Various Artists - C85 is a three-CD box set compilation released by Cherry Red Records in October 2022 that documents the vibrant UK independent music scene of 1985. Serving as a historical prequel to the legendary NME C86 cassette, this collection captures a crucial transitional year when post-punk was evolving into the definitive "shambling" indie-pop and jangle-pop movements. Curated with sleeve notes from original C86 co-compiler Neil Taylor, the set provides an expansive audio archive of the underground sounds that laid the groundwork for British alternative guitar music for the next decade.
The compilation is notable for featuring breakthrough debut singles, early demos, and rare tracks from bands that would soon become icons of the era. Listeners can find foundational tracks like The Jesus and Mary Chain’s fuzzy landmark debut "Never Understand", The Stone Roses' rare early single "So Young", and early offerings from Primal Scream, The Housemartins, and Happy Mondays. Structurally, the first two discs highlight the melodic, jangly guitar pop most associated with the scene, while the third disc focuses on the noisier, more aggressive, and eccentric "wonky" pop sounds championed by underground cult labels of the time.
Released by Cherry Red Records in October 2022, Various Artists - C85 is an expansive and meticulously curated three-CD box set that acts as a vital historical prequel to the legendary 1986 NME C86 cassette. Over the course of 73 tracks, the compilation captures the UK independent music scene during a pivotal transitional year, documenting the exact moment post-punk’s jagged edges began softening into the jangly, melodic, and "shambling" indie-pop blueprint. With sleeve notes from original C86 co-compiler Neil Taylor, the collection serves less as a nostalgic look back and more as a living archive of a fertile underground movement finding its collective voice.
The box set’s greatest strength lies in its ability to highlight the raw, formative energy of bands that would soon become alternative rock royalty. Hearing the fuzzy blast of The Jesus and Mary Chain’s debut single "Never Understand" alongside the rare, aggressive post-punk of The Stone Roses' "So Young" offers a fascinating glimpse into these icons before they conquered the mainstream. Early, earnest offerings from Primal Scream ("All Fall Down"), The Housemartins ("Flag Day"), and Happy Mondays ("Delightful") further prove how vital 1985 was as an incubator for the decade's defining musical shifts.
Structurally, the compilation is brilliantly paced to show the sheer diversity of the era rather than flattening it into a single style. Discs one and two lean heavily into the melodic jangle, twee pop, and driving guitar rhythms that fans traditionally associate with the scene, featuring underappreciated gems from bands like the Shop Assistants and The Wedding Present. It is a joyful, breathless celebration of independent spirit, characterized by chiming Rickenbacker guitars, poetic lyricism, and a DIY ethos that bypassed the slick, commercial production of mid-1980s radio.
In contrast, disc three bravely shifts focus to the weirder, noisier, and more abrasive fringes of the 1985 underground. By spotlighting the eccentric, angular "wonky" pop championed by cult labels like Ron Johnson Records, the compilation provides a much-needed antidote to the idea that all mid-80s indie was polite or fragile. Ultimately, C85 is an essential masterclass in musical curation, successfully arguing that the explosion of 1986 was only possible because of the chaotic, brilliant, and fiercely independent groundwork laid down a year prior.
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Disc 1: The Melodic & Shambling Roots
Features tracks from artists including The Jesus and Mary Chain ("Never Understand"), The Wedding Present ("(The Moment Before) Everything's Spoiled Again"), Shop Assistants ("All Day Long"), The Housemartins ("Flag Day"), Happy Mondays ("Delightful"), and The Primitives ("Across My Shoulder" Demo).
Disc 2: The Expanding Underground
Highlights include Primal Scream ("All Fall Down"), Del Amitri ("Sticks And Stones, Girl"), The Chesterfields ("Nose Out Of Joint"), and The Wake ("Of The Matter"), along with contributions from artists like The Passmore Sisters, Go! Service, and The Band Of Holy Joy.
Disc 3: The Noisy & "Wonky" Fringes
Showcases noisier indie acts like A Witness ("Lucky In London"), Big Flame ("All The Irish (Must Go To Heaven)"), The Inca Babies ("Brother Rat"), and The Stone Roses ("So Young")
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