New Order and Tears For Fears will headline the inaugural edition of the Darker Waves music festival this November in Southern California.

Author Richard Evans delves deeply into “a true golden age of British pop” in his just-published book “Listening to the Music the Machines Make.”

 Soft Cell are teasing their first new album in 20 years with a version of one of the record’s songs newly reworked by the Pet Shop Boys.

Soft Cell will release their first new album in 20 years this May, but before that, the duo has teamed up with Pet Shop Boys to rework one of the songs on the record.

The BBC last night premiered a one-hour documentary about Soft Cell that recounts the ups and downs of the early-’80s synthpop stars, culminating with the reunion last September of Marc Almond and Dave Ball to play together for the first time in 15 years — and the last time ever. Watch it here.

Marc Almond and Dave Ball reunited as Soft Cell tonight for the first time in 15 years to simultaneously commemorate the classic synthpop act’s 40th anniversary and bid fans farewell with one final concert — dubbed, naturally, “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.” Check out the full setlist and see selected video right here.

Record Rack: A round-up of the week’s new albums, expanded reissues and/or box sets, appearing each Monday on Slicing Up Eyeballs. All releases due out this Friday unless noted. This week’s releases include a new album from Spiritualized, a Soft Cell box set and reissues of The Durutti Column and The Posies.