Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Album: “Dazzle Ships”

OMD's fourth album followed a reasonably successful self-titled debut in 1980, then the escalating successes of the same year's Organisation, and Architecture & Morality in '81, with hit singles by then including `Red Frame/White Light', `Electricity', `Enola Gay', (still one of the all-time greats), `Souvenir' and `Joan Of Arc', but now the lads felt it was time for some experimentation.

Britain and Europe in the early 80's was dominated by Margaret Thatcher and her Cold War politics, and this threatening atmosphere greatly influenced Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys' themes on Dazzle Ships - however, despite the album's quirky mix of futuristic sounds and Iron Curtain radio broadcasts evoking almost pre-electricity sentiments, it wasn't all doom and gloom.

`Genetic Engineering', `Telegraph', `Radio Waves' and `Of All The Things We've Made' all fall well within the synth/pop field, but tracks such as `Time Zones', `This Is Helena' and `ABC Auto-Industry', with found and mechanised vocals, threw the fans completely, as did the title track's evocation of the nightmare world of submarine dread and sonar-blip tension. (Dazzle Ships were a British World War I experiment in artistic camouflage and painted confusion - see Edward Wadsworth's superb `Dazzle Ships In Drydock' at Liverpool' (...)

A couple of the more balladic tracks, such as the dreamy `Romance Of The Telescope', bear vestiges of the late New Romantic era, but ultimately the ballads, the pop numbers, the darker moments, the Eastern Bloc radio programs and the assorted bleeps & mechanical voices all seamlessly combine in one of popular music's finest offerings.

Kim Porter, Forté Magazine, Australia

This one flew under the radar, when one takes into consideration the collected works of OMD. Yes, it was even disliked as it was a departure from what they'd been doing up 'till then. But how else can an artist go forward? Re-hash the same old same old?

Great release. I, like all other OMD fans, can only hope the remainder of their catalogue gets the same treatment and soon! It's time for Junk Culture's remastering. It'd be a crime to stop now...

If you want your mind to go on a mystic cruise but not due to some street drug, Dazzle Ships very well might be your ticket. Were I a captain of that liner, terrific songs like Telegraph, Genetic Engineering and others all would quickly get staff and crewmember promotions. Although the CD is only 35 minutes(app.) in duration, because of the different sound format the group experimented with this really can't be considered a fault. As a temporary change of pace from Classic Rock (always has been my favorite), prime studio tracks from OMD, A Flock Of Seagulls, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Simple Minds, New Order and other popular electronic bands offer most any listener evidence(s) of terrific musical talent...

The album dates back to the 80's, and is a top class representative of the synth / electronic pop genre of the time. This is probably the most experimental OMD album, and a number of tracks being arrangements of various sampled sounds - for example Radio Prague, ABC Auto Industry, This is Helena, Dazzle Ships, and Radio Waves. Although not too extraordinary, these tracks are enjoyable. The other tracks do stand out though, with Genetic Engineering and Telegraph making it onto their Best Of compilation. The others are subtle and deep with strong lyrics if you get into it. My favourite off the album is International, an anthem about a young girl whose hands had been cut off.

If you do not own any OMD music, then perhaps the "Best Of" compilation is the place to start. If you already own that, then maybe move to "The Pacific Age" or "Crush" next, especially if you're a recent OMD fan. Hardcore fans should find this album stunning and unique - it's definitely a favourite of mine, and I recommend it.

Not as perfectly integrated as Architecture and Morality ( in my opinion their best) Dazzle Ships is worth a listen if you enjoy quirky, minimalist synth-based dance-ish pop music. Very highly recommended. Telegraph bounces along quite nicely. Of All the Things We've Made is one of my favorite OMD ballads. Radio Waves is cool. The submarine effects in the title track are trippy like Pink Floyd. Foreign language radio samples are used frequently throughout the CD,to varying degrees of sucess, but they somehow tie it all together, whatever "it" is. Overall, one of their best, if I could give four and a half stars I would.