The original *Happiness Not Included sessions were so fruitful that the CD version of the album, subtitled *Happiness Now Completed, features 10 brand new Marc Almond and Dave Ball tracks, plus unreleased mixes, remixes and single-only tracks. The new 75-minute set fits snugly into to the rear section of the existing CD book format. 

*Happiness Now Completed also includes a newly re-recorded version of fan favourite Last Chance, with the addition of a full brass section, plus cover versions of Fad Gadget’s Back To Nature and X-Ray Spex’s The Day The World Turned Day Glo.

Lead track First Hand Experience Of Second Hand Love was originally recorded by Giorgio Moroder, a huge influence on Soft Cell. Dave Ball created the backing track shortly before Marc Almond’s near-fatal motorcycle accident in 2003, and it was two decades before the vocals were recorded.

“Marc and I were really keen to use all the music we made during the *Happiness sessions,” says Dave. “Our original plan had been to make a 16-song album, but that turned out to be over an hour long, so we whittled it down to 12, and decided to save the other songs for a rainy day. It’s now time to release them. We’re already discussing the prospect of another Soft Cell album, so it’s important to get these songs out now so we can start from scratch on more material.”

“I’ve always said that I’m up for new Soft Cell music if Dave has the tunes,” adds Marc. “If you’d asked me, a few months before the O2 concert, whether Soft Cell had a future, I’d have said no. But everything seemed right again from that point. Once I got used to the idea of new music, I became really excited.

“The original working title for *Happiness Not Included had been Future Nostalgia, but Dua Lipa annoyingly came up with the same idea before our album was ready, so that was off the table. As far as the studio goes, Dave and I work at a distance. He sends me ideas and tunes, and I write the lyrics and record my vocals. That’s not a new thing, either. Soft Cell has always been that way. Things just happen… and sometimes they don’t.”

Synthwave and Synthpop are the sounds of Oblique's universe, inspired by 80's soundtracks. They have already released 6 albums, 2 EP's and many songs. Some of those songs have been included in several compilations.

And today Oblique release Summertime Sadness, a powerful cover of Lana Del Rey's hit single from 2012.

UK producer and songwriter Future Analog (aka Paul Aston) is releasing a new Album ‘Lost Without You‘ via Aztec Records. The album includes previously released singles Sinners, Searching, The World and the Depeche Mode cover Strangelove. The album is completed with new collaborations with Wesley Reid & the Electronic Duo - O.A.G.

Lost Without You was written, recorded and produced at Paul’s own studio over the course of a year and represents the realisation of a lifelong dream to commercially release an album. The tracks are a mix of Synthpop & Retrowave combining modern House and Dance beats with the two genres. Clear influences can be heard from the likes of Depeche Mode, The Pet Shop Boys and Erasure among others.

Of particular mention are the vocal & lyric writing talents of Wesley Reid who features on 5 tracks.

With this album, Future Analog continues to push Retrowave boundaries and adds to the genre with dance & house beats and modern production elements. Future Analog is very proud of this Album and  hopes people will choose to add it to their collections.