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Paul Haig \ The Warp of Pure Fun [TWI 669]


Les Disques du Crépuscule is proud to present a newly remastered and expanded CD box set edition of The Warp of Pure Fun, the acclaimed 1985 album by Scottish songwriter Paul Haig, formerly of influential Postcard/postpunk group Josef K.

Co-produced by Alan Rankine of The Associates, The Warp of Pure Fun followed a brief flirtation with mainstream dance-pop on the Island Records, and marked a return to warmer, more personal songs and arrangements, live drums and ringing guitars, as well as embracing emergent digital technology such as Akai sequencers and the Kurzweil sampling keyboard.

The album includes 4 singles in Big Blue World, Heaven Help You Now, Love Eternal and electro-funk stormer The Only Truth, the latter produced with Bernard Sumner of New Order and Donald Johnson (A Certain Ratio). As well as Alan Rankine on luxuriant keyboards, other stellar guests include drummers Steve Goulding, Toby and James Locke, bassist Michael McCann and Blaine L. Reininger of Tuxedomoon, who adds dramatic strings to epic closer Love and War.

The mammoth 64 track box set also includes a raft of extended 12" mixes, including rare US remixes by Man Parrish and Mantronik, and no less than 3 versions of The Executioner, a spooky electro collaboration with Cabaret Voltaire taped at their Western Works Studio in Sheffield. B-sides include Paul's frantic rockabilly take on Ghost Rider by Suicide, featuring Malcolm Ross and David McClymont of Josef K/Orange Juice.

Disc 2 features a fascinating early album demo recorded at home on 4 track equipment, featuring several previously unheard songs, as well as all tracks from Paul's legendary 'lost' second album from 1984, including sublime standout song Shining Hour.

Disc 4 offers 9 tracks professionally recorded live in Japan in May 1985 (with accompanying radio interview), along with several more demo tracks recorded later that year. Again, several of these songs (Testimony, Wrapped, Bridges) have never heard or released on record before.

Remastered in 2021 by Peter Beckmann at TechnologyWorks London. Cover art by Benoît Hennebert. The booklet contains a detailed track by track commentary by Paul, and additional notes from Alan Rankine.


4xCD box tracklist:

Disc 1:

1. Silent Motion
2. Heaven Help You Now
3. Love Eternal
4. This Dying Flame
5. Sense of Fun
6. Scare Me
7. Big Blue World
8. The Only Truth
9. One Lifetime Away
10. Love & War
11. Ghost Rider (b side)
12. Endless Song (b side)
13. Dangerous Life (b side)
14. The Executioner (Mix *1)
15. Closer Now (b side)
16. Trust (b side)
17. World Raw(b side)

Disc 2:

1. City Life (1984 demo)
2. Judgement Coming (1984 demo)
3. Love & War (1984 demo)
4. The Only Truth (1984 demo)
5. Heart of Song (1984 demo)
6. Crawling (1984 demo)
7. Fear and Dancing (1984 demo)
8. One Lifetime Away (1984 demo)
9. Trust (1984 demo)
10. Shining Hour (1984 demo)
11. World Raw (1984 demo)
12. All Our Love (1984 demo)
13. Love Eternal (12" Mix)
14. Shining Hour (lost album)
15. One Lifetime Away (lost album)
16. Fear and Dancing (lost album)
17. All Our Love (lost album)
18. Love & War (lost album)

Disc 3:

1. Heaven Help You Now (12" Mix)
2. This Dying Flame (12" Mix)
3. The Only Truth (12" Mix)
4. The Executioner (Mix *2)
5. Scottish Christmas
6. Theme from 'The Persuaders'
7. Change of Heart
8. Work the System
9. Heaven Help You Now (Mantronik Mix)
10. The Only Truth (US Remix)
11. The Executioner (Mix *3)
12. The Only Truth (Instrumental)
13. On This Night of Decision

Disc 4:

1. Scare Me (live in Japan 1985)
2. Blue For You (live in Japan 1985)
3. Heaven Help You Now (live in Japan 1985)
4. Love Eternal (live in Japan 1985)
5. Interview (live in Japan 1985)
6. Ghost Rider (live in Japan 1985)
7. Big Blue World
8. Heaven Sent (live in Japan 1985)
9. Magdalena 82 (live in Japan 1985)
10. The Only Truth (live in Japan 1985)
11. Testimony (demo)
12. Wrapped (demo)
13. Reach the Top (1985 demo)
14. Eastworld (1985 demo)
15. In-Flight Entertainment (1985 demo)
16. Bridges (1985 demo)


Available on 4xCD in deluxe clamshell box. To order please select correct shipping option (UK, Europe or Rest of World) and click on Add To Cart button.

Or, you can order with the option of tracked shipping from our friends at Burning Shed (click here to order)

The Warp of Pure Fun [TWI 669]
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Reviews:

"In which the former Josef K front man collects together four CDs of material that orbited his brilliant 1985 album The Warp of Pure Fun. A remaster of the Alan Rankine-produced original leads the charge, ably supported by 4-track demos and cuts from the fabled 1984 "lost" Island Records album, a disc of outtakes, remixes and rarities, and a live set recorded in Japan. Highlights? Where to start? You have to wonder why Haig's soaring electro pop wasn't massive back in the day. That the sparkling lead single Big Blue World barely scraped the chart should be open to some sort of enquiry. The Sumner/Johnson-produced The Only Truth is a joyous, melody-driven triumph. Its US remix even sees Man Parrish giving it a stripped back electro feel, not unlike New Order's Confusion. The Mantronix bass-quaking take on heaven Help You Now is none too shabby either. An unmissable collection for those with the 80s in their bones (Electronic Sound, 1/2022)

"Haig tapped into the dance zeitgeist, swapped Oxfam for Gaultier and allied his croon to the emergent electro wave. Excellent singles, plus extra examples of Haig's anguished android funk pop" (Uncut, 11/2003)

"Arguably still his finest solo recording. Haig's knack for heady melody coupled with enigmatic lyrics and that wonderfully aloof delivery remain gloriously intact, and is coaxed into wonderful shapes by ex-Associate Alan Rankine. The fact that Warp is also heavy on the shoulda-been-huge singles quota also helps significantly. Warp still takes some beating 18 years on and makes magnificent rubble of the theory that there were no superb pop albums released during the excessively naff mid-1980s" (Whisperin' & Hollerin', 10/2003)

"A consistent wad of pop, Haig has once more opted to give it electronified pop with wit, wild statements and jaunty boxes of guitars" (NME, 11/1985)

"One of the best 'pop' albums of all time. Full of synthesised magic and Paul Haig's bold, aggressive vocals make it a joy throughout. Wonderful!" (Amazon, 2005)

"This collection is housed in an elegantly designed box with a detailed booklet including revealing comments from Paul himself about the album and it songs, the 1984 demo and the lost LP. Also there is a relevant interview extract from producer Alan Rankine. This all helps to give a real feel of depth to what is a quality piece of work all round. The Warp Of Pure Fun represented a turning point for Paul Haig after major label hassles, where he found himself again and seemed reenergised and focused. The audio quality is great and the tunes and performances really burn. This reissue rounds up everything a Paul Haig fan could wish for, bar a live appearance (one can hope!). The Warp Of Pure Fun 4CD is an excellent and thoroughly compiled set by a label that clearly loves Paul Haig's sterling work and treats it here with total respect" (Louder Than War, 11/2021)