VINYL AND TRIPLE CD – OUT 9 OCTOBER ON MUTE
“…electronic phasing at its best, and the way it spreads a thin, bubblegum sheen atop very cluttered, haunting melodies is masterful and unparalleled” – one of Paste Magazine’s 50 Greatest Synth Pop Albums of All Time
“With imagery derived from US paramilitary groups and police surveillance techniques, CODE was a daunting work of propaganda, destabilisation and control.” – The Wire
“…the closest thing CV ever made to a party record” – AllMusic
“…finds the ideal balance between accessibility and menace” – Rolling Stone
Mute have announced the long-awaited remastered reissue of CODE, Cabaret Voltaire’s eighth studio album: out of print for many years, it remains a fan favourite. The 1987 album will feature new in-depth sleeve notes, focussed on the production and legacy of the album, and be available on limited edition “CODIFIED” marble vinyl and as a deluxe triple CD set featuring two bonus discs of remastered remixes from the time, plus unreleased remixes discovered in the archive.
CODE launches today with influential producer, writer and musician John Robie’s dub remix of ‘Thank You, America’, originally earmarked as the third single from the original release.
CODE captures the band at the height of their commercial and creative powers, marking the point that Richard H Kirk and Stephen ‘Mal’ Mallinder signed to EMI exposing them to a world of bigger budgets, but no compromise on their unique vision. The album became their most commercially successful with two singles – ‘Don’t Argue’ and ‘Here To Go’ – breaking the UK Official Singles Chart, and, explains Mal in the new sleevenotes, “This album captures a very interesting moment in time where we were moving into a technological world. Probably more than anything else Richard and I made together, CODE was a political record that we didn’t have to directly articulate as political, mostly because of what was going on in the background at that time.”
Ever prescient, CODE tapped into an increasingly uneasy relationship with technology, computers and programming that was creeping into all aspects of life, unpicking the codes of control to expose them – a preoccupation that would continue in Cabaret Voltaire’s work.
Featuring guest musicians – the saxophonist Simeon Lister, bassist Mark Brydon (Chakk) and Bill Nelson (Be-Bop Deluxe), the album was recorded at The Cabs’ Western Worksstudio in Sheffield, with Adrian Sherwood joining for pre-production before the sessions moved to Red Bus in London for mixing. The album was remastered by Denis Blackman (who has mastered or remastered every Cabaret Voltaire album for over 20 years), and work on the CODE reissue began 2019 with Richard H. Kirk – before his untimely death – and was completed using his notes in consultation with Stephen Mallinder and Kirk’s estate.
Originally active between 1973-1994, Cabaret Voltaire were formed by Richard H. Kirk, Stephen Mallinder and Chris Watson. After Watson’s departure in 1981, Richard H. Kirk and Stephen Mallinder continued until 1994 until – with Kirk as the sole remaining member – Cabaret Voltaire’s 2014 performance at Berlin’s Atonal festival. An interconnected series of releases – Shadow of Fear, BN9Drone and Dekadrone – followed in 2020 and 2021 before Kirk’s untimely passing in autumn 2021.
In 2025 Stephen Mallinder and Chris Watson marked the 50th anniversary of Cabaret Voltaire’s first performance with one last tour. The tour continues in 2026 with the final US and UK performances set for autumn – full details below
CODE is released on 9 October on vinyl, triple CD and digitally via Mute
CODE VINYL TRACKLIST (cat # CABS27)
1 Don’t Argue
2 Sex, Money, Freaks
3 Thank You America
4 Here To Go
5 Trouble (Won’t Stop)
6 White Car
7 No One Here
8 Life Slips By
9 Code
CODE CD TRACKLIST (cat # CABS27CD)
DISC 1
1 Don’t Argue
2 Sex, Money, Freaks
3 Thank You America
4 Here To Go
5 Trouble (Won’t Stop)
6 White Car
7 No One Here
8 Life Slips By
9 Code
DISC 2
1 Hey Hey
2 Thank You, America (John Robie Dub Mix)
3 Don’t Argue (Hate and Destroy Mix)
4 Here To Go (Eleven Eleven Mix)
5 Sex, Money, Freaks (Kevorkian 12″ Mix)
6 Code (12″ Mix)
7 Thank You America (Dub Single Mix)
8 Don’t Argue – Who’s Arguing
9 Here To Go (Extended Mix)
10 Thank You America (Short Single Mix)
11 Don’t Argue (7″ Version)
12 Here To Go (Single Version)
DISC 3
- Don’t Argue (John Robie Extended Version)
2 Here To Go (Kevorkian Extended Mix)
3 Thank You, America (Kevorkian Bonus Beats)
4 Sex, Money, Freaks (Kevorkian Dub)
5 Thank You, America (Alternate Mix)
6 Don’t Argue (Dance Dub)
7 Here To Go (Adrian Sherwood Live Drum Jacknife Remix)
8 Thank You America (Alternate Mix 2)
9 Don’t Argue (Dance)
10 Here To Go (Space Dub)
11 Don’t Argue (Single Mix)
12 Here To Go (Little Dub)
CABARET VOLTAIRE FINAL TOUR – 2026
11 September – Dallas, TX (US), Granada Theater^
15 September – Chicago, IL (US), Metro^
16 September – Chicago, IL (US), Metro^
18 September – Toronto, ON (US), Phoenix Concert Theatre^
19 September – Montreal, QC (US), Sat^
21 September – Boston, MA (US), The Wilbur^
25 September – New York, NY (US), Knockdown Center^
26 September – Philadelphia, PA (US), Underground Arts^
7 October – Dublin, The Academy
8 October – Belfast, Limelight
10 October – Birmingham, Town Hall*
11 October – Liverpool, Arts Club* – LOW TICKETS
13 October – Nottingham, The Palais*
14 October – Cardiff, The Globe**
15 October – Bath, Forum**
17 October – Newcastle, Boiler Shop*
18 October – Glasgow, Barrowland*
19 October – Manchester, Albert Hall*
21 October – Brighton, Chalk*
22 October – London, Roundhouse* – LOW TICKETS
25 October – Sheffield, Octagon* – LOW TICKETS
With support from: ^ I Speak Machine / * Gazelle Twin / ** Fader
