Orchestral Manoeuvres in The Dark Universal

With 2013's English Electric, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark made a record that paid tribute to their heroes Kraftwerk, while also embracing their own mid-'80s sound, which made them the darlings of the John Hughes set. They must have liked the formula they used to get that result, because they repeat it on 2017's The Punishment of Luxury. Now down to the duo of Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, they've once again crafted a sleek and shiny synth pop album that has all the clean lines of their original incarnation and all the gloss of their poppiest era. It makes for a very nostalgic listening experience, but it never feels like a museum piece, especially since neither man's voice sounds like it has aged a day…

The Pacific Age is the last OMD album to feature founding member Paul Humphreys (although The Best of OMD does collect a pair of subsequent singles). With producer Stephen Hague returning and guests Graham and Neil Weir elevated to full-time members, OMD aggressively targets the American pop market cultivated with Crush and the Top Ten single "If You Leave." With the Weirs' horns and a trio of female backing vocalists, the music on The Pacific Age sounds larger than life (the opening "Stay" in particular), a trait common to popular music in the mid-'80s. The added production value and better material represent an improvement over Crush, despite the opinion of some that The Pacific Age is a bland sellout. It's true that tracks like "(Forever) Live and Die," "Shame," and "Goddess of Love" are more style than substance, but it's a style that plays to OMD's mastery of melody and mood…

Remastered Deluxe Edition with bonus disc includes B-sides, rare mixes and 5 previously unreleased tracks.
Smarting from Dazzle Ships' commercial failure, the band had a bit of a rethink when it came to their fifth album - happily, the end result showed that the group was still firing on all fours. While very much a pop-oriented album and a clear retreat from the exploratory reaches of previous work, Junk Culture was no sacrifice of ideals in pursuit of cash. In comparison to the group's late-'80s work, when it seemed commercial success was all that mattered, Junk Culture exhibits all the best qualities of OMD at their most accessible - instantly memorable melodies and McCluskey's distinct singing voice, clever but emotional lyrics, and fine playing all around…

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark - Junk Culture (1984) {2015 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition 4701075}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 765 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 267 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 795 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1984, 2015 Virgin EMI Music / Universal | 4701075
Synth Pop / New Wave / Alternative Dance / New Romantic

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark will reissue its fifth album, 1984′s pop comeback Junk Culture, in February as a two-disc Deluxe Edition that will find the original album fully remastered and supplemented by a disc of the era’s B-sides, extended remixes and five previously unreleased songs and demos. The bonus disc features 10 B-sides and remixes, plus two previously unheard songs (“All or Nothing” with Paul Humphreys on vocals, and “10 to 1,” an unreleased song featuring lyrics later used in “Love and Violence”), plus three previously unreleased Junk Culture demos.

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) continue their 40th anniversary celebrations with the announcement of a career box set, Souvenir and brand new greatest hits collection of the same name, due out on 4 October.

We are proud to present ’THE BEST ELECTRONIC ALBUM IN THE WORLD… EVER!’ which over 60 tracks includes some of the most influential songs ever recorded. The emergence of the synth pop and dance music exploded in the late 70’s. Dancefloors were changed forever in 1977 when the pulsating and hypnotic ‘I Feel Love’ by Donna Summer showed the way forward, the track is included here alongside synth-driven dance cuts from Lipps Inc and Tom Tom Club and late 70s synth-pop classics from The Buggles and Blondie.