Forget the “Purple Zone” – this is the “Twilight Zone”

…with a twist of Groundhog Day. Yes, there is a touch of deja vu in “Purple Zone”, the first single from “Happiness Not Included”, the fifth studio album by British synth-pop duo Soft Cell. Yes, that Soft Cell – Marc Almond and David Ball. Still doesn’t ring a bell? What if I say “Tainted Love”,,,aaaah, now you’ve got it. Yes, Soft Cell has a new album out – just saying that is part surreal, part absurd. But they do. It was released to little fanfare last year, but since it has built up a cult following online. And the track making the waves is “Purple Zone”, a collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys. Another name perhaps more front-of-mind than Soft Cell, as they have at least released a new album “Hotspot” in 2022. And the best thing about “Purple Zone” is it feels retro – it could easily have been released in 1986 – it is just so British synth-pop and Pet Shop Boys that it is a real nostalgia treat. So spoil yourself and take a trip down memory lane. And if you were not around in the 80’s and don’t know what the fuss was about – “Purple Zone” is everything that was great about the Second British Invasion and showcases the hitmaking abilities of the Pet Shop Boys…