New Music: ‘Danse Macabre’ by Duran Duran
Photo: Stephanie Pistel
English new wave icons Duran Duran have released their 16th full-length studio album ‘Danse Macabre’, featuring new songs, themed covers and newly reimagined versions of their own ‘spooky’ classics.
‘Danse Macabre’ was inspires by a one-off special live performance that Duran Duran filmed in Las Vegas on 31 October last year. The album is the soundtrack to their ultimate Halloween party.
Included across the album’s 13 tracks are Halloween covers of Billie Eilish’s ‘Bury A Friend’, Talking Heads’ ‘Psycho Killer’ featuring Victoria De Angelis of Maneskin, The Rolling Stones’ ‘Paint It Black’, the Rick James-inspired ‘Super Lonely Freak’, Siouxsie and the Banshees’ ‘Spellbound’, Cerrone’s ‘Supernature’ and The Specials’ ‘Ghost Town’.
Elsewhere, ‘Black Moonlight’ sees the band’s timeless song writing break into dance-rock glamour with the addition of Nile Rodgers and Andy Taylor on guitar, where epic coda ‘Confession In The Afterlife’ finds Duran Duran reunited with producer Mr. Hudson.
As well as a second collaboration with Warren Cuccurullo on ‘Love Voudou’, ‘Danse Macabre’ features newly recorded versions of ‘Nightboat’ and fan favourite ‘Secret Oktober 31st’ (both featuring Andy Taylor on guitar). The song made its first appearance as a B-side to the 7” single ‘Union of The Snake’ and is now, 40 years later, seeing its first ever physical release on a Duran Duran studio album.
“The record metamorphosed through a pure, organic process, and not only was it made faster than anything since our debut album, it has also resulted in something none of us could have ever predicted,” keyboardist Nick Rhodes says.
“Emotion, mood, style, and attitude have always been at the heart of Duran Duran’s DNA, we search for light in the darkness and darkness in the light, and I feel we have somehow managed to capture the essence of all of that in this project.”
‘Danse Macabre’ is available now.
‘Become What You Are’, the new album from The Daisycutters is available now via MADCAP Global Music, JB Hi-Fi and independent music retailers.
