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| 1986 re-issue |
release date: Feb. 22, 1980
format: vinyl (1986 reissue) / cd (2003 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,86]
producer: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Chester Valentino
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK
Tracklist: 1. "Bunker Soldiers" - 2. "Almost" (5 / 5) - 3. "Mysteriality" - 4. "Electricity" (4 / 5) - 5. "The Messerschmitt Twins" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "Messages" (4 / 5) - 7. "Julia's Song" (4 / 5) - 8. "Red Frame / White Light" (4 / 5) - 9. "Dancing" - 10. "Pretending to See the Future"
Studio album debut by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark originally released on Dindisc. At this early stage the band only consists of Andy McCluskey on vocals, bass guitar and keyboards, and Paul Humphreys on keyboards and vocals. This is one of the very first pure British synthpop releases. Synths had previously been played and is linked to Brian Eno, Neu!, Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre and others but primarily playing either more experimental or art rock and or classical-inspired music. This is also experimental but with clear pop elements in the compositions.
I like it just as much as the band's two following albums, although, they differ quite a bit. I like this because of its simplicity and highly original sound. It both contains Kraftwerk / Eno / Neu! sounding pieces of more experimental simplistic music but also strong, simple pop music that none of the aforementioned excelled in, and which is the band's very own trademark.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]
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| org. Dindisc cover |
