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Soft Cell

Musical Group
Forfans of synth-pop and new wave, 80s music devotees, and listeners into darker electronic pop.
7 Reviews 1 Definitions 10 Charts
Pop Electronic New Wave

The Profile

Soft Cell are an English synth-pop duo formed in 1977 by vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist Dave Ball. They broke through with their 1981 cover of Tainted Love and the acclaimed debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, followed by darker, ambitious records like The Art of Falling Apart and This Last Night in Sodom. After splitting in 1984, they reunited in the 2000s and later returned to activity again.

Best known for the 1981 global hit Tainted Love (originally by Gloria Jones), and for shaping early-80s synth-pop with stark storytelling and club-driven electronics.

DeBaser’s reviews frame Soft Cell as a cornerstone of early-80s synth-pop. Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is praised for its sharp storytelling and club-ready electronics. The Art of Falling Apart pushes into baroque, darker drama, while This Last Night in Sodom leans into disillusioned, anxiety-tinged pop. Heat: The Remixes splits opinion but spotlights enduring songwriting.

Notable Quotes

❝ Isn't it nice/Sugar and spice/Luring disco dollies to a life of vice?
❝ Roxy Music and New Order meet in a danceable and semi-industrial sound.
❝ This opening track alone, supported by a syncopated and pounding rhythm, is enough to make Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret one of the milestones of electronic/dance music of the '80s, an album that practically has no weak points, meaning filler tracks included just to reach the required runtime.
❝ Torch, however, I'll play at every party.
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