German synth-pop band Propaganda formed in Düsseldorf in 1982. They signed with ZTT Records in 1983 and released their first single 'Dr Mabuse' in 1984. This was followed by their debut studio album 'A Secret Wish', two of the album's singles, 'Dr. Mabuse' and 'Duel', were UK Top 30 hits.

'A Secret Wish' which was written by Mertens and Dörper received considerable critical acclaim reaching number 16 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was followed by the single, 'p:Machinery' which became a hit in Italy, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.

This limited LP version has a new Atmos mix by David Kostin. 

STAFF COMMENTS

Mine says: Often bombastic but never pompous, this is an absolute gem of an album. Desert island disc!

TRACK LISTING

1. Dream Within A Dream
2. The Murder Of Love
3. Jewel
4. Duel
5. P:Machinery
6. Sorry For Laughing
7. Dr Mabuse - First Life
8. The Chase
9. The Last Word/Strength To Dream

German synth-pop Propaganda band formed in Düsseldorf in 1982. They signed with ZTT Records in 1983 and released their first single 'Dr Mabuse' in 1984. This was followed by their debut studio album 'A Secret Wish', two of the album's singles, 'Dr. Mabuse' and 'Duel', were UK Top 30 hits.

'A Secret Wish' which was written by Mertens and Dörper it received considerable critical acclaim reaching number 16 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was followed by the single, 'p:Machinery' which became a hit in Italy, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.

The group spent the rest of the year on their 'Outside World' tour, taking in Europe and America. A remix album, 'Wishful Thinking', was released in November 1985. Originally intended for the American club market, the album was also released in Europe.

This box set compiled and curated by ZTT expert Ian Peel brings together the album as well a selection of rare mixes, unreleased tracks, and some live material. Housed in a compact sturdy CD box, the booklet contains a note by Ian on the history of the band and the impact the album has had over the years.

TRACK LISTING

CD1 - Secret:
1. A Secret Wish (Propaganda's Analogue Sequence)
2. Dream Within A Dream
3. The Murder Of Love
4. Jewel
5. Duel
6. P:Machinery
7. Sorry For Laughing
8. Dr. Mabuse (First Life)
9. The Chase
10. The Last Word (Strength To Dream)
11. A Secret Wish (Stepen Lipson's Digital Variation)
12. Dream Within A Dream
13. Jewel
14. Duel
15. Frozen Faces
16. P:Machinery
17. Dr Mabuse

CD2 - Stahlnetz:
1. Disturbdance One
2. Abuse - Here
3. Machined
4. P:Machinery - The βeta Wraparound...
5. Laughed
6. Sorry For Laughing - Alvin Clarke 12" Mix
7. Loving
8. Jewelled
9. Loved
10. Abuse - There
11. Im Stahlnetz Des Mabuse
12. Thought
13. Frozen Faces - The Echo Of...
14. Machined - Nowhere

CD3 - Singlette:
1. (The Nine Lives Of) Dr. Mabuse
2. Dr. Mabuse - A Paranoid Fantasy
3. Dr. Mabuse Der Spieler - An International Incident
4. Das Testaments Des Mabuse
5. Femme Fatale - The Woman With The Orchid
6. Dr. Mabuse - The Ninth Life Of...
7. Do Well
8. The First Cut
9. Duel
10. Jewel - Cut Rough
11. Wonder
12. Bejewelled
13. Complete Machinery
14. Introduction
15. P:Machinery - Connected
16. Separation
17. Frozen Faces - βeta

CD4 - Series:
1. Die Tausend Augen Des Mabuse
2. Testament One
3. Duel - Bitter-sweet
4. Testament Two
5. P:Machinery - Polish
6. Testament Three
7. Frozen Faces - αlpha
8. Testament Four
9. Sorry For Laughing - Unapologetic
10. Testament Five
11. The Murder Of Love - Murderous Instrumental
12. Testament Six
13. P:Machinery - βeta
14. Testament Seven
15. Dr Mabuse - Special Instrumental Mix
16. Testament Eight

CD5 - Studio:
1. Dream Within A Dream (Within A Dream)
2. P:Machinery - αlpha
3. Dr Mabuse (An International Conclusion) - Outtake 24.04.85
4. (The First Life Of…) Strength To Dream - Outtake 04.02.84
5. Dream Within A Dream - Noise And Girls Come Out To Play
6. Frozen Faces - A Secret Sense Of Rhythm
7. Frozen Faces - A Secret Sense Of Sin
8. P:Machinery - Goodnight 32
9. The Chase - The Goodnight, Mix
10. Femme Fatale - The Orchid
11. Jewel - Rough Cut
12. Lied
13. The Lesson
14. P:Machinery - Passive
15. P:Machinery - The Voiceless βeta Wraparound Edit

CD6 - Stage:
1. Disturbdance Six
2. Dr Mabuse - Some Kind Of Wonderful
3. Disturbdance Five
4. Duel - Top Of The Pops Mix
5. Disturbdance Thirty-three - Parts One And Two
6. Dr Mabuse - Anton Corbijn Video Mix
7. Disturbdance Seven
8. P:Machinery - Zbigniew Rybczyński Video Mix
9. Disturbdance Fourteen

Electronic pioneers Propaganda follow up their acclaimed 2024 comeback with Remix Encounters, a broad and brilliant remix album featuring Moby, Tangerine Dream, Rhys Fulber, Schiller, and more. After the widely praised release of their self-titled comeback album in October 2024, Düsseldorf’s legendary art-synth auteurs return with Remix Encounters, a thrilling reimagining of their latest work. Released on Bureau B, this remix collection reflects the enthusiasm Propaganda’s return after three decades of silence has ignited among contemporary artists, who approached the project with fresh energy and creative freedom.

Since breaking new ground with their seminal 1985 debut A Secret Wish and its pioneering remix companion Wishful Thinking, Propaganda have thrived on transformation. Yet rather than revisiting the past, Remix Encounters looks forward, building on the vitality of last year’s album and celebrating its widespread critical and fan acclaim.

What began as a remix request from Finnish electronic maestro Jori Hulkkonen, returning the favour after Ralf Dörper’s contribution to his last album, quickly blossomed into an international collaboration, drawing in luminaries such as Moby, Tangerine Dream, Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly, Delerium), and Schiller.

Embracing openness, Propaganda spent the fourth quarter of 2024 encouraging the wide range of musicians inspired by their triumphant return to offer their own interpretations. Each brought their distinctive voice to the material, resulting in a thrilling journey through electronic subgenres, from EBM and industrial to rave, ambient, house, and beyond.

Rhys Fulber opens the album with a brooding, machine-funk reinvention of “They Call Me Nocebo,” evolving from a sleek, sinuous introduction into a relentless pneumatic stomp. Next, Schiller offers a powerful remix of “Distant” that balances raw electro-house and techno energy with the emotional depth of EBM, before Moby transforms “Purveyor of Pleasure” into a furious early-’90s rave anthem, fusing breakbeats and rolling basslines that pulse with nostalgic urgency yet feel unmistakably modern. Elsewhere, Finnish polymath Jimi Tenor infuses “Vicious Circle” with cosmic jazz and dub textures, while Pyrolator, a key figure in Düsseldorf’s avant-garde scene, delivers a shadowy reinterpretation of “Love Craft.” Cult With No Name also contribute a brooding electro-ballad version of the same track. Propaganda’s own Michael Mertens teams up with longtime collaborator Hans Steingen to re-envision “Dystopian Waltz,” shifting its time signature to a gripping 4/4 and intensifying its ominous mood for darker dance floors. The range ofremixers speaks volumes: from industrial punks Gewalt and synth purists Metroland to ambient pioneers Tangerine Dream, Remix Encounters unites an eclectic group of electronic artists bound by a shared reverence for innovation and Propaganda’s distinctive voice.

Recorded and remixed across creative hubs from Düsseldorf to Los Angeles, Helsinki to Paris, Remix Encounters is far more than a companion piece. It is a celebration of Propaganda’s enduring influence and the vibrant, evolving electronic landscape they helped shape. Each artist engaged deeply with the band’s richly textured and cinematic sound world, reinterpreting it with enthusiasm and respect, producing a collection as diverse as it is cohesive.

TRACK LISTING

CD Tracklist
01 They Call Me Nocebo (Rhys Fulber Remix)
02 Distant (Schiller Remix)
03 Purveyor Of Pleasure (Moby Remix)
04 Tipping Point (Jori Hulkkonnen Remix)
05 Love:Craft (Pyrolator Remix)
06 Vicious Circle (Jimi Tenor Remix)
07 They Call Me Nocebo (Tangerine Dream Remix)
08 Distant (Gewalt Remix)
09 Dystopian (Steingen & Mertens Remix)
10 Love:Craft (Cult With No Name Remix)
11 They Call Me Nocebo (Metroland Remix)

2-LP Tracklist
A1 Purveyor Of Pleasure (Moby Remix)
A2 Distant (Schiller Remix)
A3 Dystopian (Steingen & Mertens Remix)
B1 They Call Me Nocebo (Rhys Fulber Remix)
B2 They Call Me Nocebo (Metroland Remix)
B3 They Call Me Nocebo (Tangerine Dream Remix)
C1 Tipping Point (Jori Hulkkonnen Remix)
C2 Love:Craft (Cult With No Name Remix)
C3 Vicious Circle (Jimi Tenor Remix)
D1 Distant (Gewalt Remix)
D2 Love:Craft (Pyrolator Remix)
D3 Vicious Circle (Thunder Bae Remix)

Forty years since their inception, and almost two decades since their last release, art-synth auteurs Propaganda return with a brand new chapter in their enthralling story. This self-titled set from principal songwriting partnership Ralf Dörper and Michael Mertens embodies the depth and drama of their early work, while exploring fresh sounds and styles, and reflecting the personal and societal changes since their last outing. Conceived and crafted entirely in their native Düsseldorf, a deliberate decision to help them stay true to themselves, and featuring guest appearances from the acclaimed Hauschka and ascendant Thunder Bae, this is Propaganda at their most essential.

Though an embryonic incarnation was formed by Ralf Dörper, former synthesist with electro-punks Die Krupps, and Andreas Thein in 1982, it wasn’t until the addition of Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra percussionist Michael Mertens that the outfit emerged as the dark synth-pop powerhouse which would see chart success as part of the ZTT machine. Upon signing with Trevor Horn’s irreverent imprint in 1983, Propaganda, now comprised of vocalists Claudia Bruecken and Susanne Freytag alongside Dörper and Mertens, delivered their classic debut LP A Secret Wish and a slew of international hit singles, “Dr Mabuse”, “Duel” and “P Machinery”, leaving an indelible mark on the alternative scene and securing an enduring place within the pantheon of synth-dance greats. After a late 80s hiatus spent escaping their unfavourable contracts, during which the singers went their separate ways, the project returned on Virgin in 1990, with a new line-up, including Betsi Miller on vocals and former Simple Minds rhythm section Derek Forbes and Brian McGee. Working alongside producers Ian Stanley and Chris Hughes, the ensemble delivered the smoother sophomore offering 1234, featuring collaborations with the likes of Howard Jones and David Gilmour. After which our protagonists pressed pause and pursued separate goals, Dörper resurrecting Die Krupps and Mertens moving into TV and Film composition and providing a conduit for Düsseldorf’s experimental electronic scene via his Amontillado Music label. The intervening decades passed with the persistent rumble of reunion from outside voices, but it was a 2015 remix request from Zang Tumb Tuum chum and former Frankie Goes To Hollywood frontman Holly Johnson which finally prompted the pair to reconvene behind the console. The success of those sessions behind them, Dörper and Mertens began to consider what the Propaganda of the present would be. A lot had changed since 1990 – they had changed since 1990, and a new incarnation of the project would have to reflect that. So they waved goodbye to the Pop-aganda of the past, left the clubs to the kids, and pressed forward with complete creative freedom. The result is the immersive, emotive tour de force Propaganda.

At once sleek, sensual and cerebral, album opener “They Call Me Nocebo” is the perfect introduction to their sonic evolution. This taut and toxic love/lust song is imbued with the nocturnal mood of vintage Propaganda but expresses itself within the context of the IDM and electronic sounds reverberating through the 21st Century. “Purveyor Of Pleasure” provides the perfect foil, as a rhythm section of infectious synth drums and swelling bass recalls the dance floor preoccupations of the past, but sates itself with a supporting rolehere, allowing the widescreen chord progressions and Thunder Bae’s expressive vocals to take centre stage. Their lyrical lineage of subversive subject matter remains intact, but these meditations on sex and sin contain seasoned self-reflection. The operatic inflections and cinematic grandeur of “Vicious Circle” (emphatically reworked from its 1234 origin), “Love:Craft” (with its lyrical homage to the American master of cosmic horror) and neo-classical instrumental “Dystopian Waltz”, attest to Propaganda’s perennial penchant for the dramatic, now enriched through Mertens’ subsequent soundtrack work into searing, swooning heights. Elsewhere, “Tipping Point” offers an ecological poem set to the trancelike chug of swirling arpeggiators, and “Distant” dissects loneliness and isolation, particularly poignant after the shared experience of lockdown. The beautifully gothic “Wenn Ich Mir Was Wuenschen Duerfte” closes both the album and a loop, its English translation “If I Had A Wish” harking back to the title of their debut album, while the song itself continues the exploration of new sonic territories. A German standard from the thirties, written by Friedrich Hollaender and popularised by Marlene Dietrich’s 1960 recording, the song presents sadness as political strength, and remains as pertinent and powerful now as it ever has. This rich and textured rendition, featuring haunting prepared piano from Hauschka, a long-time musical acquaintance of Mertens’ and now AcademyAward winner, is a fitting finale to this powerful album. And make no mistake, this is an album. In an era of impermanence, Propaganda wanted to produce something real - to be played from start to finish, with artwork and packaging which allows a deeper understanding of the theme of the release. Finding the perfect label to match their ambitions in Bureau B, Propaganda have delivered a third album well worth the wait.

TRACK LISTING

LP (Black/Yellow LP/CD)
A1) They Call Me Nocebo
A2) Purveyor Of Pleasure
A3) Vicious Circle
A4) Tipping Point
B1) Distant
B2) Love:Craft
B3) Dystopian Waltz
B4) Wenn Ich Mir Was Wünschen Dürfte

Tracks On LP2/CD2
C1) Not Good For You
C2) Solace In Sin
C3) World Out Of Joint
D1) I Feel Mysterious
D2) The Calling