Have I Really Got The Chance To Choose?

2026 already seems to be a solid year for septugenarians and octogenarians in music, the latest addition being the welcome return of Yello with Around The Sun.

A pleasing electronic skank, Dieter Meier's unmistakable vocals, guitar skitters and squelches and lovely melodic flourishes from Boris Blank, all the classic elements are there, sounding like it could have been made last week, last decade or last century. Timeless, in other words.

The video is an entrancing melange of footage from 1985 and 1978, all blank and whire, Dieter and Boris in more youthful times yet even then transcending the time that they were living in.

There's no indication that there's more to come, single- or album-wise, but I hope that there is. The world is more colourful with a splash of Yello in it.

Blank Birthday

A very happy birthday to Boris Blank, born 15th January 1952. 

His birth certificate says Hans-Rudolf Strickler, his passport says Switzerland, his CV includes artist, composer and, writ large, co-founder of Yello.

As with my birthday tribute to fellow Yello Deiter Meier in 2024, I've tried to steer clear of the Swiss duo's most prominent work for today's selection, focusing instead on Boris' solo endeavours and extracurricular activity.

I realise that in over half a decade of Dubhed, I've yet to post a bespoke Yello selection and that will addressed in due course. In the meantime, here's one of many Yello favourites (song and video) as an aperitif, followed by a half dozen Boris show pieces below. 

Have a bloomin' brilliant day, Boris!

Who's Gone?: Yello (1991)

Baby: Billy MacKenzie (co-written & produced by Boris Blank) (1992)

Musky: Carl Cox (co-produced & mixed by Boris Blank) (1996)

I Feel It Like You: Malia & Boris Blank (2014)

Electrified: Boris Blank (2014)

Escape Route: Boris Blank (2014)

Vertigo Heroes Part I: Boris Blank (2024)

 

 

 

 

 

Going Blank Again

With all the hustle and bustle of a new year, not not so new, I missed that Boris Blank released an album in February.

 

Taking a deep dive into ambient waters, Resonance comprises a dozen pieces of music surfacing from a commission for the FORTYSEVEN thermal wellness spa in Switzerland, designed by Mario Botta and situated in Baden on the River Limmat. Somewhere that's likely to be beyond my reach but at least Boris' music can help me get there in my imagination.

 

Having been immersed in the music of Mixmaster Morris / The Irresistible Force recently, and regularly dipping into Richard Norris' continuing Music For Healing series, Boris' work flows naturally from this and is a welcome pool of calm in a sea of chaos, to paraphrase one of my previous mixtape titles.

 

Four songs from Resonance have been released with videos so far, the most recent last Friday. In reverse chronological order by release, here are Elements Of Life, Angel Base, Defying Gravity and Resonance.

Lovely, just lovely.

 

 

 

Meier And Higher

A very happy birthday to Dieter Meier, born 4th March 1945. 

 

Unless you've spent the best part of five decades in suspended animation, then you'll be aware of Dieter as the unmistakable voice of Yello. 

 

Rather than go down the obvious route of sharing The Race, Bostich, Oh Yeah and the like, here's a selection of 21st Century music by other artists, guest starring Dieter.

I Want You Back: X-Press 2 (2002)

Gimme: Headman (2009)

Burn This City Down: Anna Rossinelli (2013)

Magic (Anarchy Version): Dubinator (2021)

Dieter released a couple of singles in 1978 before joining Yello, with his debut solo album, Out Of Chaos, eventually emerging in 2014. For today's selection, I've chosen the single, Buffoon.

And, as I can't get away without posting any Yello videos, here's one of my favourites from eighth album Zebra. Incredibly, both Zebra and the single How How will be thirty years old in the autumn.

Have a great day, Dieter!