MESH - 'This Without You (Fallen Mix) : new single out 24 october

It is back! UK dark/alternative electronic act Mesh are making their long out of print and much sought after second album, 'The Point At Which It Falls Apart', available again. Originally released in 1999 and marking an artistic, critical and commercial breakthrough, the reissue has been meticulously remastered by renowned German producer Olaf Wollschläger and also comes in a spectacular limited edition artbook format with extensive bonus materials and an album length second CD.

Having made the remastered version of album song 'Needle In A Bruise' available as a single in September, the group have today issued 'This Without You (Fallen Mix)’ as its follow-up. Included on the bonus CD, the vocalist and guitarist Mark Hockings explains that the track “originally appeared as the B-side for 'It Scares Me' in 1999. It was written around a series of quirky musical phrases that our then keyboard player Neil Taylor had recorded using some acoustic guitar samples and the Emax II sampler. A rather beautiful and minimalistic song with an unusual time signature at the start, it settles into more electronic territory by the end. It is one of my favourite tracks of that period and one that I am very proud of."

Mesh was formed in 1991 when Mark Hockings and Richard Silverthorn (keyboards, co-vocals) found friendship and common musical ground. Their partnership has defined the group’s enduring legacy ever since, a creative synergy emerging from a complementary distribution of roles; Silverthorn composing the music, with Hockings penning evocative and profound lyrics, infusing depth and emotion into their soundscapes. The duo were soon joined by Neil Taylor (keyboards), who had previously played in another band with Silverthorn.

They issued an EP entitled ‘Fragile’ in 1994 and a full-length debut effort, ‘In This Place Forever’, two years later. The 1999 release of ‘The Point At Which It Falls Apart’ led to a major label deal in Germany for ‘Who Watches Over Me’ (2002), propelling the trio further into the limelight. A surge of popularity across mainland Europe led to chart success and prestige festival billings, while a subsequent collaboration with former Depeche Mode producer Gareth Jones for ‘We Collide’ (2006) further solidified their status.

Adapting to line-up changes, the core duo maintained their momentum, augmenting live performances with drummer Sean Suleman and additional live keyboardists. They also strengthened their presence globally, especially in the Americas, with ‘Automation Baby’ (2013) and ‘Looking Skyward’ (2016) seeing them climb to even greater heights, the latter peaking just outside the Top Ten on the German album chart. Meanwhile, demonstrating artistic versatility, they collaborated with a classical orchestra at the 'Gothic meets Klassik' festival in 2015.

Continuing their musical evolution, they welcomed Vaughn George into their live line-up in spring 2023 and are currently in the process of writing their next studio album. The sumptuous remastered reissue of ‘The Point At Which It Falls Apart’ provides the perfect stopgap, quarter of a century on from its initial release.