partly to extremely important reasons elsewhere in my life.

Please be patient.

I started a new job last April that pays reasonably well, which again, I'm very grateful to, but how the sleeping patterns and hard work it can take out of you!

However, after a quiet, but enjoyable Christmas time - and a little indulging with food(!?!) - I'm ready to revisit many old and/or old-ish music projects I've never completed. And there are many of them.

When this happens, it'll no doubt bring you all some joy.

In the mean time, my thanks to all who have got in touch with me, with my best wishes to your own music, or listening adventures, for the future times ahead.

So for now, take care
and enjoy 2023 and beyond as well as can be hoped for, for you all.

Carl B (Empress Touch).

To the N1M fans who've taken an interest in my music,
many thanks for trusting your curiosity.

For those who've been dropping me a line,
wanting to know when the new vocal tracks will finally surface...
well... we're working on it.

Very excited on what's in store for 2021,
but it's one step at a time.


For now,
here's another of the After The Rain remixes -
this time, from the German producer and remixer Rob Dust.

Do feel free to let me know your thoughts.

An mp3 clip is online now at my N1M page,
expect the full track streaming for listening pleasure on Sunday.


Best wishes to you all

Carl B.
England, UK

More content on the way very soon, possibly with some fresh vocal tracks, as well as instrumental.

But 'til then,
please let me let you guys know about some of the superb new music I've heard in the past twelve brutal months:


Eyes Without A Face - 'The Grift'

(Nothing to do with the 1984 Billy Idol power ballad), this very gritty and dark song from the Canadian vocal electronic band really does push the listeners' attention to the daring heights New Order and Depeche once would have, many year ago. They also released a video to a superb single, early in 2020.


Heliophile - 'Chemicals'

A protest-song (hopefully speaking the obvious), from a very classy Dutch band.


Centre Excuse - 'Joy Joy Joy'

Superb songwriting from an American duo who recently released an album 'Favourite Soul', including the great song: 'Joy Joy Joy'.


The Distant Minds - 'Blasphemy'

The English duo on top form again, hoping for more great music in 2021. The extended version of 'Blasphemy', in particular, is euphoric to say the least.


Luca dell'Orso - 'Excessive Dance'

Italo disco in the 21st Century, and brilliant electronic music all-in-one.


There were many more artists composing and recording some wonderful music in 2020. My apologies to all who(m) I haven't mentioned...

For those who've waited and waited for this to happen:
many Empress Touch tracks are finally being mixed.
Some are already completed, expect many more soon.

Again, my sincerest apologies this hasn't happened far, far sooner.
Feel free to view the Empress Touch website for further details,
including many new collaborators and tracks, such as 'A Pause For Reflection',
track #8 from the forthcoming album 'In Hope, Rather Than Expectation'.

Some weblinks of tracks you've been listening to on Number one Music's website,
than have previously been given internet radio airplay during the previous decade.


'Precious'

link


'I Believe In You'

link


'Synther Loopy'

link



More info to follow in 2020.

Thanks again for your loyalty and patience!

2019 was another very good year for remixes.


The Mind Machine album
'Return To The Machine'
was superb.

But credit to the Brians Belknap & Olsen
as well
for the 16-track remix compilation:
'Remix The Machine',
feauring (arguably) THE remix of 2019,
DarwinMcD's 'We Keep Walking'.

This CD compilation
is a who's who
of electronic remixing talent
in-form right now.


2019 also saw The Frixion delivering
their most dynamic single to-date,
in 'I Cannot Play These Games'.

Manchester-based, German outfit Mordelin
also delivered a fine song 'Spirals',
as did Passion Flower Storm
with 'Adrenaline'.


Other classy musicians
to keep an eye on in 2020
are Fused,
Parralox,
Chain Complex,
Promenade Cinema
and many more...

To those of you whom may have followed our Empress Touch music for some time; once again, I apologise for how long things are taking to finalise. The wait will be worth it.

For those who have only noticed more recently, do feel free to check out the website:
empresstouch DOT com
where you'll find details of many of the superb remixers' music.

Once again, thanks for your patience, support AND feedback.

To all mailing list subscribers
of Empress Touch music projects,

Hopefully there'll be some great stuff to listen to in 2019-20 and beyond.

You're all very welcome to put questions to myself about the music I've been involved with
for as long as I've made writing, co-producing, reinterpreting, collaborating.. you get the picture!

Thank you all again, for your patience and curiosity towards the music I help share and create with others
as well as enjoy listening to and discovering. Music is a long-term lifetime education I've no intention of ending.

Take care,
Carl.
England, UK

My focus, once again, as a fan of great music, has been to follow synth-pop-related musicians and online radio shows dedicated to many artists and broadcasters working very hard to let us fans know about the tracks being made.


In particular, the singles of 2018 have brought me much joy and pleasure. Here's some suggestions you may or may not like, but do give yourself the chance to make up your own mind:


Stereo-In-Solo - 'Flowers On The Moon'
(from the CD album: 'Somewhere Out There')

A wonderful gentleman from Paris, Thierry, once part of the 1980's synth-pop duo Stereo, brought us a superb album played on many stations earlier this year, the pick of which being 'Flowers On The Moon'. The album is so good, I've bought five copies on CD, for those who I know would love it as much as many who already agree!


The Distant Minds - 'Strangers in The Same Hell'
The Distant Minds - 'Until the Lights Go Out'
The Distant Minds - 'Proof Of Life'

Another duo, singer Darren and producer Alan, making The Distant Minds a force to take note of this year.

Three great songs, of many released this year. You may remember their 2014 single 'The Suicide League', which I enjoyed then, but this year has been even better for the gentlemen from Northamptonshire, England, UK.


Photona - 'You Look Like Warhol'
(from the 4-track link. 'OVERDOSER')

Great song by a trio from Portland, USA. They seem up for the challenge of proving it was no fluke, and the very best of luck to them.


Dark Smoke Signal - 'The Big Stage'

When someone asks 'Who's the best band in the world?', I regularly quote the Paul Weller line: "You're only as good as your last album". If this is true, the best band in the world are still Mesh - the Bristol duo Mark and Richard.

There are many other talented musicians from this city in the south-west of England, including Sombre Moon, Sinestar and this gentleman called Alex (link. Dark Smoke Signal). His song 'The Big Stage' is again, a complete synth-pop song of the highest quality. The production - organic and electronics combined - yes, but the improvisation, the chord-phrases, the wit in his lyrics: it's all there, and a must-listen.


The Frixion - 'Deceive A Believer'
(from the 'Magic' cassette single)

Gene and Lloyd, another duo, bringing us some wonderful synth-pop, 'Deceive A Believer' being the pick of their songs to-date.


Fused - 'Love, In Itself' (featuring GLYDA vocalist Stephen Newton)

A very good Depeche cover, and look out for another cover by the collaborators, hopefully on CD soon.


I could name many more, and perhaps should, but do check out the following shows if you agree with any of the above:

Electronic Family Tree
(link)

Synth City
(link)

2KAAO
(link)

And again, I could name MANY more shows and online stations who offer these talented musicians the platform they richly deserve.


Enjoy your Christmas time, and look forward to a great 2019 and beyond...

Merry Christmas to all who have kindly subscribed to my Number One Music webpage.

If you haven't - and were not expecting this, please accept my sincerest apologies.


Despite the hard-won success achieved by Empathy Test's two albums this year, 2017 has been a big let down in terms of Long Players.

It has, however, been a very interesting year for new single tracks.
In particular:

Voldo Blanka - 'Go Your Way' (a wonderfully melancholy and sentimental song I discovered this Summer - even though the band almost certainly never meant it to turn out that way!)

Dicepeople - 'Synthetic' (A textbook synth-pop song with great chords and lyrics, though the video is justa little scary!)

Depeche Mode - 'Going Backwards' (Video Edit) (One of three highlights from 'Spirit', the band's latest warning from the future.)

Jamiroquai - 'Automaton' (A classy comeback with a refreshing electronic flavour.)

Orbital - 'Copenhagen' (The veteran techno duo showing they still mean business.)


There have been many others, this is just a selection.

Take care, Carl.