At the time, I didn't realise just how much influence Kraftwerk had had on OMD. That said, this is an almost-perfect blend of that electronic experimentation and minimalism with a more pop sensibility, with a few more contemporary twists added for effect. The tunes here are sumptuous, but that also let loose and make a noise a bit more on tracks like New Stone Age, which has a more punk / motorik flavour. Overall, what's not to like?
One of the first albums that I bought back in 1981, and one that I continue to play almost forty five years later. Gosh. OMD mastered the delicate balance of subverting beautiful pop ballads with a dark and atmospheric message. The music hooks you first, before the lyrics then leave you thinking. Any album that can have a song (and consecutive singles!) with the same name sitting side by side, tells you that OMD weren't playing the game. A rare example of 80's music that understood that the medium is the message.