Thanks largely to frequent name-drops from current rock outfits, as well as the popularity of music tomes such as Simon Reynolds' Rip It Up And Start Again, 1980s Scottish pop is in the midst of a resurgence. Last year saw the release of Orange Juice and Fire Engines, compilations from Domino; a Josef K comp is set for release Nov. 7.The latest group of Scots to get the re-issue treatment is Aberdeen's APB, as earlier this year Young American released a two-disc, 20th anniversary edition of the dance-rock trio's hard-to-find underground classic, Something To Believe In. (Original copies of the album were once listed on Amazon for as high as $2,500).
Influencing modern acts such as Franz Ferdinand, The Rapture, and LCD Soundsystem, APB fused funky bass licks and rhythmic drum beats with blasts of sputtering guitar.
Hear it for yourself. Download: "Chain Reaction" by ABP. What gives the energetic track an extra flair: the thick, accented voice of singer Iain Slater, curling 'round the lyrics.
