Clock DVA - Breakdown 12''

Ah Adi Newton, what to think of you? In some ways Newton is the most contradictory of artists. Through nearly forty years' work in The Future, Human League, Clock DVA and The Anti-Group Newton has made some joyously simple, affirmative and forward thinking music that nevertheless seems to trigger endless discussion and reinterpretation. Seen but not seen, simple and direct in sound and deed; but yet impossible to pin down. The only album released by Clock DVA's second line up, Advantage is near the band's best. Though there aren't many synthesizers, the focus on jarring tape procedures and noise well into the red lines makes for an intense set of songs, enlivened by Newton's evolved vocal style. The atmosphere is bleak and noir-ish (including a cover of the Velvet Underground's "The Black Angel's Death Song"), quite similar to early Clock DVA material. "Breakdown" was the second single released in support of the album Advantage. 

Released in 1983 as a support single for their seminal Advantage album, Clock DVA’s "Breakdown (Remix)" 12" stands as a masterclass in the evolution of dark alternative music. Moving away from the raw industrial noise of their early Sheffield years, the band embraces a highly sophisticated, jazz-inflected post-punk sound. Driven by a propulsive, funk-addled bassline and sharp, syncopated percussion, the title track creates a tense, cinematic atmosphere. Adi Newton’s detached, spoken-sung vocals deliver abstract lyricism over a claustrophobic web of moody brass flourishes, jagged guitars, and cold electronics. The extended 12" format gives the rhythmic groove room to breathe, perfectly bridging the gap between post-punk experimentation and early darkwave dance floors.

The single's B-side elevates the release into essential territory with a haunting cover of The Velvet Underground’s "The Black Angel's Death Song." Clock DVA successfully strips the avant-garde folk-rock textures of the original, reshaping it into a mechanical, electronic dirge driven by stark synthesizers. By pairing a meticulously polished, groove-centric A-side with a starkly experimental B-side, this 12" encapsulates a transitional peak for the group. It remains a crucial artifact for collectors, showcasing a short-lived but brilliant era where industrial music collided head-on with avant-garde jazz and art-pop sensibilities.

Ripped to MP3

Clock DVA; Breakdown 12”

A1.  Breakdown (Extended Version)

A2.  Breakdown

B1.  Beautiful Losers

B2.  Black Angel’s Death Song