Friday brings the release of the 25th Anniversary remastered edition of MODESTY BLAISE‘s seminal album “Melancholia” via From Lo-Fi to Disco! This 3-disc collection breathes new life into their cult classic with newly restored audio, session outtakes, and updated artwork. The 2026 remaster brings enhanced clarity and dynamic range to reveal hidden textures while strictly honoring the emotional precision and atmospheric restraint of the original recordings.
Formed in 1993 by JONNY COLLINS, Modesty Blaise has had an illustrious journey, recording their debut single with Edwyn Collins, earning ITV airtime and high-profile slots supporting Robbie Williams at the O2 Arena. The Bristol collective has maintained a quiet but significant influence over the decades, evidenced by BBC sessions and inclusion in prestigious Rough Trade compilations. This hi-fi reissue solidifies the album’s standing in the modern pop canon, celebrating a legacy that remains resonant today.
Written by Jonny Collins
Mixed & produced by Jonny Collins
Remastering at White House Studio by original engineer Martin Nichols
Jonny Collins – vocals & guitar
David W Brown – bass guitar
Gregory Jones – guitar & vocals
Clem Courtney – organ &vocals
Julien Clapperton – drums & cymbals
Video created by Jonny CollinsGermany tour footage filmed by Bernd Kabs
Cover artwork by Gregory Jones
Released via From Lo-Fi to Disco!
FOR FANS OF: Pulp, Divine Comedy, XTC, Stereolab, Jacques Dutronc, Francoise Hardy, High Llamas, Edwyn Collins, Michael Nesmith, Brian Wilson
“Clever they are Modesty Blaise – they know just what to borrow, and just what to create. Most importantly – they know just how to blend. And what a cocktail they create” ~ The Spill Magazine
“Cheeky pop perfection… Fantabulous dance-pop, Modesty Blaise will remind you that Brits are the king of wit and groovy retro-laced musical wanderings, not far from the mark set by Pulp back in the 90s” ~ Big Takeover Magazine
“A sublime sugar lump… captures what is great about charming English pop. Part C86 part 67 psych pop, a beautifully written slice of nostalgia” ~ Monolith Cocktail
Bristol-based indie pop collective Modesty Blaise presents the remastered 25th Anniversary edition of their seminal album“Melancholia”, released via From Lo-Fi to Disco! Breathing new life into this cult-classic, its new polished, high-fidelity presence demands a place in the modern pop canon.
Featuring newly-restored audio, many outtakes from the original sessions and updated artwork in a fantastic new 3 Disc version, this release reflects on the album’s legacy and continued resonance. The 2026 remaster has been completed with a light-touch approach, focused on clarity and depth rather than reinvention. Greater dynamic range and enhanced detail bring new presence to the recording, revealing subtle textures and spatial nuance while preserving the character of the original mix.
Originally on CD and vinyl,“Melancholia” remains a quietly influential work more than two decades after its release — defined by emotional precision, sonic restraint, and a timeless sense of atmosphere. At that time, the band was made up of Jonny Collins, David W Brown, Gregory Jones, Clem Courtney and Julien Clapperton.
Formed in 1993 by Jonny Collins, Modesty Blaise recorded their debut single ‘Christina Terrace’ with Edwyn Collins at the helm, leading to immediate success with a live appearance on ITV and inclusion among many end-of-year top music rankings. Other highlights include supporting Robbie Williams at London’s O2 Arena, inclusion in a Rough Trade compilation, an ITV company documentary on Jonny Collins, and a BBC Radio session involving seventeen people.
“For quite a while, people have been asking us why our biggest album wasn’t available to stream. We decided that, if we were going to do it, we’d do it properly. The remastering process was really interesting. The point was to reveal extra detail within the songs,” says Jonny Collins.
“We already knew it was dense, it’s been a longstanding thing within MB that, not only do we throw the kitchen sink in, we break in next door, rip out their sink and throw that in too. But modern mastering has brought more clarity; we’re really happy with it”.
Gregory Jones adds, “The goal wasn’t to change the music – only to let it breathe the way it was always meant to.”
Earlier, the band released the remastered version of “Carol Mountain” and “The Little Things You Do”, a lost masterpiece of baroque-pop with lush, orchestral depth, originally intended for its aborted 7-inch release. The respective videos were filmed in New York and Germany during the band’s respective Melancholia tours so many years ago.
On April 24th, the “Melancholia – Remaster” album is available across digital platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music.
