Black Country Disco

Black Country Disco
Studio album by
Tom Aspaul
Released14 September 2020 (2020-09-14)
Recorded2019–2020
Genre
Length28:24
Label1609 (Self-released)
Producer
  • Gil Lewis
  • Tom Aspaul
Tom Aspaul chronology
Black Country Disco
(2020) 		Black Country Discothèque
(2021)
Singles from Black Country Disco
  1. "Traces"
    Released: 18 October 2019
  2. "Close 2 Me"
    Released: 8 November 2019
  3. "W.M."
    Released: 27 March 2020
  4. "Tender"
    Released: 26 June 2020
  5. "01902"
    Released: 11 September 2020

Black Country Disco is the debut studio album by British singer-songwriter Tom Aspaul, self-released on 14 September 2020. Following his previous mixtapes, Revelation (2015) and Lamentations (2018), the record received critical acclaim, particularly for its cohesion, songwriting and themes of heartbreak and nostalgia.

The album is a concept album with a specific narrative structure, sonically inspired by disco from the 70s and 80s and primarily produced and co-written with Israeli producer and songwriter Gil Lewis. Described by Aspaul himself as being a "break-up album, written entirely in sequence", he lyrically explores the end of a long-term relationship, leaving London and returning to his hometown of Wolverhampton in the Black Country after 15 years away.[1]

Critics compared the album's sound to contemporary artists such as Jessie Ware and Róisín Murphy, who also released disco-inspired LPs during 2020, commenting that Black Country Disco was part of a "pandemic disco revival".[2] An independent release, the record was included amongst several year-end lists and touted by one critic as "a solid contender for album of the year."[3]

Black Country Disco was succeeded by its remix album, Black Country Discothèque, released on 16 April 2021, featuring collaborations with Kim Wilde, MNEK, Bright Light Bright Light and Brendan Maclean.[4]

  1. ^ Damshenas, Sam (17 September 2020). "Tom Aspaul on how he created the queer disco album of the year". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  2. ^ Harrison, Quentin (11 October 2020). "Tom Aspaul's Debut Album 'Black Country Disco' Signifies the Arrival of a Vibrant New Voice in Modern Pop". Albumism. Archived from the original on 5 January 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  3. ^ Williams, Sophie. "Things We Love This Week: Tom Aspaul, Keaton Dekker, HYYTS". Stereoboard. Archived from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  4. ^ "Tom Aspaul Releases 'The Program' With Funk LeBlanc and Madeleine Wood Ahead of Remix Album 'Black Country Discothèque'". Culture Fix. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.