Architecture And Morality

I'm completely blown away by this album - it's so full of surprises. It starts as a Cold War inspired atmospheric exercise, a la "Spacelab" by Kraftwerk or "Warszawa" by David Bowie. Heavy on rich synth sounds of the era. It moves seamlessly to industrial instrumentals that masterfully layer noise and disparate sounds. Throughout they throw in bouncy pop songs that carry that Soviet synth sound, overlaid with vocals with loads of reverb and echo. Given that this album came out in 1981, it feels like a "granddaddy" reference for so many bands, and albums that would follow. Hell, it sounds futuristic to this day. One of the best albums in recent memory! (And this is one I listened to probably 30 albums into this exploration).

Sounds like Depeche Mode but boring. Didn't see anything special in this, just more 80s synth music. I think my ghost would have been pretty apathetic if I never heard this before I died.

OM NOM NOM. More New Wave albums, please. OM NOM NOM.

I'm genuinely pretty shocked to be giving a new wave synth pop album five stars, but this was looooovely! I've never really listened to OMD before, except passive radio play, so I didn't really know what to expect, other than a vague idea they were very poppy? This was excellent - atmospheric, emotive, unexpected shifts happening mid song - it kinda prefigures post-rock! Fave track - "Sealand". Just - WOW.

Notes - Experimental synth-pop album - Band famous for their songs “enola gay” and “if you leave” - Increased use of mellotron and choir samples - A lot of the time, the synths on here sound like they’re struggling to produce the notes - Which is really effective and adds to the melancholy of this whole album - Moments of atonality over top of more pop elements, almost some aspects of post-rock - Delicate, sparse, deliberate, cold, personal - What a strong mood…. Holy shit Fav - She’s leaving - Love the way the vocals are treated and the chime-y synth lines Least fav - I mean…. There really isn’t one - Just listen to this album! 5/5

A beautiful album which I will always be grateful for stumbling across. This is an example of why I persist with this project…without it I would have been musically the poorer. Buy this album!

Yeah, decent. Like a cross between Kraftwerk and The Cure but actually more listenable. Not really what I’m into but certainly ahead of it’s time for 81.

This album was one that confused me a lot as to its importance until I looked it up. In a lot of ways it sounds like a typical 80s synthpop album. However, it was released in 1981, which puts it way ahead of its time. Reframing it that way helped me contextualize this work. It's not one that particularly grabbed my interest, but it's good and was clearly influential in the decade it helped usher in

Albums like this are exactly why I'm going through this project. Some albums you slog through. This one flew by.

It's an OK album. Nothing out of the ordinary with some nice chill tunes. Sometimes a bit too electric for my taste.

The first song was an absolute BANGER, but the rest of the album bounced between "pretty good" and "pretty boring" unfortunately.

Interesting, some good tunes, of its time

L'arrivée de cet album dans le générateur confirme ce que je pensais depuis déjà un bon moment : Robert Dimery a un sens de l'humour très aiguisé. Je n'ai pas trop envie de m'attarder sur l'aspect musical de cet album qui est, nous l'avons tous compris, une sorte de poisson d'avril avant l'heure. On est en effet plongé dès l'introduction dans un ennui des plus profonds. Différents sons se mélangent, mais aucun ne parvient à attirer notre attention, et ce tout au long de l'écoute. De temps à autre, une voix dont on se serait bien passé vient se poser sur les instruments pour nous débiter différents couplets sans le moindre intérêt. Je soupçonne d'ailleurs le chanteur à qui celle-ci appartient d'être né de la même portée que le camarade Morrissey tant les deux voix sont horriblement similaires. À côté de cela, j'ai été très irrité de voir que mon analyse du genre de l'album comme étant majoritairement de l'"Ambient rock" n'a pas été partagée par Wikipedia qui a préféré le cataloguer de "Synth-pop". J'entrerai donc très bientôt en procès contre l'encyclopédie en ligne et vous tiendrai informés de chaque étape de la procédure. À bientôt chers lecteurs

Bra grejer det här. Ägt alla tre singlar från albumet.

Supreme synth music, almost in Kraftwerk class

Great great album. Was surprised how much I liked it. This is the 2nd really big discovery where I hadn't heard of the artist before and it was 5/5. Stoked!

This is an outstanding album, one of the best of its genre. I can't really think of another band from that era that sounded like OMD. They were leagues ahead of their peers. I think one of the big differences is that OMD had a talent for balancing the lovely with the dissonant, the melodic/accessible with the experimental/strange. These songs are incredibly elegant, with gorgeous, thoughtfully crafted arrangements, but also with a strategic use of dissonance to keep it all from getting too pretty. A big part of this sound is Andy McCluskey's unusual and compelling vocal style, that ranges from croonerish to almost grating. There's no one else in music who sounds like him. The band headed in more of a (frankly, less interesting) pop direction as the decade progressed, but this album stands out as being some of the most inventive music of that time. It's a historically important collection of songs, but also just such a pleasure to listen to. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Souvenir, The Beginning and the End, She's Leaving, Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans), Joan of Arc, Sealand, The New Stone Age, Georgia, Architecture and Morality

Brutal.

I had no idea what to expect going into this album, because my only exposure to OMD was "If You Leave" from Pretty in Pink. The opening track starts off sounding like an early U2 song (e.g., Sunday Bloody Sunday). I didn't expect them to be so post-punk and dark. The next song is much closer to the light, ethereal new wave I'd expect from them. The third song sounds like the direction Joy Division was heading in when Ian Curtis died — dark and dreary, but with some incorporation of brighter synths to give it an otherworldly feel. The title track's experimentation with industrial sounds also reminds me of Joy Division. The two songs about Joan of Arc sound like a more polished version of something Siouxsie and the Banshees would do. This album feels like the bridge between early post punk and what eventually became new wave. It has the darkness, the atonalities and sparse arrangements, and sometimes the dark lyrics of post punk, but it also has the bright synths, ethereal singing, and dance beats of new wave. I can definitely hear the religious music influence they were going for throughout the album, but it also reminds me of groups like Erasure and Yaz who did catchy pop songs that had a weird, ethereal twist. This album feels ahead of its time to have come out in 1981. In some ways, it still feels very modern now. The song Georgia sounds like a hyperpop song that Grimes would have made in the 2010s. That it was made before digital synths existed is impressive. I listened to this album on a dreary day during a thunderstorm, and it's quite a vibe. It's a little kooky, and it flips back and forth between soothing and unsettling. Not all of the songs are great, and it runs a bit long because of it, but I enjoyed it a lot. Highlights: The New Stone Age, She's Leaving, Architecture And Morality, Of All The Things We've Made 4/5

If there was a clear high point for OMD in terms of balancing relentless experimentation and seemingly unstoppable mainstream success in the U.K., Architecture & Morality is it.

a deeply rooted industrial album, almost like a massive rusty factory came alive and suddenly made music for the masses. it's almost liminal in a lot of aspects. ghastly hits of metal objects, prophetic lyrics... it's groundbreaking above all else.

If there was a clear high point for OMD in terms of balancing relentless experimentation and seemingly unstoppable mainstream success in the U.K., Architecture & Morality is it. Again combining everything from design and presentation to even the title into an overall artistic effort

The New Wave crashed and reverberated through America in the 80's, and became the Cold War of the British Invasion. Listening to albums like this, it's hard not to see why. The rattle, humming and texture of the album belies the novelty that was synth-pop's first breaths. It's a masterful experience to listen and hear the sound cascade over your ears in "Sealand". There's a distinct, and odd, warmth to every track bleeding through the frigid synths. OMD not only created a blueprint for the later 80's, but also it's first bonafide masterpiece and balances open soundscapes and tighter, shorter tracks. As a big fan of synth-pop and New Wave, this is an essential listen for all those passionate about the genre 8/10

I really like the sound palette on this, by using more analog electronics (I assume) it avoids the sort of ageing that some synth based albums from the 80s sometimes fall victim to. Also one of my favorite album covers, but I wouldn’t let that influence my score, would I?…;)

Retrospectively turgid

I appreciate the pun, but “Manoeuvres” is one of the most infuriating words I’ve ever had to type out. I guess that’s why everyone calls them OMD, because the “M” in that acronym is fucking impossible to spell correctly. The 80’s synth pop on this record is fine and usually engaging, but if you’ve heard any of the other 300 British synth pop records on this list, it’s hard to be impressed by it. OMD doesn’t do much to differentiate themselves from that maudlin crowd, at least to my ears. With that said, I had glimmer of hope during the first track that this record might be a little more adventurous than it turned out to be.

I question this record's inclusion on this list. I was not impressed. I guess for historical context it's here, but this was not a legendary listening experience for me.

I avoided them at my freshers’ ball. That is my main connection to this feeble synth doodling. Undeservedly revered.

5/5. The minimalism really works here and yet there is grandness about it that makes it sound maximalist. A perfect balance with great song writing. The instruments are diverse and the singing seems like amateur holiness, like a young person's heaven. It kind of feels like Bowie's Heroes and Low second half of each album, but just continued past the end of the album and this came of it. It's a mixture of beautiful and haunting. And it's short enough to just throw on repeat. Best Song: Souvenir, Joan Of Arc, Georgia

Amazing classic EDM with more depth than its modern counterparts

Fantastic!

I expected to see Dazzle Ships but this album and OMD and Organisation and Crush are also all 5 stars.

A brilliant reminder that once upon a time, electronic music was diverse, creative and highly original.

When I was young, I often listened to Dazzle Ship, the successor to this album, and was thrilled. Much of this album reminded me of it. I only knew Joan of Arc from earlier times. Overall, I really liked the album. I should add OMD to my music feed more often. 5/5

Excelente!

A pitch perfect slice of clattering and industrial early synth pop.

:')

Part of the 80's soundtrack they are always going to be a great band

Megahits: Souvenir, Joan Of Arc

Loved it

This was such a surprise. I loved the album, it was the perfect mix of 80s synth and dystopian/moody lyrics. So happy to have found this project and discovered such amazing music through it.

I agree with Moby that this is a perfect album. Such a great sound, and some real banging tunes. I love the way they almost completely avoid choruses.

Muy estraño, pero muy interesante. Me gustó creo todo, aunque lo identifico más para moods muy exactos. Entre movido de repente, sombrío, todo synth, a veces darks, no sé. "The New Stone Age", "Souvenir", "Sealand", "Sacred Heart", entre mis favs. No skips. 9.5/10

Good

No sé. Es que empieza bien, y continúa maso. Me gusta porque es chill y darketona, pero también hubo multiples momentos en los que pensé que estaba de hueva el mood, supo go que un poco ese era el punto . Fav: The New Stone Age (rolón)

Blew me away. What a great cohesive sound while varying in songwriting so much. Need to revisit ASAP!

Das ist eines meiner Lieblingsalben in meiner Hörgeschichte der Popmusik. Ich habe OMD in München bevor das Album in Deutschland live erleben dürfen. Extra wurde dieses Album auf meine Bestellung hin aus England importiert. OMD war nach Kraftwerk für mich die Innovation der Elektro- und Synthesizer Musik. Wunderbare Arrangements und Kompositionen experimentiell vorgetragen. Eine Offenbarung für mich. Und dieses Duo hat für mich an Faszination bis heute nichts verloren. "Joan of Arc" (zwei Versionen) sind die ganz großen Hits geworden. Vor allem die "Maid of Orleans"-Version. Meine Prophezeiung damals, dass OMD Nr.1 wird in den Charts, wurde damals belächelt. Noch heute lächle ich darüber!

God tier synth pop from two of the best to ever do it (and one of Peter Saville finest album covers to boot)

Really enjoyed this album

This was such an enchanting surprise. I've always loved Magnetic Fields so the instrumentaition felt so strangely familiar, long before I ever made the connection. Dark, poppy, fun, sometimes trance-like. I'm in!

Really cool synth album, given this came out in 1981 I'm willing to guess it's pretty foundational to what has become an iconic soundscape of the 80s.

Architecture & Morality I was quite late in discovering how good OMD and their early albums are. The first 4 or 5 are excellent listens, but this is probably my favourite one. The Bowie (Low quite obviously), Eno, Kraftwerk influences are clear, as they are for many of the late 70s/early 80s synthpop bands, but OMD take it in a slightly different direction, blending experimental sounds, textures & rhythms with more overtly pop melodies and hooks. They are one of the best of those bands at merging a cool/minimalist technological structure with a human and emotional connection. There are no obvious bangers like Electricity or Enola Gay, but The New Stone Age, She’s Leaving (this is clearly a big inspiration for LCD Sound Systems last album), Souvenir, both Joan of Arcs are the stand outs for me. I don’t think there’s a weak moment though - it’s a full cohesive album that rewards repeated listens. Great band, great album ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Excellent, A+.

Very cool! I only knew the single „maid of Orleans“ but the album has so much more to offer. From almost industrial sounding soundscapes to fast post punk, there is everything!

Masterful

I had listened to a couple OMD songs in the past but never a full album until now. Listening through feels like a journey through landscapes. I love the way the vocals and the synths paint a mood. Some of the tracks remind me of contemporary songs I was listening to from a decade ago whilst this was existing in the 80s. I enjoyed every track and they all worked well together and I think that makes a subtle yet great album.

So strange, I loved it.

A pleasant surprise! I'd not knowingly listened to Orchestral Manoeuvres in The Dark but found a lot to love on this idiosyncratic synth pop record. It's alternately eerie and triumphant, with odd but thoughtful arrangement choices throughout. The sequencing is really sublime as well, drifting into a meditative and atmospheric mood before hitting you with another dose of sugar. At times, it feels a cousin to Bowie's lauded late 70s albums, at other times a precursor to Spacemen 3 or The Cure's Disintegration. But what really sells it for me is the band's ability to deliver a perfect hook when the moment calls for it. I listened to this album a few times days apart and was left humming many of the melodies to myself in the interim. Best discovery in a while! Rating: 4.5/5 Favourite tracks: She's Leaving, Souvenir, Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)

Reminds me of the Cure but more electronic. Interesting use of instruments. Beautifully 80s. Very atmospheric. Very early 80s, so must have inspired the decade’s sound a lot. Makes me happy. Interesting soundscapes. Varied, experimental and still cohesive. Fabulous.

One of the soundtracks of my youth! Great memories. Love it!! 5/5 ⭐️

The only time I’ve really heard this type of music was in Stranger Things LOL. “Sealand” was beautiful, loved the instruments for the majority of the song and then his voice came in sounding like an Angel ascending from heaven. Blessed. Love the whale noises in “ Joan of Arc”, wait… in the first “Joan Of Arc”. Why are there two? The Wiki says it’s inspired by religious music which I definitely heard, and kinda made me feel like I back in Sunday School with my whole family. Weirdly nostalgic. I’ve wanted to cry in the corner in the fetal position to a couple of these songs. There’s a part of me that wasn’t awaken until I listened to this album, like I was coming out as gay or something. I absolutely loved this. 10/10

This is it. This is the reason that I started to do this one album a day thing. I'm not sure how this album has passed me by thus far, I really enjoyed all of it, and it fits perfectly within the relaxed synthpop 80s sound, along with other artists I love like New Order, Depeche mode, Tears for fears, The cure, etc. Not only would I listen to this album again, I believe that it will enter into my list of albums that I keep coming back to, and that I recommend to my friends. T10 Extended Souvenir was a stand-out track to me (and is the playlist track), but it came on and gave me an intense feeling of nostalgia, and played the part it was trying to play perfectly. Edit: I just realized that T3 (Souvenir) and T10 are extremely similar, and are practically the same song, but I think it was almost genius to do that in the context of an album, and by the time T10 played, I felt as if I had been listening to that song for years. 1hr album, but I found myself melting away in the context of the music, without any desire to listen to anything else at all. I really enjoy the more new-wave albums that are on this list. 5/5

10/10 amazing synth pop

Masterpiece album that was a cornerstone of me at 19 years old. There isn't a bad track on this album at all. Standouts: Souvenir, Georgia, Joan Of Arc.

Love this album. I’ve listened to it 3 times, start to finish. You can hear the Kraftwerk influence merging with more wistful memories. Powerful and rich music. The first song on the album, The New Stone Age, is unexpected and captivating. A faultless work of art. Really interesting.

Megahits: Souvenir, Joan Of Arc

What a glorious remaster

I'm genuinely pretty shocked by how much I loved this album. Its totally brilliant. I've never listened to OMD before and am now going to have to go on a journey learning all about them. This album is excellent - lots of changes and difference in the tracks, Its a very good listen. Favourite song: Sealand and Joan of Arc Least favourite: Architecture and Morality Album artwork: Great cover

loved it. new wave proto synth pop? sign me up! souvenir is 🫦🤌

This is why I love this project. This album is like the soundtrack to an 80s movie. I also feel like it could have been just released. Either way, I’ve not heard of the ban or the album or a single song before today and I LOVED it.

This album blew me away. It's hard to believe that it didn't receive the best of reviews when it was released. It starts with a dark new wave song, but cycles through baroque pop, synth pop, and just overall wonderfully layered and compelling music. The vocal samples are stunning.

very nice!!!

I was too young at the time that this album was released, but remember the hits from the radio and later bought The Best of OMD. What a gem this is. A great blend of soundscapes and synth pop hits.

Megahits: Souvenir, Joan Of Arc.

oooooh i loved loved loved loved this, im so happy i found them, and i don’t even care that they’re weird and seemingly boring, i think they’re just so cool and made me feel nostalgic for a time i wasn’t even born.

Beautiful! I really enjoyed this one, and will definitely check out more OMD. It's not enough just having "If You Leave" in my music library.

I didn't think they could get better than Organisation's, but I was really blown away by this record. It's so lush and beautiful, with lovely multi-layered melodious synths that bring emotions that reminds me why I love synthpop so much. It's atmospheric and otherworldly with introspective yet simple and somewhat cryptic lyrics that I can relate to. It just kept getting better and better with each song. The synth effects are so versatile and creative, they keep me engaged each second, and I just wish some of these went on for 10 minutes, and I'm glad there were more ambient ones like "Sealand" that did. I love the use of space to give me time to appreciate everything that's going on. Some super bright pieces like "Joan of Arc" and some super dark industrial pieces like "Architecture and Morality". I hear Eno a lot in this, like "The Beginning and the End" could almost be from Another Green World. They're also pretty complex and evolve... I was pretty shocked when songs like "Georgia" just took a 180. Exciting opener, great build up, and a satisfying conclusion with every song being memorable, there's not much more I could ask for.

beautiful in an unexpected way

Some very interesting compositions, a good time

OMD provided a unique view into music in what felt like an attempt to do the most they could with music and technology in the 80's. Testing the limits of experimental sounds and still harmonizing in a congruent manner. Again, I enjoyed this, I truly hope to remember this when someone asks for an 80's recommendation. Ethan, did you crumb at the sound of this album?

Brilliant!

I never really listened to these guys before. They're somewhere between The Smiths and New Order and I love it.

J’ai dû me rabattre sur une version live, car je n’avais pas accès à l’album original sur mes plateformes. Mais j’ai adoré ça. Tellement typique 80, mais avec une identité propre. J’ai aimé la voix et l’énergie. Je réécouterai

Put these synthesizers directly into my veins

Fuck. Ya.

outstanding

this might be the soundtrack to my life 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

Megahits: Souvenir, Joan Of Arc

There's always a little concern when an album that much-loved aback in the day but has been off the radar for years, crops up on here, especially with a band like OMD who seemed very '80's No need to worry on this one it's as good as it ever was.

Am I an asshole for actually liking this a lot? I feel kinda gross.

I was so surprised by this album. Beautiful, weird, experimental, synth vibes. An unexpected 5 stars.

Brilliantly innovative

Honestly this album is great. Not quite sure what it is about it, but it’s firing on all cylinders for me.

Unexpectedly wonderful. I didn’t expect to like ‘Architecture & Morality’, and initially I didn’t. I found it harsh and cold. However, it couldn’t be further from the truth and further listening confirmed this. It’s full of textures and layers, typically vague but interesting lyrics, and beautiful atmospheric synth soundscapes that envelop you. On a quality sound system or hi-fi this would blow you away. An amazing record.

What to write. Pure genius. Sealand is fucking incredible. Funnily enough I am currently working my way through a Depeche Mode challenge from start to finish and this just blows everything they were up to until about 5 years later out of the water. I'm only sad I only got around to listening to this about 5 years back, as I've been missing out, one of the best records ever made.

Melkeinpä jopa ajatonta - kuitenkin 80 luku paistaa pikkasen läpi - kuitenkin - syntikkaa hillitty... Ei poraa päähän.. Äänet tarkasti sijoiteltuja ja muodostettuja - niillä on luotu prkeleen kauniita kokonaisuuksia...

HL: "Maid of Orleans", "She's Leaving", "Souvenir" First heard "Maid of Orleans" earlier this year at a record shop, Shazam informed me that it was just a demo from "Architecture & Morality: The Singles". Not on Apple Music, but it was worth the extra effort to locate it. Beautiful, almost ambient-at-times, synth pop. Proves that there's more to OMD than "If You Leave" anyway. October 12, 2022

I was always a hardcore massive fan of OMD...how big you say? Well I'll tell ya...I owned the best of album. Nothing more true of a fan than one who owns the best of album right? But seriously...Joan of Arc and Souvenir...great stuff...that with Enola Gay (not on this one sadly, but it is on the best of) are great tracks...also The Beginning and the End... almost makes you wistful for the 80's...but there is something about their sound that just grabs me. Part nostalgia and part ...sad joy.

8/10. Wasn't sure what to expect, but worked out to be quite good, if a bit strange

That's another album I wish I'd heard back in the day.