We had yet to learn who Department S where. It turns out, we were dealing with a seminal slice of the original new-wave scene! Emerging from Manchester, the group was, and still is, one of the scene’s best-kept-secret. Finding fame in 1981 with a UK hit single, ‘Is Vic There?’, Department S disbanded shortly after, writing an album that would see the light of day only a few years later, in 1994. Flickering through it, one can understand why Department S have been on the brink of stardom: their sound is inherently authentic and fierce, channelling exuberant and kaleidoscopic material drenched in charming vocals.
Now, the British talents return with their latest effort, the charming single ‘So Far Away (feat. Baz Warne)’. In it, the listener will rejoice in the record’s rich and nuanced sonic universe, supercharging their guitar parts into a dazzling rock-flavoured euphoria. Perhaps leaving some of their new-wave styling behind, Department S crafts a track that feels wider in its cultural references, something that will definitely be appealing to a wider audience. Produced with collaborator and guitarist Baz Warne (The Stranglers), ‘So Far Away’ deserves your attention.
Speaking about the song, Department S explain: “When we demoed the track we knew it would be a bit special, and to match the reflective nature of the lyric we wanted to evoke the wistful kinda vibe that The Stranglers achieved on their classic “Relentless”. With that in mind, there was only one man to ask to add some ‘mood’ guitar. After hearing the track, Baz immediately agreed and sent something like 10 different guitar parts over the next couple of days. His playing definitely lifted the track even further.”
Recommended! Discover ‘So Far Away’ on Spotify:
