OMD - Dazzle Ships


Taking a break from my boring rants I have decided to write about OMD. In particular, their 1983 album 'Dazzle Ships'... It is an album which I think has been judged unfairly since it was originally released. Although, it was always going to be difficult to follow up an album such as 1981's 'Architecture & Morality' (which I strongly recommend anyone listen to).

I am already familiar with the singles: 'Genetic Engineering which charted at a UK #20, and the less successful but equally wonderful 'Telegraph'  which reached #42, both singles were released in 1983.

The album was mostly created using samples, played on their newly acquired Emu-Emulator. OMD used an interesting array of samples, including the sounds of Morse code, signals, radio noises, bells and of course the sounds of ships, as mentioned in the album title of course!    

 However, the public reaction upon it's release was a hit and miss one. I get the impression that a lot of listeners were confused or baffled by it. Which I suppose is understandable, but I like to think that adds to the mystique of Dazzle Ships! A year later, OMD released a follow-up called 'Junk Culture. This album continued using sampling, but in different, more poppier way that was more accessible to the general music public. 

In many ways 'Dazzle Ships' was the last of the thing OMD had been doing since they started out their later releases, which although were still fantastic, were more commercial.