Born on June 15: Neil Arthur (Blancmange), the most distinctive voice of British synthpop

He was born in 1958 in Darwen, Lancashire (England), and is still known today as the lead singer of Blancmange

Formed in the early 1980s with Stephen Luscombe, their duo chose the name of a dessert with French-sounding yet distinctly English origins. 

Blancmange, Neil and Stephen’s band, quickly made a name for themselves with their unique blend of electronic pop, exotic sounds—sometimes with a nod to India—and often introspective lyrics. Featured on the album "Happy Families" (1982), their first hit, "Living On The Ceiling," propelled them to the top of the British charts. This catchy chorus remains a particularly anticipated moment at concerts, even though this debut album features a string of memorable tracks such as “Feel Me,” “Waves,” and “I Can’t Explain.”“

We were just trying to do something different—a bit strange, sure, but catchy. The synth wasn’t really a deliberate choice; it was just what we had on hand!” Neil recalled in The Quietus in 2015

After two truly iconic albums of British synth-pop—the previously mentioned “Happy Families” and “Mange Tout” in 1984 (as well as the less successful “Believe You Me” in 1985)—the band split up. Neil Arthur continued working in music, composing for film and television and pursuing a rather low-key solo career, including, for example, the album "Suitcase" (1994).

Blancmange rose from the ashes several times, notably in 2011 to record their fourth album "Blanc Burn," twenty-six years after the previous one! But Stephen Luscombe soon had to step down due to declining health.

Today, Neil remains at the helm alone, though he surrounds himself with occasional collaborators like Benge for his side project Fader. Blending vintage synthesizers with contemporary influences, and with a writing style as personal as ever, he regularly releases new albums, such as the atmospheric "Computer 23" in 2013. "I never wanted to just recreate exactly what we produced in the ’80s. I hope to express something different, even original," he stated in the trade magazine Electronic Sound in 2020.

Based on a shared idea that has been gradually taking shape over the past few years, Vince Clarke (formerly of Depeche Mode and Yazoo) and Neil Artur are working on a project to dust off a few hits (as well as lesser-known tracks) from the 1980s, naturally in an electro version. Under the name Doublespeak, they first cut their teeth with Fad Gadget’s “Back To Nature” before releasing the results of their sometimes incongruous tinkering in the form of an album in May 2026. From the Carpenters to ABBA, from David Essex to The Sound (the band of the late Adrian Borland), it’s not always easy to track down the original artist. And that’s just fine!

Photo: Neil Arthur with Blancmange on stage at the W Festival in Ostend (Belgium) on August 29, 2021