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.
