BOUNCING back after being dropped by record label East West - and still maintaining that they sound and look nothing like Pulp - Rialto release their latest single exclusively through the Internet on Monday.

During their time at East West, the band - who took their name from a defunct chain of cinemas - enjoyed two Top 40 hits, had their mugs splashed all over the music papers and built up a huge live following after touring with Echo and The Bunnymen, My Life Story, Monaco and Sleeper.

It seemed things could not have been any better.

But just as they were about to release their debut album, East West decided to drop them.

A case for Mulder and Scully if ever there was.

Not prepared to see such talent go to waste, China Records quickly came to the rescue and next week they release the Widescreen '98 Remix of their first hit Monday Morning 5:19.

The single will not be allowed into the charts as it will only be available through China's virtual record store at www.imvs.com

Fans can log on, order the record and wait a couple of days for it to arrive at their door. "The song's about calling your girlfriend, no-one answers and you think she's not in," said singer Louis Eliot.

"Your paranoia starts building and you find yourself becoming more and more obsessive as the night wears on."

The single will soon be followed by the release of their eponymous debut album, which steps into decadent lounge territory.

From Ennio Morricone and Phil Spector to Pulp, Suede and even the Beatles, Rialto aren't afraid to wear their influences on their sleeves.

Guitarist Julian Taylor said: "A lot of people refer to Pulp.

"But we don't really think we're like them. They're a bit more kitsch.

"One of the tracks on the album, Untouchable, is a bit Pulp-ish, I will admit that.

"People go on about the Pulp thing because they think our singer Louis looks like Jarvis, but he doesn't at all."

"He doesn't look like Noel Gallagher, basically," chips in bespectacled keyboardist Toby Hounsham, for no apparent reason.

Monday Morning 5:19 is out on Monday. Their album, Rialto, will be in the shops on July 13.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.