A Certain Ratio Share New Single’Clockwork Orange’

Today, legendary Manchester band A Certain Ratio return with new single ‘Clockwork Orange’, out now on Speedy Wunderground as part of their illustrious 7″ single series. ‘Clockwork Orange’ marks the band’s first material since the release of their acclaimed new album It All Comes Down To This, which Speedy Wunderground’s own Dan Carey also produced. Carey explains that he has long had an affinity for the pioneering band: “A long time ago when I was a teenager, I was out in Manchester and spotted a poster that said something about A Certain Ratio remixed by Norman Cook. At the time I didn’t really know what a remix was, who Norman Cook was, or who/what A Certain Ratio was, but somehow I knew it was worth investigating. As a result, I discovered ACR, figured out what remixes were, and started trying to do my own. I’ve loved ACR ever since.”

‘Clockwork Orange’ builds around malign synths, incorporating contorted vocal passages and shape-shifting electronics that make the song a compellingly dark, shadowy force.

Martin Moscrop (trumpet, guitars) comments on working in the customarily quick fashion that Carey and the Speedy Wunderground single series are so famed for: “We spent a day recording the song with Dan Carey and arranged to pick up our equipment the following morning at 10am. Dan had been up since 8am working on the elements of the song and as we walked into the studio our jaws dropped. He had transformed the song into something very dark, different and full of interest factor. We left the studio on a real high telling Dan to carry on in that direction and make it as heavy as he possibly could. It was a real eureka moment.”

Continuing, Jez Kerr (bass guitar, vocals) says: “We’d worked with Dan on the album, so we knew how quickly he liked to get things down. As a joke [Factory Records producer] Martin Hannett used to like to confuse engineers by disappearing to the pub with the parting line, “yeah just tidy up that patchbay and make that delay on the guitar a bit more yellow.” I think Dan is the guy who can actually make a delay more yellow.”

Hear ‘Clockwork Orange’ on streaming services here and share via YouTube below.

The single will be available on 7″ from July 26th here, and includes the Dan Carey dub remix B Side ‘Dubwork Orange’.