Soft Cell share “Heart Like Chernobyl” from first album in 20 years

Soft Cell have shared "Heart Like Chernobyl," the first single from *Happiness Not Included, the iconic synthpop duo's first album in 20 years. Chernobyl, site of the worst nuclear disaster in history, feels central to the album — the artwork features photos from the funfair at Pripyat, Ukraine which was to have opened just days after the disaster in 1986 and has remained abandoned since. But the song is clearly a product of the last few years: "All I have to say, the news has made me this way," Marc Almond sings over Dave Ball's distinctive style. "Another horror every day / so on your knees and pray."

"When I wrote the music to 'Heart Like Chernobyl' it was at the height of lockdown and I had been alone for about 6 weeks," says Dave Ball. "I was feeling a bit Joy Division and recalled their track Isolation. I played, programmed and recorded the track digitally in my home studio – Kitchen Sink Drama. The track title was Marc's idea, as was the subject matter."

You can watch the video for "Heart Like Chernobyl" below.

*Happiness Not Included will be out in February 25, 2022 and Soft Cell will also be celebrating the 40th anniversary of their classic album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret with a UK tour this fall.