Leisure Process - The Complete Epic Recordings 

Formed in the early eighties by Ross Middleton, who had been in the band Positive Noise, and session sax player Gary Barnacle, Leisure Process released four singles during their short career, all produced by noted producer Martin Rushent.  The new two-CD collection The Complete Epic Recordings includes, for the first time on CD, all the A and B sides of these four singles (both 7-inch and 12-inch), as well as sessions, demos and instrumentals that were being considered for a never released full-length album.  "Love Cascade" was their debut single and is a catchy, very dancey eighties electropop track with hints of The Human League.  It really establishes their sound with the unique blend of synths and saxophone and made for a very promising start.  It was Single of the Week in most of the music publications as well as Peter Powell's Pick on Radio 1, but unfortunately, there was a mix-up at the label's pressing plant, and the single didn't hit the shops for another month.  Because of this, customers weren't able to get the single and by the time it was released they had moved on.  Their follow-up was "A Way You'll Never Be," which featured Mark King and Phil Gould from Level 42.  It moves in more of an electronic direction with a bit of funk, largely in part to King's bass playing.  The hooks were back full-force on their third single, "Cashflow," a super bouncy mixture of synthpop and new wave.  "Anxiety" ended up being their final single and is a solid, poppy, midtempo synthpop tune, but comes across as a little too radio friendly and therefore was safer than its predecessors.  The B-sides to their singles often found them showing their more experimental side.  These include the darker, haunting bass-driven "The Sun Turns Back," and "The Fluke," a slower track that's very sax and piano driven that strangely gives me Springsteen "Meeting Across The River" vibes and features Magazine's Dave Formula on piano.  "Rachel Dreams" is a colder, more sterile sounding synth driven song, but with Barnacle's warm sax, while "The Company" ("Company B" on the extended version) is another darker synth tune containing samples from films and TV and some great trumpet from Gary's dad, Big Bill Barnacle, and the slow and atmospheric instrumental "The Emigre" is quite different from anything else they had done.  In addition to multiple versions and mixes of the singles, along with a couple of the B-sides, are 2024 remixes of "Love Cascade" and "A Way You'll Never Be" from Klaus Devore that were included at the request of the band.  They are interesting remixes that are respectful of the originals, while giving them a modern day sound.  The remainder of the tracks are rough mixes and instrumentals, many of which were being considered for their shelved album Remarkable People With Interesting Lives.  Some of the highlights include “Pentagon,” with it’s fun, slinky swagger, the sprightly “Learning To Love Me” with its bleeps and bloops (check out the bass solo here), “Interesting Lives,” a slower, more atmospheric track that’s one of the standouts, and the upbeat “Call Me President” with its stabbing synth pulses.  Rounding out the bonus tracks are rough mixes of “Cashflow” and “Anxiety” and a trio of unreleased instrumentals.  The compilation also includes a thirty-two page booklet full of fun and informative essays from Middleton and makes this a welcome addition to the collection of any fan of eighties synthpop.  

(SFE)