China Crisis - African And White (Inevitable)

While you're at the shop checking out the Chas Jankel, ask to hear this one too; it has a lot of nice instrumental ideas, and only the slightly doomy vocals stop it from being really good. (Charlie Gillett, Smash Hits, February 4, 1982)

Saw this lot at the Venue the other night, supporting Wang Chung, which is about as enviable a task as having to spend a weekend in Doncaster with John Shearlaw. They tackled it pretty well, mind you, and the single bears out their status as Promising Newcomers or whatever. Well-paced and charmingly played, its synth bits are surprisingly subtle, with the excellent drumming and percussion well to the fore. An Australian tells us: "Iyem convinced that thay wull by a mijor baaand within the next (hic) yee-er." (Sunie, Record Mirror, February 13, 1982)

China Crisis - Scream Down At Me (Inevitable)

In a fortnight where so many Big Names fail to come up with the goods, this one stands tall. China Crisis are a shy young Liverpool threesome who build songs round dense, inventive rhythm patterns. This is the follow-up to their excellent debut single "African and White", and includes haunted synth, jangling guitar, deft bass and the golden tonsils of guest vocalist Ms Linda Wright over chattering, clattering percussion. Probably too off-beat for the radio, but a great record. And it doesn't even feature Trevor Horn! (Dave Rimmer, Smash Hits, May 13, 1982)