Peter Wilson - Don't Break My Heart Again

Buy Don't Break My Heart Again here (Energise)

I'm a greedy pop fan. I was raised on four-five singles from each album (with carefully orchestrated release dates and video promotion) and an album every year or so from your favourite artist. Times have changed and while I can't quite get my head around the concept of a teaser single vs promo single vs actual single, I still like that model of marketing - even in this fast paced Spotify driven world. It is why my passion has ignited like a lit flame for a brand new album from the always sensational Peter Wilson. Barely a year after his last opus (a gem of a collection which keeps on giving), he previews his upcoming Change of Heart with the glittering array of emotions wrapped up in Don't Break My Heart Again. On this swirling dance tune, Peter finds himself forgiving an errant lover yet confronting the uncertainty that comes with giving a person a second (or third or fourth) chance with your feelings. Peter has always been superbly skilled at balancing what his fans want in terms of music (always dishing up a blend of italo-house and PWL-inspired bangers on his albums) but here he demonstrates how he is also adept at showcasing the different sentiments so embedded in the narrative. He's assertive and focused when he sings the titular refrain yet there is still a tangible sense of vulnerability that makes this ever so relatable. The instrumental which cocoons the intensity of his words is just as compelling - a pulsing groove is enhanced by dramatic flourishes which are the most satisfying percussive-synth booms since the Pet Shop Boys asked Can You Forgive Her. The melody is equally as bold and beguiling, taking the listener into the heat of the moment and ensuring this is as vivid as any memory it awakens in you. This is grown up, nuanced pop music at its finest and I love it.

The remixes

• Also Playable Mono Remix ~ well, this is chuffing brilliant. It extends the essence of the original but adds some funky 90s house style piano that takes me back to the halcyon days of Cathy Dennis' You Lied To Me (which this song, in this mix, could be a spiritual successor to). Whoever is responsible for that rollicking keyboard riff has magic in their fingers that Harry Potter would be jealous of...
• Sakgra Remix ~ I do love a Sakgra remix. I've just been raving about his Nicki French-Raise Your Voice work and he is equally as pleasing here. He teases you into his time machine and whisks you back to the days when Jase the Face, Big Fun and Sinitta topped the charts. Peter's song is in its element in this setting and Sakgra brings out the best in him.
• Stormby Club Mix ~ Matt Stormby puts all the action onto the dancefloor and his mile-a-minute take on the tune accelerates everything to make it all feel heightened. The rave effects command your body to shimmy along, dancing your pain away - and you can visualise a video to this mix where Peter sings his words to his lover on a crowded dancefloor with the throbbing throngs joining in the carefully choreographed dance moves. Amazing.