Vince Clarke, Neil Arthur, & Benge Launching New Group Doublespeak With Covers Album

Vince Clarke was the founding Depeche Mode member who wrote most of the songs on that group’s debut album and then left immediately, then going on to release the great synthpop duos Yaz and Erasure. Neil Arthur is another veteran of great UK synthpop duos; he’s the singer for reunited ’80s veterans Blancmange. Benjamin Edwards, who records as Benge, is a Cornwall musician who’s been making electronic records since the ’90s. Together, the three of them have joined forces to form a new group called Doublespeak.

Clarke and Arthur have known each other for decades, and they’ve worked together on unreleased music over the years. In 2017, Arthur suggested the basic idea of Doublespeak to Clarke. Benge, producer of a bunch of late-period Blancmange albums, came on board later. At least right now, Doublespeak is an all-covers project. In a press release, Clarke says, “I’ve had people do cover versions of my songs, and honestly there’s no better tribute. So that’s what we wanted to do here.”

Later this spring, the trio will release their self-titled debut. It’s a collections of reimainged songs, some from the group members’ contemporaries, some from the world of mainstream ’70s pop, and some from more recent years. Over the course of the LP, they take on tracks from people like ABBA, Young Marble Giants, the Magnetic Fields, and the Carpenters. Arthur says, “What’s really stood out for us on this journey is how good these songs are. It’s from doing your own version that you realize what incredible pieces of work they are.”

Doublespeak’s album-opening lead single is a take on a song that must’ve been an early influence on both Depeche Mode and Blancmange. It’s their cover of “Back To Nature,” the early single from the industrial pioneer Fad Gadget. When the original came out in 1979, it was just the second release on Mute Records. They’ve made it headier and more cinematic. Below, check out Doublespeak’s “Back To Nature” cover, the Fad Gadget original, and the tracklist for Doublespeak.

TRACKLIST:
01 “Back To Nature” (Fad Gadget cover)
02 “Brand – New – Life” (Young Marble Giants cover)
03 “The Visitors” (ABBA cover)
04 “I Can’t Escape Myself” (The Sound cover)
05 “Goodbye To Love” (The Carpenters cover)
06 “Rock On” (David Essex cover)
07 “Smoke And Mirrors” (The Magnetic Fields cover)
08 “Day Breaks, Night Heals” (Thomas Leer & Robert Rental cover)
09 “Gentle On My Mind” (John Hartford cover)
10 “Richard!” (Ed Dowie cover)
11 “End Credits” (Laptop cover)

Doublespeak is out 5/29 on London Records. Pre-order it here.