2026 is the 40th anniversary of black tape for a blue girl’s debut, THE ROPE.
 
2CD: Limited edition of 300. 6-panel digipak signed by Sam, with 4-panel photo insert, and sticker. CD 1 : Original mix remastered. CD 2 : 2026 mix by Rosenthal. Both discs include the 7 previously unreleased bonus tracks. With a 16-page lyric/memorabilia fanzine and sticker.
 
On THE ROPE, Sam’s subtle electronics and introspective lyrics establish black tape for a blue girl’s stature beyond the realm of the traditional “gothic” sound, creating a timeless blend of Oscar’s emotional vocals intertwined with warm ambient soundscapes.
STAR HITS MAGAZINE (1986): “black tape for a blue girl's THE ROPE is like the musical equivalent of a nervous breakdown. Complete with dark, scary lyrics that make The Smiths sound like Alvin and the Chipmunks, this might give you an idea of what mental anguish sounds like. It is an experiment worth hearing.”
The darkly mesmerizing THE ROPE's appearance on the underground rock scene kicked off a rich and diverse musical career for Projekt founder and Blacktape songwriter Sam Rosenthal. Now 40 years later, Projekt releases deluxe editions for the fans.
 
The 2CD & 2LP have the entire 12-track album included twice:
☉ CD 1 / LP1 : Original 1986 mix remastered
☉ CD 2 / LP2 : New 2026 mix by Rosenthal
 
Twenty-year-old Rosenthal’s electronics coupled with his angst-filled, introspective lyrics established black tape for a blue girl’s stance beyond the traditional “gothic” sound. His lyrics overflow with the emptiness of a shattered soul and broken heart revealing a dark, tortured youth scanning the wreckage in search of love, understanding, and connection. The striking blend of Oscar Herrera’s passionate vocals intertwining with warm electronic soundscapes and soothing ambient passages creates an album similar to 80’s-era releases on 4AD and Factory Records.
Opening the album is the rhythmic, hard-hitting “Memory, Uncaring Friend,” along the lines of Peter Murphy or Gang of Four. Following this striking opener, the music takes a more subtle turn: gently disorienting, autumnal, mesmerizing, mournful, full of wonder and elusive grandeur. Upon THE ROPE‘s release, comparisons were made to This Mortal Coil, Brian Eno, Phillip Glass and Chris & Cosey.
 
February 2025, UNCUT MAGAZINE’S Ultimate Record Collection: 200 Greatest Goth Albums listed THE ROPE at #169 and wrote: "The vehicle for the more electronic songwriting of Projekt Records’ founder Sam Rosenthal, brought to life by singer Oscar Herrera’s arch delivery. BTFABG spun a unique thread of ambient darkwave, neoclassical exoticism and dark cabaret on" their relatively bare-boned and lo-fi debut album.
 
THE BOB MAGAZINE (1986): "I feel the room growing dark around me so I’d better write this quickly. THE ROPE, a project of Projekt’s Sam Rosenthal, makes music of a sort more often associated with British artists, specifically those you’d find on labels like Fetish or 4AD. THE ROPE‘s warmly textured avant-pop plays like a blend of Chris & Cosey and the Cocteau Twins. black tape for a blue girl is also the best retort I’ve heard lately to the argument that synthesizers are inherently cold and unemotional. The synthesizers are emotive because his music is: gently disorienting, autumnal, mesmerizing, mournful, full of wonder and elusive grandeur. This album could bring on midnight at noon. The room grows black and the ceiling opens. The sky is awash with sound, so lie back . . . listen . . . and feel."
 
ALLMUSIC (2000s): "The debut Blacktape album, especially in light of the band’s later efforts, makes for an interesting listen in retrospect. On the one hand, much of what would make Blacktape so distinct is already in place: vocalist Oscar Herrera’s passionate interpretation of Rosenthal’s romantically obsessed lyrics, Rosenthal’s own moody, haunting contributions on keyboards, atmospheric instrumental pieces, and more. (However) the sheer depth of later Blacktape music makes the comparatively less full arrangements here sound more like demos. By no means is this criticism, it’s just that those expecting the Blacktape aesthetic to have been fully formed from the start will be initially surprised with THE ROPE, but will find its charms to be plentiful in the end.”
Sam recalls, "In November '85, following two years of recording instrumental electronic music, I invited Oscar Herrera to sing two songs on my ISLANDS cassette. A few months later in February of '86 I left Florida for college in Orange, California. I was 20 years old, feeling isolated, lonely, missing friends back home. In my dorm room that spring I used the school’s Fostex 250 4-track cassette portastudio to record songs with my lyrics and melodies. Writing words for Oscar to sing over my ethereal and ambient music helped me explore those angsty and tangled feelings. THE ROPE is half vocal and half instrumental. It’s all quite minimal, yet it’s an album listeners still mention as a favorite. Capturing the confusion and darkness I felt at that time remains valid; new listeners connect with it today. I never would have expected that 40 years later THE ROPE would be listened to and appreciated by new generations. It’s really nice knowing those feelings are timeless, and the music has a place in people’s lives." 

Released September 18, 2026

PHYSICAL EDITIONS:
The 2CD & 2LP have the entire 12-track album included twice:
☉ CD 1 / LP1 : Original 1986 mix remastered
☉ CD 2 / LP2 : New 2026 mix by Rosenthal
The CD has 7 bonus tracks.
☉ 2LP: Limited edition of 300. 140-gram vinyl (LP1: baby blue with heavy black splatters / LP2: transparent blue with heavy white splatters) in black poly-lined inner sleeves, in a single pocket jacket (300 gsm board, black inner-flood, with matte finish), signed by Sam. With an 8-page lyric/memorabilia fanzine insert and sticker, packaged in a resealable plastic polybag.
☉ 2CD: Limited edition of 300. 6-panel digipak signed by Sam, with 4-panel photo insert, and sticker.
• Mastered by Martin Bowes of Attrition
 
Sam Rosenthal: electronics & rhythm construction
Oscar Herrera: vocals
 

Allan Kraut: electric guitar, bass, drums & drum machine
Kim Prior: vocals
Lyrics, full credits, back story, memories in the fanzine booklet:
www.blacktapeforabluegirl.com/rope
 
Genre: Gothic, Ethereal, Ambient
 
Black Tape For A Blue Girl | The Rope | 2 x CD