'I can't write songs without him' - Final Soft Cell album a tribute to legendary Blackpool musician

Blackpool music pioneer Dave Ball is being honoured with the release of Soft Cell's sixth and final studio album, Danceteria, due out on September 25, 2026, via Republic of Music.

The album marks a poignant farewell for one of Britain's most influential electronic pop acts, coming less than a year after the death of Ball, who passed away on October 22, 2025. The Blackpool-raised multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter completed work on the record just two days before his death, making Danceteria one of the last projects he co-wrote and produced.

Soft Cell frontman Marc Almond described his long-time creative partner as a “brilliant musical genius” following his passing, while tributes poured in from across the music world, including members of Pet Shop Boys, Mute Records founder Daniel Miller, Cabaret Voltaire and Ball’s techno duo collaborator Richard Norris of The Grid.

‘A fitting farewell’

“Danceteria is a love letter to New York in the early 80s. The time we spent in New York - where we recorded our first three albums - shaped us both as artists and people,” said Marc. “To celebrate this period is a fitting farewell to Dave Ball and the final Soft Cell studio album.

“There can be no more recordings of Soft Cell without Dave, it would not be possible. The sad reality is that Dave Ball was half of Soft Cell, and live work aside, I can't write Soft Cell songs without him."

Released today, the album’s title track offers the first taste of the forthcoming record. A celebratory disco-pop anthem, it showcases Almond’s distinctive vocals soaring over Ball’s cinematic, John Barry-inspired arrangements and serves as a statement of intent for the duo’s final chapter.

Named after the legendary Manhattan nightclub where Almond and Ball spent time during the recording of their ground-breaking 1981 debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, Danceteria is a love letter to New York’s vibrant early-1980s club culture.

From Andy Warhol to Madonna

The 12-track album follows a symbolic journey through a day and night in the city, capturing the energy, creativity and self-expression that shaped the duo’s artistic development. The record also reflects the pair’s deep connection to New York, where they recorded much of their early work, met cultural icons including Andy Warhol and witnessed Madonna’s first performance at Danceteria.

Earlier this year, Soft Cell unveiled Out Come The Freaks, a cover of Was (Not Was)’s 1981 disco classic featuring guest vocals from Nona Hendryx of Labelle. The track closes the new album, which is available to pre-order now on vinyl and CD, with the CD edition featuring two bonus tracks, Crackland and What Is Your Morality.

Described as a tribute to Ball’s pioneering electronic vision and Soft Cell’s remarkable 47-year career, Danceteria stands as a fitting final statement from one of British music’s most trailblazing partnerships.

‘Among the best songs he’d ever made’

With Dave Ball’s untimely passing in October 2025, aged 66, the new album is a testimony to his arranging skills and innovative production talent. The album’s final mixes were completed just two days before his death, and only two months after his last live appearance with Soft Cell, when the band headlined the Rewind Festival in Henley-On-Thames in front of over 20,000 fans.

“Dave was a wonderfully brilliant musical genius,” says Marc. “And I take some solace from the fact that he heard the finished record before he died. He knew it was a great piece of work, and the tunes and hooks are unmistakably Soft Cell.

“The moment I received the music files from him, it was immediately clear that these songs were among the best he'd ever made. I was stoked and excited, and that helped with my lyrics.”