(New Wave, New Romantic) Mobiles - Drowning In Berlin: The Best Of - 2006, MP3, 320 kbps

This is the first time on CD for new wave/new romantic band the Mobiles, who enjoyed a run of chart success in the early 80s, notably with their hugely popular and atmospheric single "Drowning In Berlin". The latter reached number nine in early 1982 and the video is still a fixture on MTV to this day. This comprehensive reissue features their best-known hit plus further singles "Amour, Amour" and "Partners In Fiction", their debut album in its entirety, and a wide selection of rare bonus material including remixes and b-sides.
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Why this band never had any commercial success beyond their first single is beyond me. They had a real ability to write attractive melodies and hooks, and there's not one (original) song of theirs that warrants being skipped. They are also the only female-led New Romantic band that I can think of, but I couldn't imagine any other being near as good anyway.
Mobiles released their debut single `Drowning in Berlin' in late 1981. It became a surprise hit in early 1982, and was just a taste of the talent and quality this young band possessed. It was a bizarre combination of New Romantic and Gothic, giving it a very unique sound and feel. The bizarre fairground section adds a chilling element that sends this brilliant song to perfection. It should have gone to #1.
Visually, singer Anna Maria looked similar to Siouxsie, though vocally she sounded like no other. What a great voice! The male band members (at this time) all bleached their hair white, contrasting Anna's dyed black hair. They dressed in the standard New Romantic attire, but were far from just another New Romantic act.
The band released their second single, `Amour Amour', several months after `Berlin', and though it had a brief chart life, it did not gain the attention as the previous single, which was unfortunate. Though it was not as immediate as its predecessor, in time I learned to love it just as much. In an attempt to encourage sales of the single, the original record label, Rialto records, produced and extended 12" mix, putting `Berlin' on the flip side.
Two additional singles were released in 1982, though both the `Berlin' sound alike `Partners in Fiction', and the beautiful ballad, `You're Not Alone', failed to impress the buying public. The self-titled LP released in 1982 was the result of numerous producers and recording locations, though through all of the confusion the LP was a 100% success, though not on a commercial level. The album unjustly faded into obscurity and eventually became a difficult to find collectors item.
The album opened with the hit single, then continued in various directions. All of the other singles are also included in various spots on the album, surrounded by other great new songs. They can range from attractive mellow songs, `Long Time', to upbeat, aggressive songs, `Climbing Frame', to experimental oddness, `Struth'. Each songs succeeds on its own level.
1983 was not a good time for the band. They had lost some band members, and the record company, desperate for another hit single, forced them to record a cover of `Build me up Buttercup'. The band hated the song, and it was ultimately shelved, though a few white-label test pressings are in scarce circulation. In place of the shelved single, the last piece to be released on Rialto was a 12" remix of the excellent LP track, `Fear'. Like the other singles, it made little impact, and remains the one officially released piece that is the most difficult to locate.
"Drowning in Berlin - The Best of the Mobiles" was my baby most of the way. I suggested Cherry Red should release the recordings, of which they agreed. I was lucky enough to be able to include their entire Rialto records output, including the shelved single and 12" mixes. Though it originally looked as if the CD was going to have to be produced without the inclusion of the unreleased single, due to the inability to find a source to use, a generous fan from Germany allowed me access to his rare white-label test pressing to remaster from so I could complete the track listing, which also includes the full LP, the single B sides and the 2 remixes. The band were really not interested in the inclusion of the `Buttercup' single, though I felt it should be included purely for completions sake. Though the song is very different to anything the band did on their own, it is still a modestly enjoyable 80's sounding cover version, but it's not something I will play each time. The positive side is the inclusion of that singles B side, which is titled `Don't Pay The Axeman'. This brilliant, melancholy song ranks up there with the bands best recordings, and I was so happy that it could be included.
The 20 page booklet comes with all of the record sleeve scans, as well as some private photos and rare articles provided by David Blundell of the band. Of the handful of projects I have worked on for Cherry Red, I am most satisfied with this one. The booklet and the remastering all came out very satisfying, and hopefully this release will show some people what an amazing band they may have passed on the first time around.