Name: Strangers on a Train / Blank Surface
Brand: Manuela Iwansson

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

LSSN071

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Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2020-06-12

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Forte

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

Total Cap

1 / 7" / Extended format: No / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

Artist

Manuela Iwansson

Genre GB

Alternative / Modern

Label GB

Night School

Night School is a Glasgow-based music label that has been making waves in the industry since its inception. Founded by [a2776288], this label has quickly become known for its diverse roster of talented artists and unique sound.

With a focus on promoting underground and experimental music, Night School has established itself as a leading force in the independent music scene. The label's releases span across various genres, including indie rock, electronic, folk, and more.

What sets Night School apart from other labels is their commitment to nurturing emerging talent. They provide a platform for *up-and-coming* artists to showcase their work and gain recognition within the industry. This dedication to supporting new voices has earned them a loyal fan base and critical acclaim.

Manuela Iwansson is a force of nature. Beginning as vocalist in now-defunct Swedish punk group Terrible Feelings, Iwansson's solo music harnesses the doomed romance of early 80s post-punk with a leather-bound flourish of late-70s hard-as-nails rock music. No one really believes in Rock 'n' Roll any more, not in these times of eroded faith and disillusionment but we still believe in the redeeming power of the night. Manuela Iwansson's music soundtracks the drama of the nocturne; grimy bars that breathe acrid smoke like veils over lovers parting, the paranoia of the illicit, the thrill of darkness, the transformative power of holding hands against the storm, doomed and righteous. Strangers on a Train surges forward on a taut post-punk beat and aching Cult-like guitar riff, Iwansson's narrator lamenting an ending, stations whirring past her field of vision.The chorus feels like a stadium of fists held aloft in unison, belying the cloying tale, perhaps, of an awkward break up. It's an unabashed anthem caught between leather and lace. On the flip, Blank Surface is a bona fide AA track. Tight drums and an elastic bassline make the song feel like a lost 80's goth pop single, Iwansson's lyrics feel like the self dissolving into a thrilling melancholy, the narrator's very selfhood evaporating with the dry ice. Much of Blank Surface reminds the listener of The Cure mixed with a kind of DIY stadium rock rendered with the perfect charm by Iwansson's vocal performance, a tool which manages to sing of vulnerability with an enviable confidence. Rock n Roll is dead, good riddance; we're creatures of the night.

Strangers on a Train / Blank Surface

Music GB