{"id":11014,"date":"2025-02-06T15:14:13","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T20:14:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/?p=11014"},"modified":"2025-02-06T15:14:14","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T20:14:14","slug":"legendary-post-punk-and-new-wave-pioneers-the-names-factory-records-release-new-album-encore-tomorrow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/?p=11014","title":{"rendered":"Legendary post-punk and new wave pioneers THE NAMES (Factory Records) release new album \u201cEncore!\u201d tomorrow"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Who better than the legendary Belgian post-punk and new wave pioneers THE NAMES to release a new album titled \u201cEncore!\u201d? This much-anticipated album stands as a testament to their unbreakable commitment to an ever-evolving sound. Since 1977, they\u2019ve stayed true to their unique, eclectic style, captivating fans across the globe who continuously clamor for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emerging from the iconic Factory Records alongside JOY DIVISION and NEW ORDER, THE NAMES have etched their place in music history. With a cult following and a sound that remains as invigorating as ever, \u201cEncore!\u201d continues their journey, offering a fresh milestone in their timeless discography.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Launched with the electrifying \u201cVolume\u201d EP and the bold \u201cFar From the Factories\u201d single, \u201cEncore!\u201d is a sonic tapestry where vintage echoes of the early \u201980s meet explorations into futuristic soundscapes. Tracks like \u201cLast Train From Nowhere,\u201d \u201cTouch Touch Touch,\u201d and \u201cWatching For The New World\u201d carry the spirit of the 1980s, while \u201cSunny Side\u201d and \u201cInadequacy\u201d channel a nostalgic 1960s vibe. Unexpected gems like \u201cApophenia,\u201d \u201cLaudanum,\u201d and \u201cSwimming With Brian Jones\u201d highlight their experimental side, while intimate tracks like \u201cMei Mei\u201d and \u201cA Walk With Miss J\u201d bring moments of reflection. The title track \u201cEncore!\u201d feels like an anthem for the ages, echoing long after the last note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is no ordinary album \u2013 it\u2019s a vibrant journey through decades of musical influences, weaving together post-punk melancholy, experimental avant-garde, and wistful pop. Atmospheric instrumentation, haunting vocals and striking guitars merge with dynamic synths to create an addictive carousel of sounds that keeps listeners spinning while deciphering hidden allusions in their characteristic convoluted lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Available in a limited-edition collector\u2019s colored vinyl (150 each respectively in solid red or solid white!) and a stunning digipak CD edition with three exclusive bonus tracks, \u201cEncore!\u201d is a must-have for any fan of melancholic cold wave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Brussels, with love and electric fervor \u2013 THE NAMES are back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ABOUT THE NAMES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emerged during the late 1970s\/early 1980s vibrant post-punk era on the legendary Factory Records label (Joy Division, New Order, \u2026), The Names (formed around frontman Michel Sordinia) have continued to perform and release new material since the band reformed in the 2000s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initial lineup of the band included Sordinia, guitarist Marc Deprez, and drummer\/keyboardist Christophe Den Tandt. Robert Frankson and vocalist Isabelle Hanrez were short-term members. Initially performing locally as The Passengers, they renamed themselves before releasing their first single, \u201cSpectators of Life\u201d, in 1979 through WEA to gauge interest in local new wave music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following a Joy Division performance in Brussels, Factory Records signed them. With new drummer Luc Capelle, The Names recorded \u201cNightshift\u201d in Manchester with producer Martin Hannett in August 1980. This single exemplified their style: a dark, restrained modern rock akin to Magazine, Comsat Angels, and Joy Division\/New Order. In February 1982, they recorded a session for John Peel\u2019s BBC Radio 1 show, released as a digital EP, \u201cRadio Session 1982\u201d, in 2009.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their collaboration with producer Hannett continued, overseeing their next single, \u201cCalcutta\u201d (Factory Benelux, 1981), and their first album, Swimming (Les Disques du Crepuscule, 1982). Their last single, \u201cThe Astronaut\u201d, was released in 1982 on Les Disques du Cr\u00e9puscule, produced by Hannett, who had left Factory Records. As the post-punk era waned, the band disbanded.
In 1985, LTM Recordings released \u201cPostcard Views\u201d, a cassette featuring studio and live tracks. Expanded versions of Swimming, renamed \u201cSwimming + Singles\u201d, were released in 1991 and 2000 by Factory Benelux and LTM Recordings, respectively. A 2013 reissue by Factory Benelux included the 1982 John Peel session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1995, the original trio of Sordinia, Deprez, and Den Tandt formed Jazz, releasing \u201cNightvision\u201d. LTM\u2019s 2001 compilation \u201cSpectators of Life\u201d featured The Names\u2019 B-sides, live tracks from 1979-1982, and two Jazz tracks. The Names reunited for A Factory Night in Brussels in December 2007. In April 2009, they released \u201cMonsters Next Door\u201d on Str8line. After Den Tandt\u2019s departure in December 2009, Christophe Boulenger joined. In 2015, now a quartet with new drummer Laurent Loddewyckx, they released \u201cStranger Than You\u201d on Factory Benelux. A 2016 compilation, \u201cIn Mutation\u201d, by Les Disques du Cr\u00e9puscule included a Deprez 1981 solo single and a 1982 live performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BANDCAMP: https:\/\/thenamesofficial.bandcamp.com\/album\/encore<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Who better than the legendary Belgian post-punk and new wave pioneers THE NAMES to release a new album titled \u201cEncore!\u201d? This much-anticipated album stands as a testament to their unbreakable commitment to an ever-evolving sound. Since 1977, they\u2019ve stayed true to their unique, eclectic style, captivating fans across the globe who continuously clamor for more.… Read More »Legendary post-punk and new wave pioneers THE NAMES (Factory Records) release new album \u201cEncore!\u201d tomorrow<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11015,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11014","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11014","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11014"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11014\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11016,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11014\/revisions\/11016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/11015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mkultramagazine.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}