A new compilation, Digging Your Scene: New Pop & All That Jazz 1982-1987, that celebrates the “New Jazz” music of that era, is coming from the U.K.’s Cherry Red Records. The 4-CD set will be released on July 3, 2026, and is available to order in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here (where it arrives on June 26). The 73-song collection includes tracks by Everything But the Girl, Joe Jackson, Bronski Beat, Alison Moyet, Sting, Swing Out Sister and The Blow Monkeys, whose 1986 hit single inspired the compilation’s name.

The title is a sequel to 2024’s Heaven Sent: The Rise Of New Pop 1979-1983 that documented the influence of jazz and ’50s/’60s black American music (including retro soul) on modern pop in the U.K. From the label’s announcement: Celebrating an era when jazz inspired many pop acts, from bossa beats to mainstream covers of the classics; from Latin-fueled club favorites to torch ballads.

In 1982 a new jazz era was dawning and Soho, a hotbed since the ’50s, was where the renaissance began. Blue Rondo a La Turk, who had the first “New Jazz” hit, were led by Chris Sullivan who opened The Wag Club in Wardour Street in 1982, a vital catalyst for the “New Jazz” scene. Chief among the new acts were Weekend who morphed into Working Week, whose 1984 debut single, “Venceremos,” felt like a clarion call. Everything But the Girl had embraced jazz influences on their debut single, a cover of Cole Porter’s “Night And Day.”

Julien Temple’s Absolute Beginners film (including Eighth Wonder and The Style Council on its soundtrack) based on Colin MacInnes’ 1959 novel took jazz to a mainstream audience. When the film was released in 1986, jazz in its broadest sense was everywhere in British pop, from covers of jazz standards (Alison Moyet, Bronski Beat) to jazz pop hits from Swing Out Sister and The Blow Monkeys.

Digging Your Scene: New Pop & All That Jazz 1982-1987 Tracklist
DISC ONE
1. Everything But The Girl – Night And Day
2. Robert Wyatt – Shipbuilding
3. Scritti Politti – Rock-A-Boy Blue
4. The French Impressionists – Pick Up The Rhythm
5. Joe Jackson – Steppin’ Out
6. Blue Rondo A La Turk – The Method
7. Weekend – Weekend Stroll
8. Paul Haig – The Song Is You
9. The Higsons – Run Me Down
10. Furniture – Why Are We In Love
11. Jah Wobble – Sunshine
12. Malcolm McLaren – Merengue
13. The Republic – My Spies
14. JoBoxers – Why Don’t You Do Right? (Live At The Phoenix Theatre)
15. Carmel – Bad Day (Live In The Studio)
16. Swallow Tongue – Saari
17. Jah Wobble / The Edge / Holger Czukay – Snake Charmer
18. Kalima – The Smiling Hour
19. Mari Wilson – Glamourpuss

DISC TWO
1. Matt Bianco – Matt’s Mood (Extended Version)
2. The Pale Fountains – Southbound Excursion
3. Soft Cell – L’Esqualita
4. Everything But The Girl – Each And Every One
5. Working Week – Venceremos – We Will Win (Jazz Dance Special 12” Version)
6. Madness – One Better Day
7. The Special AKA – Housebound
8. David Sylvian – The Ink In The Well
9. Tracie – (I Love You) When You Sleep
10. Friends Again – Thank You For Being An Angel
11. Pleasure Ground – Life Of Jade
12. Level 42 – Seven Days
13. Bronski Beat – It Ain’t Necessarily So
14. A Certain Ratio – There’s Only This
15. In Embrace- Chocolates For Breakfast
16. The Kane Gang – Giving Up
17. The Colourfield – Castles In The Air (Instrumental Version)

DISC THREE
1. Vic Godard – Holiday Hymn
2. Alison Moyet – That Ole Devil Called Love
3. China Crisis – Black Man Ray
4. Virna Lindt – Whistle Wind
5. The Sound Barrier – Mornington Crescent NW1
6. Sting – Moon Over Bourbon Street
7. Pressure Point – Mellow Moods
8. Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Listen To This
9. Dislocation Dance – He’s The Man
10. Dee C. Lee – See The Day
11. Brilliant – It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World (The Trans Global Mix)
12. Fine Young Cannibals – Blue
13. The Communards – Breadline Britain
14. The Friday Club – Window Shopping (Extended Version)
15. J.B.’s Allstars – Al. Arm
16. The Blow Monkeys – Digging Your Scene (U.S. Mix)
17. Anthony Adverse – T-R-O-U-B-L-E
18. The Style Council – Have You Ever Had It Blue? (Uncut Version)
19. Makin’ Time – Walk A Thin Line

DISC FOUR
1. Swing Out Sister – Breakout (A New Rockin’ Version)
2. Heaven Seventeen Featuring Jimmy Ruffin – The Foolish Thing To Do (Version 1)
3. Mondo Kané And Guest Star Georgie Fame – New York Afternoon (Extended Version)
4. Louis Philippe – Like Nobody Do
5. Kid Montana – Spooky
6. Marden Hill – Curtain
7. RAH Band – Take Some Thyme
8. Eighth Wonder – Having It All (Extended Mix)
9. Stan Campbell – Crawfish (Extended Version)
10. The Florentines – Whisper Not
11. Basia – Freeze Thaw
12. ABC – When Smokey Sings (The Detroit Mix)
13. The King Of Luxembourg – Something For Sophia Loren
14. The James Taylor Quartet – Alfie
15. Stock Aitken Waterman – Roadblock
16. Martyn Bates – The Look Of Love
17. Biting Tongues – Compressor
18. Night Trains – Open Channel D

The set is available to order in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here (where it arrives on June 26).