Older, maybe not wiser, heroin swapped for hedonism, they’re still chasing something elusive: connection, redemption, maybe even love itself.
But this story demanded more than just words on a page. It needed a soundtrack.
Releasing simultaneously, the album Men In Love is the official sonic companion to the novel.
With lyrics penned by Irvine Welsh himself, brought to life by the enigmatic Sci-Fi Soul Orchestra and featuring the powerhouse soul vocals of Shaun Escoffery and Louise Marshall, the music is the flip side of the narrative. It’s the sound of that search – the soaring highs, the crushing lows, the vulnerability, and the defiant energy found under the mirrorball.
It’s a journey through classic Motown, soul, and disco influences, reimagined and supercharged with modern electronic production – the authentic soundscape for characters trying to dance away the heartache.
Latest Transmissions
Third Single
“A Whole New Side Of Me / Dreams”
First, ‘A Whole New Side of Me’ is the explosive result: a blast of Motown-fueled pop driven by Louise Marshall’s confident, “alpha female energy”. It’s the sound of someone seizing love’s “massive potential for growth” and unveiling a powerful new self on the dancefloor.
Then, the frequency shifts to ‘Dreams’. It’s a hypnotic, “smokey jazz club” outlier that Welsh calls “a bit like a Shirley Bassey bond theme”. This is his hopeful belief that music is the “chance to lift us out that mire” and see the blue skies above.
Two sides of the same story. One of defiant joy, the other of defiant hope.
Second Single
“You Gotta Be Strong”
“It’s not all about going to the pub, going to raves and parties, or Instagram and celebrating how beautiful and wonderful and great we all are. It’s also about the nuts and bolts of showing up every day and being there for that person, every day and listening to everything that’s going on in their life, being strong for them and allowing them to be strong for you.”
Like a long-lost disco classic, You Gotta Be Strong starts with a Chic-style guitar riff before Louise Marshall’s powerful spoken word leads into a catchy-as song of empowerment and redemption. As the chorus says: “You gotta be strong baby, to play this game, love makes a heart just freeze.”
First Single
“A Man in Love with Love”
The essential introduction to the world of Men In Love.
This is only the beginning…
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Why Disco?
In uncertain times, dominated by the ascendancy of soul dead oligarchs, their corrosive technology and looting economics, the great positive constant for humanity remains our infinite capacity for love.
Music is still the medium by which we bypass their reductive, low frequency world, and if we can sing and dance and express our collective love in joy and rapture, we render their pathetic schemes the irrelevant sideshows they deserve to be.
One of the greatest musical forms in delivering that ecstasy has been discotheque music. No matter how confused our men (and women) have been in the quest for love, as we are forced to earn a living to pay for our fun, our real predilections are to party like it’s 2099.
So don’t diss the disco, let’s dance away the heartache or die trying, because nothing else makes any sense.
– Irvine Welsh
The Man
Shaun Escoffery
The Woman
Louise Marshall
Immerse yourself fully in the world of Men In Love. Choose the pure sonic hit with the Classic Black Vinyl, or dive deeper into the narrative with the must-have Trainspotting Editions on stunning Solid Orange Vinyl or feature-packed CD Digipack.
For the ultimate collector, a strictly limited Signed Edition CD is available exclusively via Amazon.
Own The Vinyl >>
Trainspotting Edition
Vinyl LP
The definitive physical experience. Pressed on Solid Orange Vinyl, this edition features a unique obi strip as well as the exclusive polylined inner sleeve printed with Sick Boy’s own annotations scrawled over the lyrics – a unique artefact connected directly to the Trainspotting universe.
Classic Black
Vinyl LP
The essential vinyl pressing. Features the full album on Classic Black Vinyl, housed in the main sleeve with a protective plain black poly-lined inner. The pure, unadulterated music experience.
Trainspotting Edition
CD Digipack
Own a piece of the story on CD. Presented in a premium Digipak, this edition includes a fold-out poster/booklet featuring the Sick Boy annotated lyrics and a unique disc label. The complete CD experience.
SIGNED Trainspotting Edition CD
A limited number of the Trainspotting Edition CD (Digipak, Double-sided poster/booklet) signed by Irvine Welsh are available exclusively via Amazon. A true collector’s item.
Hardback
The Novel
The source of it all. Dive into Irvine Welsh’s highly anticipated sequel to Trainspotting. Follow Renton, Sick Boy, Spud, and Begbie as their story continues right where it left off. Available everywhere books are sold.
Press & Media Enquiries:
Jack Beadle – jack@jackbeadle.com
Dave Philpott – dave@republicofmusic.net
Label & Enquiries:
Port Sunshine Recordings – info@portsunshine.co.uk