Architecture And Morality

When people say they hate 80s music, I think this is what they mean. This band seems to consist of synthesizers, a drum machine, and various vocals. Most of the songs sound the same. While this is not inherently bad, it doesn't make for a GOOD album. I found it dull.

I had never heard of this band or album before, but I was pretty impressed. Early new wave synth pop, which is a genre I like.

OMD mám celkom rád. Akurát nerozlišujem medzi albumami. Prídu mi všetky (80' roky) rovnako dobré, zároveň nie za 5*

I didn’t really care for it, mostly faded into the background.

It’s not horrible it’s just more synth pop drivel. 2.5

no songs on the level of "sailing on the seven seas" sadly

I'm a Dazzle Shipper for life, but A&M is a stone cold classic. OMD is straight up the best synthpop band to these ears. Insanely passionate vocals, he's dying to get everything out. Everything feels like possible futures and impossible romances and fear and love. Awesome Awesome Awesome and underappreciated.

Architecture & Morality is one of the defining achievements of early electronic pop because it understands something that many more technically ambitious records miss: technology is most expressive when it serves an emotional idea. OMD don't merely write songs with synthesizers. They use electronic sound to create a distinctive emotional language—one that can feel architectural, devotional, lonely, and unexpectedly tender. The album's finest moments are not just catchy or influential; they feel like places you can enter. Its weaker tracks prevent it from being completely untouchable, but the best material more than compensates. “Souvenir” is a miniature study in melancholy, “Joan of Arc” is a beautifully controlled crescendo, and “Maid of Orleans” is the kind of composition that can make an entire album feel essential.

I mean it's alright

These guys were considered pretty uncool by their Eric's contemporaries in Liverpool. I don't think the pretentious sounding name helped. A shame really cos this record is pretty good.

Not on Apple Music. Rating based on other album.

Prvič slišim za tole. Zanimivo throughout. Will listen again.

Favorite Song: Joan Of Arc Least Favorite: Motion And Heart

Listened before?: yes, i heard this once before i started using this site to track my 1001 albums progress. i recall liking this one, but perhaps my enjoyment will be different this time The New Stone Age - 4/5 She's Leaving - 4/5 Souvenir - 5/5 Sealand - 3/5 Joan of Arc - 4/5 Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans) - 4/5 Architecture & Morality - 2/5 Georgia - 4/5 The Beginning and the End - 3/5 Average score: 3.7/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ the first few tracks start off really strong, just as i remembered them. unfortunately, the remaining 2/3 of the album just doesn't blow me away this time. it's like the energy and passion too a nosedive after Souvenir. for that, i can't see myself giving this any higher than 3.5 stars (or 3 solid here)

Moody mostly instrumental but didn’t feel great listening to this

I feel like I’m running out of no redundant ways of saying that I don’t like something.

I really liked this.

Perhaps unfair of me but I’m definitely new wave burnt out and this is just more new wave. I like new wave! But at what point is enough enough on this list?

mensen kunnen hier echt hard op gaan. ik ben niet mensen

This isn’t my favorite OMD album as it’s missing any of the songs that would be considered their hits, but it’s solid top to bottom.

this is like the cure goes fully synth pop. i love the cure, and i have a soft spot for (some) synth pop, so this, surprisingly, really worked for me. like many others on this list, this would be better if it was about 15 mins shorter, but this time i didn’t mind too much. weird little album (affectionate).

I thought this album was going to be too experimental and then one obvious hit track, but there is so much more than that. The opener sounds like many modern bands want to sound. Then you have track after track of moody industrial drums and gloriously dark synth bass backing some incredible synth lead sounds. It sounds like a church service in a metal foundry... And then maid of Orleans comes on, this is just one of my favourite tracks of all time. The glorious drums, the string synth riff. I even got my now wife to walk down the aisle to it, so I like it even more. The end tracks are more of the same. I love how they're not rushed into parts and are happy to let tracks sit in suspense with the tension rising before hitting the payoff lead synth line you were waiting for. I think at times the vocal lines could be stronger, but I like his voice. And ideally there would be at least one more big song on the album. The extended version has extended souvenir on it which I guess covers that, but doesn't really count. Anyway. I want to give it 5 for maid of Orleans alone, but the rest of it is great, so I feel no guilt with this.

The inhuman Numan-esque synth minimalism uneasily evolving into lush New Romanticism of the 80s. I kind of wanted to like this, and I kind of found a few songs interesting or appealing, but I kind of think it was way too long and kind of think it's overrated.

Wikipedia says this had a tepid reception initially but later was hailed as a pioneer of synth pop. I think the first instinct was correct. As an 80s kid, I love synth pop; this is synth drivel.

Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: None 1980s synth-pop inspired by religious music? I threw up a little in my mouth. Besides the beginning of the golden age of hip-hop, this entire decade is cursed.

This was the entire 80s to come in a album from 1981

It was okay. It just sorta faded into the background. I can't recall all that much about it.

I've heard the name, but that's about it. -------------------------------------------------------------- 80's synthy noodling. Overall this is pretty unremarkable (bar the fact is was made in the early 80s and with the technology of the time). The song structures are jarring, the vocals grating and the pacing - odd. I did appreciate some of the ambience and atmosphere the album generates. It's got a gloomy gothic darkness and an industrial undertone. It feels very British, like a rain thrumming onto a tin roof. 2*

I'm a fan of the synth, this was a pretty good listen. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maybe it's because I'm intoxicated but this is just the right amount of weird and experimental while remaining poppy and accessible. Kinda incredibly brilliant, I'm not gonna lie.

Guff with added bells and synth strings

Couple songs were fine, but the album wasn't worth my time.

This album is fairly boring at times. Nothing amazing.

Dang! I was blown away with the opening track, a mix of Velvet Underground 60's jangle guitar rock mixed with Krautrock electronica. The album really settled into a more 80's synth new wave album after that. It is atmospheric and dreamy, cool melodies and orchestral samples. I wanted this to be more like that first track and a bit more experimental but overall a pretty 80's new wave album and ahead of its time.

Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark — Architecture and Morality Pre-Listening: I was guessing it would be big band stuff. Then read the Wikipedia. Apparently they are synth pop. I’ve recently been into shoe gaze and hope this fits the mold. Best: Joan of Arc (Remastered) Runner-Up: The Beginning and The End Third: Sacred Heart Post-listening: I kept hoping they would turn the corner from boring to interesting, but they never did. The whole album feels like a John Hughes movie; synonymous and formulaic. Definitely instrumental skill that is shown with the album, but the lyrics weren’t biting and the synths were over the top and overused. Rating: 3/10 Stars: 2/5

as fun as seeing paint dry, or being at work in a factory.

Krasser "ach-die-sind-das"-Moment im Mittelteil. Nettes Album!

Das war gut! Manchmal doch etwas altbacken. Gebe ich mir vielleicht aber nochmal.

Joan of Arc did heroic work here. Without her, OMD might actually have been DOA.

Favo’s: She’s leaving & the beginning and the end

Much better than I was expecting. I only Knew them from If You Leave. This whole thing was good

Okay synthpop. Definitely heard stuff that could've later influenced people like hot chip or anything Italians do it better

Another synth pop album. This one doesn't totally annoy me, so there's that. It has its moments. I feel like some of it could have been the soundtrack for an 80s movie like the Never Ending Story or Labyrinth or something. 3/5.

I'm an omd fan

There are some albums that just stand out within their time frame, this is one

Later made popular by the Pretty in Pink film with 'If You Leave,' this is pre-USA knowing who they were. Shamelessly listed in the book as "one of the greatest synth-pop albums ever released." Therein lies the problem: I never could get behind synth-pop any more than classic rock.

Not at all what I was expecting but pretty enjoyable

Another very 80s sounding album, I’m not complaining

Always loved the song Souvenir. Happy to discover that the rest of the album is super solid.

Wat een openingstrack, daarna komt er een zeer goed album. 4 sterren + een volledige ster voor de openingstrack

OMD? OMG! Nah but seriously this is a good album and really nails that ethereal electric synth vibe most of the time. Didn't care for some of the tracks, but She's Leaving, Sealand, Joan of Arc and The Beginning And The End are all well worth it.

Ok

Synth-pop music. Lots of electronics and samples. I used to hate that kind of music. Now I can listen to it, but I still don't like it.

Ganz nett, Maid of Orleans

An average synth pop album from the 80’s

3.8 I like the vibe; however, it's only good, not great

This will get a 3, because it feels like two very different albums smashed together. One is great - icy cold atmospheric ambient synth work reminiscent of Bowie's Berlin period. The other is bouncy synth pop, like early Depeche Mode but not as good, with overwrought whiny vocals. I can't say it's bad, but I'd definitely choose specific songs over the album as a whole. Fine, but i'd like a non-vocal edit.

Interesting album! Some songs are a little bit quirky, but some are quite good. I need to check out more from them. Favourites: Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans), She's Leaving and Souvenir.

Architecture And Morality - Orchestral Manœuvres In The Dark (1981) Knew them almost only for Enola Gay... Very good Electronica/Synthpop album, and I don't really favor these genres in general, though I like New Wave, which has its touch on the album too. Love how they are a British band and made two songs about Joan of Arc. They are not chauvinistic, which is very appreciated. I liked the tacking work and joyful tune on Georgia. Souvenir makes me think of Daft Punk but before Daft Punk and better IMO. Loved the ominous synths on Motion And Heart, and the triangle-like one on Gravity Never Failed. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 7.75/10 [This album has been listened to and reviewed on October the 2nd, 2026.]

Feels ahead of its time and unexpected in a lot of ways. I've already been slightly familiar with OMD, but this is the realization that I've slept on them for a long while.

This was a really well-made thing that just didn't happen to float my boat.

Una cumbre indiscutible del synth-pop y la new wave británica que ha envejecido bien como una catedral sónica donde la frialdad maquinal de los ochenta convive con una profunda pulsación humana. En el plano de diseño formal, la producción de Richard Manwaring y la banda logra un entretejido que da claridad absoluta a una propuesta audaz, articulando cajas de ritmos súper rítmicas, baterías marciales y bucles corales de Mellotron en un espacio acústico transparente, solemne y tridimensional. La interpretación vocal despliega una fuerza y calidez que transmiten autenticidad descarnada, proyectando voces que sufren pero que a la vez reclaman vivir con una intensidad desgarradora que otorga a OMD una autoridad superior dentro de la vanguardia pop de su década. Obras maestras como la marcha épica de "Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)", la devoción nostálgica de "Souvenir", la tensión de "Joan of Arc" y la densidad monumental de "Sealand" dan forma a un documento conmovedor, crudo y real que opera como un sutil llamado a la conciencia sobre la fe, la memoria y la supervivencia espiritual frente a la alienación moderna. Una obra cuya cadencia hipnótica y constante sensación de paz y fluidez dentro de su gravedad la vuelven sumamente apta para múltiples usos, destacando como un catalizador extraordinario para acompañar la conducción nocturna, potenciar el trabajo creativo o sumergirse en una atenta reflexión solitaria.

Gladly listened this album after years of not hearing it Favourite track: Souvenir/Extended Souvenir

definitely feels more recent that 1981 and so impressed to consider what was created with the equipment at the time.

This grew on me. What new wave would sound like if done by classically trained musicians. Experimental in a way that makes you hang on. Enjoyable.

Too much ambient nonsense in between songs that I thoight were decent

*Not a genre I typically like but this had some cool synthesizers and musical moments.

Ok

Nightclub inside a Game Boy. 8-bit dancing. Cracking the Konami Code with extremely sound architectural morality.

Not my thing at all.

Approaches the idea of building interesting, evocative soundscapes, but ends up shoehorning lyrics delivered in that awful British New Wave fashion into nearly every song.

Nahh

This was cool. Definitely feels like an 80s movie soundtrack but I liked it. A little spooky at times too

Boring

Whew this was an arduous task. I mean it's not terrible. It's quirky. It's just not really my thing I can only handle so much nerd music but it is good nerd music. I guess.

Second half of the album was far superior to the first (excluding souvenir). Could have cut 5-6 songs and had a 4-5 star album. I understand they are experimenting with the synth and the sounds it can make, but just because it can make a certain sound does not mean that sound should be recorded onto a album.

Passable

its not going to be everyone's cup of tea but i think its a sick album. A bit experimental, very instrumental and Maid of New Orleans as a certified banger

Fav song: Extended Souvenir

Very good

I'm just not on board... this was a pretty big departure from their late 70's stuff and sounds so much like the Depeche Mode, New Order, Yazoo - all who came out right around the same time as this album. They were certainly influential and a part of the synth-pop wave, but this album doesn't feel like the birth of that movement... more like another element of it. That said, certainly some good stuff and interesting use of the synth and choir samples along with the occasional mix in feel of strings. 3.

Ok but sort of stagnant

"Inspired by religious music," I mean... sure. We begin with The New Stone Age, featuring an intriguing texture, particularly in the percussion part which is blurred beyond belief and definitely conjures images of the very worst of 80s musical output (i.e. industrial rock) without quite hitting the bottom of the barrel itself. Plenty of synths to go around in just about every song, providing the boldness that the vocals sort of lack. McCluskey(?)'s vocals remind me of a slightly less theatrical Morrissey. Which, to be fair, could describe 90% of 70s/80s British rock (or rock-adjacent) singers. Honestly, I don't hate the sound. Reminds me of side two of Low (Bowie, 1977) or some of Brian Eno's or Kraftwerk's output from around the same era. OMITD don't overuse the synths, even in songs like She's Leaving and Souvenir where they very much prop up the bulk of the melody and hooks. In the latter song, cheesy though it may be, that synth line is pretty great. Architecture And Morality being "ahead of its time" is a bit debatable when compared to various well-known 70s records that do everything this does (but a little better). Sealand is ultra-solid ambience, at least until the absurdly out-of-left-field metal-pounding at around 5:40. On the first half of side 2, OMITD provides us with two songs that are both called Joan Of Arc. I've never seen this strategy in album sequencing before. To its credit, the first Joan Of Arc goes pretty hard, making use of some of the strongest vocals to date, simple-yet-relentless percussion and keyboards, and some vague yet decent lyrics. Props to Joan Of Arc v2.0 for switching up the mood and tempo (to something kind of army-march-esque), even if the lyrics remain identical. Then we get thrown another vaguely interesting instrument in Architecture And Morality. Again, good, but not anything revolutionary. I enjoy the weird semi-prog, semi-folk melodies being thrown around in Georgia, plus that fun vocal filter. Now *that's* ahead of its time. Back to the original quote that caused so much confusion – and The Beginning And The End is the only song that I could see being even vaguely comparable to religious music. And that's purely due to the choirboy vocals played on Mellotron. 3/5 Key tracks: Souvenir, Joan Of Arc (v1.0)

So much better than I expected to be. Much more interesting and experimental than their other records I am familiar with. Sounds almost like they came from a cave with access only to side two of David Bowie's Low. I feel like I found a new vein to mine.

I'd wondered if we'd get any OMD in this collection, and here we are. I never really enjoyed the whole synth-pop/new-wave sound back in the day, so I never really listened to anything by OMD outside of their radio-dominant singles, and there are a couple of those here that are *very* familiar ("Souvenir" and "Joan of Arc" (not sure which version, but maybe "Maid of Orleans" version?). The rest of the album is new to me, and an interesting enough mix of early 80s new wave, especially with the focus on religion. I know it's an anachronistic metaphor, but OMD has often seemed to me to be the iPhone of synth-pop. They didn't really bring anything particularly original to the genre, but they figured out with this album and onward how to position themselves as somehow more interesting *and* popular than the likes of Pet Shop Boys, Softcell, Human League, even Tears For Fears or Duran Duran. That alone is impressive.

I always liked "Enola Gay" but it ain't on this album. What's on this album sounds exactly like what you'd expect from the title and the band's name: distant, austere, and I kind of fell asleep a little.

Trailblazing band of the synth pop movement, but this doesn't quite please the ear enough to get too excited. I do like the sounds on this album and it does include some decent pop melodies.

#458 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ❌ To me this feels like gothified pop music. I understand that in 1981 there wasn't that many synth groups or ever instruments around, equipment was very expensive and access was limited. I also feel like I've heard many better versions of this album, I've no idea what those might be, but feel like this one is quite boring. It feels like it's one dimensional. I'm quite stumped, neither like or care, but it doesn't annoy me either, 3/5 a lukewarm score.

Pleasant

Kind of boring, but cam appreciate it might be enjoyable for others.

This was actually not bad. Had to listen to it a couple of times to get the ear for it. It is evocative of Depeche Mode (which I am pretty sure I despise), but as noted by other reviewers PRECEDES them. So it is really the other way around. This is worth listening to. Not really sure if I will ever put it on, but I could imagine that.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this, but I ended up totally hooked. It’s a brilliant mix of ambient, new wave, and synth-pop that makes the whole album fly by. You can really hear the blueprint for the entire 80s synth pop sound in here; it nails that balance between experimental, industrial textures and these gorgeous, emotional melodies and samples. It honestly sounds way ahead of its time for 1981. The vibe stays super immersive from start to finish, sometimes it’s dark and moody like post-punk, other times it’s bright, dreamy, and weirdly warm. "Souvenir" and both versions of "Joan Of Arc" are absolute highlights that manage to make cold, synthetic music feel really human and deep.

Dull, I just can't picture any situation/environment where this would fit the mood enough for me to want to listen.

Good album! Got a bit strange at the end though

80s 80s 80s

Kind of invented the sound of Pitchfork bands from the mid-2000s onwards that produce romantic synth-drenched dream pop ethers and hardly get the credit for it. Elite stuff. I am happy 🙂

Faultless and atmospheric through every track, yet the most easy-listening thing imaginable, and much earlier a peak than that of their moody synthpop counterparts in New Order and Depeche Mode An artpiece of its time, and a sweet listen full of bloops that are decidedly different from everyone else's bloops

when this started I thought I was in for a bad time, it's nice to say i was pleasantly surprised. 3/5

5/10 Best songs: The New Stone Age When the first song started I instantly thought, "Oh man, this is going to be AMAZING." Then, when the rest of the album played, my feelings were more like oh... well, okay. Other reviews bamboozled me into thinking this album wasn't the typical early 80s synthpop/Britpop/new wave, and the first track convinced me the reviews were correct. Unfortunately, they are all dirty lying scumbags. This album is a perfectly adequate example of new wave. It's fine.

Best Track - "Joan Of Arc"