Pressed on limited edition Crystal-Clear Vinyl

Vince Clarke can claim involvement in two stunning debuts in just two years: Depeche Mode’s Speak & Spell and Yazoo’s Upstairs at Eric’s. “Don’t Go” and “Situation” are absolutely killer, with Clarke’s bubbling synths and Alison Moyet‘s bluesy, powerful delivery. They’re both rightful dancefloor staples and have since undergone numerous remixes, both official and bootleg. “Bring Your Love Down (Didn’t I)” is just as strong a thumper, featuring a wonderfully mumbled bridge that shows how much Clarke enjoyed subverting pop conventions.

The softer “Only You” would have sounded silly and robotic if it had appeared on Speak & Spell, but Moyet’s vocals make it bittersweet and engaging. The loony tape loop of “I Before E Except After C,” the skeletal “Winter Kills,” and the disruptive phone call in the middle of the naïve “Bad Connection” offer up more complex and intimate moments. Like its curious cover, Upstairs at Eric’s presents a fractured, well-lit, and paranoid urban landscape.

A1. Don’t Go
A2. Too Pieces
A3. Bad Connection
A4. I Before E Except After C
A5. Midnight
A6. In My Room

B1. Only You
B2. Goodbye 70’s
B3. Tuesday
B4. Winter Kills
B5. Bring Your Love Down (Didn’t I)