Why does it hurt when my heart misses the beat?
The same year as Frankie Goes To Hollywood hit their peak with Two Tribes, Propaganda released their first single, Dr Mabuse on ZTT Records. This is Trevor Horn, their producer, at his most magnificent and magisterial. On this ten minute seventeen second extended mix, Das Testaments Des Mabuse, it sustains this grand melodrama and cinematic sweep. From the opening sound of a spinning coin rattling, the discordant synth wave, and the female voice whispering 'Dr Mabuse' we are off on a symphonic style of pop extravaganza only the 80's could produce.
What is most noticeable is that its chock full of tiny catchy details, knowing references and straight borrowings in the edit and production. The keyboard riff, the thumping bass synth, staccato strings and the incantations to - sell him your soul - never look back. They keep you forever interested in how the musical weaving of this tapestry is unfolding.
Horn largely left the Propaganda album A Secret Wish in 1985 to his protege Stephen Lipson. Though this gave them there one and only hit, the song Duel, I don't think anything on it is quite in the same sonic league as Dr Mabuse. And within a year or so the Zang Tum Tum big production bubble had burst anyway.
The Propaganda you hear here, is a fantasy version of them, but nonetheless a beautiful piece of musical alchemy by Horn. Taking elements of German cinematic expressionism and experiment, to re-present what was only a potential within the band. But Horn is taking the risks no ingenue pop band would, and pulls off a truly cracking track they never quite equal themselves thereafter.
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