Albums: Andy Bell Ten Crowns

Andy Bell Ten Crowns

Tracks: Breaking Thru The Interstellar; Lies So Deep (ft. Sarah Potenza); Heart's A Liar (Debbie Harry); For Today; Dance For Mercy; Don't Cha Know; Dawn Of Heaven's Gate; Godspell; Put Your Empathy On Ice; Thank You

Label: Crown Recordings Ltd.


Andy Bell is best known for his work as one half of the multi-million selling duo Erasure. Founded way back in 1985, Erasure has made its name with killer synth-pop anthems. While co-founder Vince Clark was already well established thanks to his work with Depeche Mode and Yazoo, it was in meeting vocalist Andy Bell that he found himself further catapulted into the realms of iconic status. While the duo has been a regular feature on the global music scene since their formation, Andy Bell has surprisingly not released many solo albums outside of the collaboration. With two albums under his own name and four under his alter ego, Torsten, he returns with Ten Crowns, his first album of material under his own name since 2010's Non-Stop.

Having recently turned 61, Andy Bell is at a real point of celebration. A globally celebrated queer icon, he has always enjoyed delivering dancefloor fillers, and while he is perhaps better known for the edgy cool of Erasure, there is something truly uplifting about the all-out pop dancefloor vibes of his latest collection. Having previously worked with renowned producer Dave Audé, the collaboration once again shimmers throughout the album's ten songs.

Opening with the blissfully euphoric semi-trance vibes of Breaking Thru The Interstellar, two things are immediately clear – Andy Bell is sounding at his vocal peak and this is an album that is both a celebration and an escape. With two collaborations following – Sarah Potenza (Lies So Deep) and Heart's A Liar (Debbie Harry) – it is also apparent that as he explores the world that surrounds him and his personal journey, he does so in company that helps bring out the best in him, with the latter collaboration offering one of the album's key moments of pure brilliance.

Joining the Debbie Harry collaboration are the peak moments of the theatrical sparkle of Godspell and the Erasure-leaning Dawn of Heaven's Gate, while the clunky lyrics of album closers Put Your Empathy On Ice and Thank You show that perhaps while the intentions are always strong, the finishing moment just needed a little more shine. However, it is the former single Don't Cha Know, with its timeless pop appeal and stunningly memorable opening, that will be the enduring classic born from a record that was very much worth the wait.

Andy Bell has yet to achieve his solo breakout celebration, and at 61, he delivers the album that should see him glorified in his own name.