Catch Erasure at The Corn Exchange

“IT’S all about hope, forgiveness, being given a new chance and the world being your oyster,” says Andy Bell, ahead of Erasure’s gig at the Corn Exchange tomorrow.

Erasure. Pic: Comp

He’s talking about Elevation, the first track to be released from the band’s 16th studio album, The Violet Flame.

As they approach 30 years of songwriting, having sold 25 million albums and achieved more than 40 hit singles, Bell and Vince Clarke have created another stunning success of emotionally-charged electro-pop with euphoric, synth-fuelled melodies.

Recorded in New York and London and produced by Richard X, the album’s creation followed a different path to previous Erasure releases.

As ever, the songwriting was entirely collaborative but this time, the warmth of Miami gave a perfect backdrop for the album writing and the starting point, unusually, was Clarke’s pre-recorded dance grooves. This proved to be a more instant method of songwriting which saw the songs flow at great speed.

“I found them very inspiring and the tunes just came out”, reflects Bell. “This time it was much more off the top of the head. All that we said was that we’d like to make an uptempo dance record. And that’s how it came out.”

Chances are a few of the old favourites will also get an airing tomorrow.

Erasure: The Violet Flame Tour, The Corn Exchange, Newmarket Road, tomorrow, 7pm, £35, 0131-477 3500