Goodbye seventies! Vince Clarke formed Yazoo (called Yaz in the States for legal reasons) with Alison Moyet shortly after quitting Depeche Mode, and the duo enjoyed immediate success with their debut album Upstairs At Eric’s. The record is named after the studio it was recorded in: album producer Eric Radcliffe’s Blackwing Studios which was situated just above Clarke’s own studio. Ice cold electro beats, rubbery analog basslines; it’s like Kraftwerk but with more soul, and Moyet’s soaring voice is leagues above the robot poetry that peppered Computer World released just the previous year. Wait for the break in “Situation” and you’ll see where Dopplereffekt got their swag. Includes the hits “Don’t Go,” “Only You,” “Midnight,” “In My Room” and more. MoFi silver label pressing for those of you who like your synthpop beaming through in audiophile-grade sound, individually numbered limited edition.

• Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab silver label pressing
• remastered audio
• individually numbered
• limited edition
• music label: Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab 2012

reviewed by sakura incident 07/2018