Cindytalk’s resurgence: The reissue of ‘Camouflage Heart’

Revered trans post-punk maverick Cindytalk is back to shake things up. Dais Records is set to reissue the groundbreaking 1984 debut, ‘Camouflage Heart’, on May 23, and you can pre-order or save it now. To whet your appetite, check out the newly remastered opener, It’s Luxury.

Cindytalk is the creative playground of Scottish artist and musician Cinder—a project born out of a restless spirit that blends noise, balladry, soundtrack vibes, raw catharsis, and spontaneous improvisation. Evolving from her early days with the Edinburgh punk band The Freeze, Cinder’s journey took her to London where the vibrant post-punk and industrial scenes ignited a fearless exploration of identity and sound.

After creating a stir with celebrated albums on the Midnight Music label, and collaborating with icons like This Mortal Coil and Cocteau Twins, Cinder crossed the Atlantic to immerse herself in the underground techno collectives of the Midwest and West Coast. Her subsequent moves to Hong Kong and Japan only broadened her musical palette, leading to a rich partnership with Viennese experimental label Editions Mego and the release of five mesmerizing full-length records.

In 2021, Cinder joined forces with Dais Records to revive a treasure trove of past projects—starting with long-lost gems like ‘Wappinschaw’ (1995) and ‘The Wind Is Strong…’ (1990). Now, the spotlight shifts to ‘Camouflage Heart’, a debut that not only defied its time but also feels startlingly ahead of its era, even more so now, over forty years later.

“We were trying to find our own space,” Cinder recalls about the formative days of ‘Camouflage Heart’, a period marked by a bold move from Edinburgh to London and a profound personal exploration of gender identity long before it became part of mainstream discourse. What emerged was a raw, feral sound that broke away from The Freeze’s punk roots—an evolution so striking that the project was rechristened as Cindytalk to mirror its transformative journey. Alongside bandmates David Clancy and John Byrne, Cinder embraced a name that playfully nods to Sindy, the British fashion doll rival to Barbie, hinting at the quirky narrative and engaging dialogue that has always defined her music.

Back in 1983, the ambition was to break into the studio and capture the band’s wandering curiosities—a goal that led to signing with Midnight Music and even lending Cinder’s voice to projects like This Mortal Coil’s ‘Sixteen Days/Gathering EP’ and ‘It’ll End In Tears’. This evolution pushed her from pop-tinged experiments to the far more daring, dissonant realms of Cindytalk, where every recording session was a journey of discovery, much like Brian Eno’s innovative studio work.

‘Camouflage Heart’ is an album of contrasts, playing with tension and tempo—from slow-burning introspection to feverish urgency. The percussion ranges from insistent marches to subtle pulses, while guitar lines slice through the mix as Cinder’s voice dances between poetry and raw emotion. On tracks like the meditative “The Spirit Behind the Circus Dream,” she crafts lines that are both vulnerable and fierce—urging you to “make the snake in your eye, pierce the camouflage heart.” For Cinder, these songs are not just expressions of anger or disintegration, but rather a call to transformation: a daring invitation to keep moving forward, even when the world seems to crumble.

Now, for the first time since 2007, ‘Camouflage Heart’ is getting a full remaster by Josh Bonati. The reissue not only features pristine audio and restored original cover artwork but also includes lyrics and liner notes—delivering a complete and immersive experience. Limited-edition vinyls are available in exclusive colors: 100 in pink (yes, that playful Barbie pink), 500 in transparent clear, and a batch in classic black, along with a wide digital release.

Dive into the reissue of ‘Camouflage Heart’, listen to It’s Luxury, and let Cindytalk’s daring, ever-evolving sound remind you why her music remains a powerful, resonant conversation with the world.

Listen to It’s Luxury via YouTube below.

‘Camouflage Heart’ track list

1. It’s Luxury
2. Instinct (Backtosense)
3. Under Glass
4. Memories Of Skin And Snow
5. The Spirit Behind the Circus Dream
6. The Ghost Never Smiles
7. A Second Breath
8. Everybody Is Christ
9. Disintegrate

Pre-Order Vinyl / Pre-Save Digital here

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