Stephen Becker’s Le Concorde just released “Corpus Christi,” a track like a love letter to 80s synth-pop, but with enough modern oomph to knock your socks off. Becker teamed up with Calum Malcolm (you know, the guy behind The Blue Nile and Prefab Sprout) to cook up this absolute banger. It’s got the 80s sophistipop vibe, but don’t think for a second it’s just a nostalgia trip. This track’s got soul, grit, and enough spirituality to make your speakers sweat. After 15 years of radio silence, Le Concorde isn’t only back – they’re back with a vengeance.
You can tell Becker’s been soaking up inspiration from legends like Scritti Politti and Aztec Camera. And let’s talk about those synths for a sec. Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (from Jellyfish and Beck’s crew) went absolutely nuts with the vintage keys. It’s like he raided a museum of 80s synthesizers and decided to play them all at once – in the best way ever. The rhythm section’s no joke either. Vinzenz Benjamin (who’s played with ABC and Paul Young) lays down bass lines so groovy they should be illegal. And Ash Soan? This maestro recorded drums in an old English windmill, mixing hand drums and snares like one conducting a percussion orchestra.
“Corpus Christi” isn’t just about the beats, though. Becker’s vocals shoot with a preacher’s conviction, singing all about miracles and modern faith inspired by Carlo Acutis✝️, the tech-savvy future patron saint of the internet. The song’s a crazy mix of heavenly synths and down-to-earth vibes, with Doris Brendel’s backing vocals adding this R&B fire that’ll make your soul shake. As for the guitars, imagine The Blue Nile’s “Tinseltown in the Rain,” but wound way up. They’re twangy, spacey, and dripping with emotion. Originally penned for a film about Eucharistic miracles, the track evolved into Becker’s own manifesto on belief versus doubt. “To the faithful, no proof is required; to the unbeliever, no proof is sufficient,” he declares, and it’s not actually preachy—it’s fresh, candid, and packed with enough sonic adrenaline to convert even the staunchest skeptic.
The first taste of his upcoming album Second Mansions, Le Concorde’s “Corpus Christi” is a five-star knockout of synth-rock magic. Becker and his studio wizards invite us to play it loud, and let the miracles begin.🔥