SPILL NEW MUSIC: BRONSKI BEAT UNVEIL FIRST EVER REISSUE OF ‘TRUTHDARE DOUBLEDARE’

BRONSKI BEAT UNVEIL FIRST EVER REISSUE OF TRUTHDARE DOUBLEDARE

LONDON RECORDS

2026 marks the 40th anniversary of Truthdare Doubledare, the second studio album from UK synth outfit Bronski Beat. Four decades on, London Records revisit the album with its first-ever reissue, presented across a range of formats including digital, limited edition purple LP, picture disc LP, 1CD, and expanded 3CD. Fully remastered, the release also unearths rare and previously unreleased studio sessions and live recordings. The 40th Anniversary editions of Truthdare Doubledare will be released on July 3 and are available to pre-order HERE.

New remixes include a striking rework of “Hit That Perfect Beat” from Doncaster-born, London-based DJ I. JORDAN. Injecting the original track with euphoric synth lines, complex arpeggios, and a driving vocal hook, the rework is built for the modern dance floor whilst respecting the original’s important roots.

The album emerged during a period of transformation for Bronski Beat. Following the departure of founding frontman Jimmy Somerville, Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek enlisted friend of the band John Jøn Foster to take up the helm as lead vocalist. What began as informal studio collaborations soon culminated in the creation of the album’s first single (and era-defining smash) “Hit That Perfect Beat.”

Originally produced with Mike Thorne (who had previously worked with the band on The Age of Consent album) to feature in Chris Bernard’s British rom-com film ‘Letter to Brezhnev’, the track was later finished by album producer Adam Williams, who had worked with Eurythmics on many of their early hits. Despite Somerville’s departure, “Hit That Perfect Beat” was a standout success, reaching No. 3 in the UK charts (matching the success of “Smalltown Boy”), commanding multiple Top of the Pops performances, and becoming a Hi-NRG classic in UK clubs and all over continental Europe.

Written and recorded following the success of “Hit That Perfect Beat,” the making of Truthdare Doubledare was a fast-paced process. Tracks such as “Back On Me,” described by John Jøn as “a crossover track between Bronski Beat Mk.1 and Bronski Beat Mk.2”, feature falsetto vocal styling very reminiscent of the band’s original singer. “Black Storm” was initially written as a clap-back at the unstoppable rise of the political right in Thatcher’s Britain, and in turn was also a reflection of John Jøn’s feelings of his own position within the band. Amongst the rush to follow up on “Hit That Perfect Beat,” the band was pushed to make creative compromises such as label-driven lyric changes aimed at expanding the band’s international appeal. Following the Top 20 success of the follow-up single, “C’mon C’mon,” Truthdare Doubledare was released in April of 1986, reaching the UK Top 20.

Bronski Beat
Truthdare Doubledare
(London Records)
Release Date: July 3, 2026

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Photo Credit: London Records