Alt.Eighties: The Incredible Mr Foxx

John Foxx has been at the forefront of the synth movement since the early days of Ultravox! Truly ahead of their time, Ultravox! recorded three records that pushed the boundaries of punk’s aggression, marrying conventional rock instrumentation with primitive synthesizers and esoteric German influences. Once parting ways with the budding new wave band he embarked on an adventurous and extremely influential solo career, exploring both cold detachment and existential beauty over the course of several solo records. His debut solo record Metamatic has rightfully been cherished as one of the earliest synth masterpieces.

Always eager to push boundaries and explore textures, Foxx released three more synth-driven records, 1981’s The Garden, 1983’s The Golden Section, and 1985’s In Mysterious Ways, before taking a lengthy hiatus from music.

During this time, Foxx explored his passion for graphic design as a professor at Leeds Metropolitan University. Never one to shy away from music for too long, Foxx began working with several acid house and electro acts in the early 90s before finally re-emerging as a solo artist in 1997 with a string of solo and collaborative records. Since then, Foxx has remained heavily active, exploring ambient and experimental music, avant-garde, and electronica.

If you are unfamiliar with the work of the incredible Mr Foxx (or just want to re-discover him all over again) this article is an excellent guide to his extensive catalogue:

This week on Alt.Eighties we enjoy highlights from those four boundary pushing 1980s releases from John Foxx