Issue 86

Hang on to your black leather caps. Soft Cell are preparing to release a new studio album – their first since 2002 – and we're delighted to have Marc Almond and Dave Ball on the cover of this month's Electronic Sound. We have an awesome Soft Cell seven-inch to accompany the issue too.

Marc and Dave have always been in a league of their own. Their take on the northern soul classic 'Tainted Love' is one of those tracks you recognise within seconds, but there is so much more to Soft Cell than this monster hit. They had plenty of other monster hits – and there may well be more to come. The duo's new album, 'Happiness Not Included', boasts some of the best songs they've ever written. Both now in their 60s, Marc and Dave are as essential as ever. No doubt. No question. No contest.

We've a big stack of good stuff to keep you entertained elsewhere in the magazine as well, our other main interviews including Cate Le Bon, Bonobo, Severed Heads, Pneumatic Tubes and Michael Rother & Vittoria Maccabruni. They've all served up great records in the last few weeks and they've all got interesting tales to tell.

The bundle edition of this month's magazine includes an exclusive purple vinyl seven-inch featuring two slices of top quality Soft Cell. The A-side is an edited remix of 'Happiness Not Included', the title track of the duo's forthcoming album, which Marc Almond describes as "an angry song, a lyrical rage". Flip the disc over for a radio edit of 'Bruises On All My Illusions', another track from the album. Dave Ball calls the song "dark and filmic gothic pop", while Marc says he sees it as "a sequel to 'Bedsitter' – it has the same characters". You're going to have trouble deciding which side of the record you like best because they are both truly superb.

As with all of our music releases, this seven-inch is strictly limited and is only available to readers of Electronic Sound, so make sure you get your copy right away.