E'voke

Lore & Background

E'voke were formed by Marlaine Gordon and Kerry Potter, both graduates of the Sylvia Young Theatre School who had previously starred in the BBC sitcom Us Girls. Gordon also appeared in EastEnders between 1994 and 1995 playing the part of Lydia. The duo released their first single in 1994, a dance cover of The Three Degrees' "I Believe" on the FFRR label, which was not a commercial hit but did well in clubs. Their first chart entry came in 1995 with "Runaway," which reached number 31 in the UK Singles Chart.

In 1996, E'voke scored their biggest hit with "Arms of Loren" on Manifesto Records, reaching number 25. The song had two mixes: the Steinway mix (more commercial) and the Nip N Tuck mix (the main radio edit). After a 1998 cover of John Waite's "Missing You" failed to chart due to label issues, the duo disbanded. Gordon attempted a solo career in 2000 with the unreleased track "Step Away," which featured Potter as a backing vocalist.

In 2002, DJ Ferry Corsten remixed "Arms of Loren" based on the Nip N Tuck mix, charting at number 32. The duo's back catalogue was later licensed by Pinball Records, which released new remixes in 2012 and a new single, "All I Want," in 2013, with an announced album that never materialized.

Reader's Guide

E'voke's significance lies primarily in their 1996 club hit "Arms of Loren," which remains their most recognized track and has been remixed multiple times over the years. The duo represented a brief moment in mid-1990s British dance-pop, with their singles charting modestly but achieving lasting club play. Their career illustrates the volatility of the music industry: they released singles on four different labels (FFRR, Frreedom, Manifesto, Pulse8/WEA) and saw their final 1990s release delayed by a label closure. The duo's legacy is sustained by periodic remixes and digital reissues, including a 2013 single "All I Want" that was likely a demo from the 1990s. Their story also highlights the crossover between British television acting and pop music, as both members had acting backgrounds. Despite never releasing a full album during their active years, E'voke's "Arms of Loren" has endured as a nostalgic club track, with remixes by Ferry Corsten and others keeping it in circulation.

Did You Know?

• Both members attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School and starred in the BBC sitcom Us Girls.
• The 2002 remix of "Arms of Loren" by Ferry Corsten charted at number 32, seven places lower than the original.
• The duo's 2013 single "All I Want" was likely a demo from the 1990s, as neither member had recorded new material since Gordon's attempted solo career.

Formation & Theatrical Roots

E'voke was a British female vocal duo active primarily in the mid-1990s, whose name carried the meaning of evoking or recalling something. The partnership brought together Marlaine Gordon and Kerry Potter, both graduates of the Sylvia Young Theatre School in London. Their shared theatrical training shaped not only their vocal approach but also their early careers in television. After leaving school, both women landed roles in the BBC sitcom Us Girls, and Gordon additionally played the character Lydia on the long-running soap EastEnders during 1994 and 1995. The duo's musical debut came in 1994 with a dance-flavoured cover of Stevie Wonder's "I Believe," issued on the FFRR label. Though it never cracked the commercial charts, the track found a receptive audience in nightclubs and was picked up by the Direct-Hit remix service. Crucially, the production team behind that first release—Barry Leng and Duncan Hannant—went on to pen the duo's subsequent original material, laying the groundwork for their more successful era.

Chart Success & The Defining Single

The duo's commercial breakthrough came in late 1995 with "Runaway," released on Freedom Records and peaking at number 30 on the UK Singles Chart that November. However, it was 1996's "Arms of Loren" that cemented E'voke's place in British dance music history. Issued on Manifesto Records, the track climbed to number 25 in August 1996 and became their most significant hit both commercially and in the club scene. Two distinct mixes were produced for the release: the Steinway mix, designed as the more commercial and club-oriented version (one that continues to receive play in dance venues to this day), and the Nip N Tuck mix, which served as the primary radio edit. The song's enduring appeal is evident in the fact that it has been re-remixed and re-licensed multiple times over the following two decades, far outlasting the duo's initial run of singles. Notably, E'voke shifted record labels with nearly every release, a pattern that would continue throughout their career.

Post-Breakup & Acting Pursuits

After the E'voke project was effectively shelved following the underperformance of their 1999 release "Missing You" (a dance cover of John Waite's song, originally slated for Pulse8 but delayed by that label's closure before being picked up by WEA), both members pursued separate paths. Gordon attempted a solo venture in 2000, recording a track called "Step Away" with her former E'voke producers and enlisting Potter as a backing vocalist, though the recording was never released. Potter, meanwhile, continued her acting career, appearing in the BBC medical drama Casualty and in the feature film The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse. The duo's legacy in dance music, however, refused to fade. In 2001, the head of Inferno Records introduced "Arms of Loren" to DJ Ferry Corsten, who produced his own remix based on the original Nip N Tuck mix. Released in February 2002 with a video featuring Potter alongside an uncredited blonde model lip-syncing to Gordon's vocal parts, the Corsten version reached number 31 on the UK chart—just six positions below the 1996 original.

Resurgence & Unfinished Legacy

The years following 2002 saw repeated attempts to revive E'voke's catalogue, with varying degrees of success. In 2006, AATW Records secured the rights to "Arms of Loren" and commissioned fresh remixes from Love To Infinity, Dancing DJ's, and Kenny Hayes, yet none of those versions ever saw the light of day. A more substantial revival came in late 2011 when Pinball Records licensed the track and enlisted Thomas Gandey (performing under his Cagedboy alias), Rudedog, and Dehasse to create new interpretations. The duo's entire CD single back catalogue was made available digitally alongside the music videos for "Runaway," "Missing You," and the 2002 Corsten mix. New "Arms of Loren" remixes dropped on 15 April 2012, followed by fresh "Runaway" interpretations in September of that year. Pinball then previewed three tracks on their SoundCloud page in 2013—"All I Want," "When Love Breaks Down," and "First Time Last Time"—likely 1990s-era demos, as neither member had recorded new material since Gordon's 2000 solo attempt. "All I Want" was released as a single on 10 November 2013, marking the first genuinely new E'voke release since 1999. Promised follow-up singles and a full album for 2014 never materialised.