The follow-up album to OMD's commercially successful Architecture & Morality (1981), Dazzle Ships marked a departure in sound for the group, who contended with writer's block and record company pressure to duplicate their previous release. The album is noted for its experimental content, particularly musique concrète sound collages, and the use of shortwave radio recordings to explore Cold War and Eastern Bloc themes. It also concerns itself with the rise of technology in society. The record spawned two singles: "Genetic Engineering" and "Telegraph".
Dazzle Ships met with largely negative reviews and, despite reaching the top five of the UK Albums Chart, was regarded as a commercial flop. It nevertheless came to be recognised as a "cult classic", and an inspiration for many artists across electronic, rock and hip hop music. The music press gradually reversed its opinion of Dazzle Ships, praising the record as an underrated and misunderstood work, and an album ahead of its time.
In the year following the release of commercially successful predecessor Architecture & Morality (1981), co-founder and keyboardist Paul Humphreys had married, and he and singer Andy McCluskey were growing apart.[1] The pair had never expected the success they had achieved,[2] and elected to retire OMD, having purchased their first cars and homes in Wirral. McCluskey said, "After two solid years of work... we had written our final epitaph – ["Maid of Orleans" B-side] "Of All the Things We've Made" – and didn't think we'd ever work together again. And all of a sudden, we were quite rich."[1] However, Humphreys and McCluskey – who had delivered only three of their seven contracted albums for Dindisc[3] – felt a debt to their fanbase, and began discussing new musical ideas.[1]
Virgin Records, who had assumed OMD's contract following the collapse of independent subsidiary Dindisc,[4] attempted to influence the sound of the album. Humphreys told how the label tried to sway the band towards duplicating Architecture & Morality, while assuring them they would become "the next Genesis"; this compelled the group to change musical direction.[5] OMD were daunted by the pressure of matching the success of their previous release, and early sessions were not fruitful. Seeking refuge in their radio experiments of old, Humphreys and McCluskey came up with the sound collages "Dazzle Ships" and "Radio Prague".[1] Paradoxically, in light of the eventual critical reaction to Dazzle Ships, the more experimental direction taken on the record was partly a response to muted reviews of Architecture & Morality, which "forced [OMD] into new areas".[6]
At the band's Gramophone Suite studio in Liverpool, they reshuffled their inventory of instruments, introducing the E-mu Emulator.[1] Experiencing writer's block,[7] Humphreys and McCluskey moved to California for six weeks to live with the parents of Humphreys' wife. Upon returning to Liverpool, however, the pair had failed to produce any substantial ideas for the album.[1] They elected to exhume "Of All the Things We've Made" for inclusion, feeling it had been squandered as a B-side, and resurrected "Radio Waves", a holdover from OMD precursor group the Id (this track was considered as a single).[4] "The Romance of the Telescope (Unfinished)", which had appeared as a B-side to 1981's "Joan of Arc",[8] was remixed and the "unfinished" caveat removed.[4] Instrumentalists Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes grew dejected by the largely unproductive recording sessions, with Holmes stating, "This was the first time that OMD had reached a major stumbling block."[1]
"At one Virgin meeting, the head of A&R asked us, 'Come on guys, are you [Karlheinz] Stockhausen or ABBA?' Andy and I said together, 'Can't we be both?'"
The band were encouraged by critics to become more political.[10] As such, they used shortwave radio recordings to explore Cold War and Eastern Bloc themes, while oscillating between moody pop music and experimental, musique concrète soundscapes.[11][12] "Radio Prague" features the interval signal of the Czechoslovak Radio foreign service, including the time signal and station identification spoken in Czech. "Time Zones" is a montage of various speaking clocks from around the world. Neither "Radio Prague" nor "Time Zones" carry a writing credit, with OMD being credited only for arranging the tracks. "This Is Helena", "ABC Auto-Industry" and "International" also include parts of broadcasts recorded off the air (a presenter introducing herself, an economic bulletin, and news, respectively).[4] The record also explores the pros and cons of the rise of technology in society;[13][14] "ABC Auto-Industry" attempts to recreate "the monotony of production line car manufacture".[15]
For a time the group sought inspiration in a new studio, Phil Manzanera's White House (latter Gallery Studios) in Chertsey, and hired producer Rhett Davies. McCluskey said, "We intimidated [Davies] in the end. The songs were simply not up his street. They weren't conducive to being handled with slick touches and it ended up with arguments."[1] This did little to help band morale, as Holmes explained, "Both myself and Martin seriously began to doubt Paul and Andy's judgement... More and more, it was becoming Andy's album." The sample-based approach to compiling the tracks further alienated Cooper and Holmes; the latter would ultimately play on only three songs, which had been recorded during the earlier Gramophone Suite sessions. Holmes spent his time at the White House "playing video games and trying to convince [him]self that Paul and Andy knew what they were doing."[1] Part of the album was also recorded at Mayfair Studios in London.[4] McCluskey has cited Kraftwerk's Radio-Activity (1975) as a key influence on the record.[16]
Dazzle Ships peaked at number five on the UK Albums Chart (remaining in the top 20 for six weeks),[18] and also reached the top-10 in New Zealand and Spain. The record achieved global sales of 300,000 copies; this figure represented a fraction of the sales of multi-million selling predecessor Architecture & Morality (1981).[19]Dazzle Ships was therefore considered a failure.[14][20] McCluskey recalled, "The painful joke at Virgin was that it shipped gold and returned platinum."[20]
Initial reviews of Dazzle Ships were largely negative,[7][29] with NME and other outlets making unfavourable comparisons to the work of OMD heroes Kraftwerk.[13][30] A scathing Mark Moses in The Boston Phoenix rechristened the album "Guzzle Shit by Offensive Manure in the Park".[31]Record Mirror's Jim Reid observed a "nightmarish" album "replete with the worst kind of futuristic nonsense",[25] while John Gill of Time Out labelled it "redundant avant-garde trickery".[1]Sun Times critic Michael Lawson dismissed the record's experimental content as filler, adding that "too much attention [is] given to soundtrack-like effects that only clutter what decent electropop baubles there are here."[32] There were sporadic appeals for listener perseverance: Paul Colbert of Melody Maker portrayed the album as "a challenge and a reward",[33] while Smash Hits reviewer Johnny Black argued that "the songs are waiting to be found and are as melodic, passionate and vital as ever."[26]
Although a critical and commercial disappointment upon release, Dazzle Ships came to be seen as a noble failure.[19] In The Rough Guide to Rock (1996), co-author Dave Castle said, "This austere evocation of modern alienation is the classic OMD album. Excellent use of samples and incredible synths on strong, melodic and above all highly intelligent pop music."[34] During the 2000s it was endorsed by Mojo as a "buried treasure" and an "ignored masterwork",[35] while Ned Raggett of AllMusic wrote that the "dazzling" record "beats Kraftwerk at their own game, science and the future turned into surprisingly warm, evocative songs."[21]Trouser Press remained unconvinced, describing the album as "impressive but not satisfying". The magazine noted "some amazing sounds and a powerful atmosphere", but felt that "found-tape gimmickry" had taken precedence over songwriting.[36]
Dazzle Ships met with critical praise upon its initial re-release in 2008.[37][38] Tom Ewing of Pitchfork wrote, "Luckily, you don't need a contrarian streak to love it... history has done its own remix job on Dazzle Ships, and the result is a richer, more unified album than anyone in 1983 could have imagined."[7] In a five-star review, Record Collector's Daryl Easlea observed "consistently eccentric" and "dark and detailed" content, calling the album "a weirdly satisfying listen".[24] Luke Turner of The Quietus said that it "stands the test of time as a heroic statement", and represents "a fine realisation of that desire to be both pop and important that OMD first hinted at with 'Enola Gay' and 'Electricity'."[39] In a later review, Uncut's Stephen Dalton referred to a "bold fusion of politically slanted electro ballads, sampled radio dialogue, musique concrète and otherwordly sound effects", hailing the album as a "brave experimental swerve" that has been "rightly recognised as a lost masterpiece of forward-thinking avant-pop."[28]
Legacy
Dazzle Ships has been championed by many artists, including producer, Mark Ronson.
Critics have acknowledged Dazzle Ships as an underrated and misunderstood work,[40][41] and a record ahead of its time.[42] John Bergstrom of PopMatters argued that while positive reappraisals of flop albums had become "all-too-common", the "prescient" Dazzle Ships lived up to the hype.[38]Quietus writer Stuart Huggett charted the record's journey "from 1983 release to 2016 Classic Album", stating that it features some of OMD's strongest material but is "likely to remain too off the wall ever to permanently join the general public's Classic Albums canon".[43]Dazzle Ships has nevertheless appeared in lists of 1983's best albums; The A.V. Club named it one of the year's "Great but Underappreciated Records".[lower-alpha 1] It was included in that same publication's "Hall of Fame",[12] as well as the Chicago Tribune's "10 Essential New Wave Albums",[50] the 1980s edition of Uncut's "Ultimate Record Collection",[51] and music journalist Paul Roland's "Ten Essential CDs" of the decade.[52] The album maintained a cult following throughout the latter 20th century,[43] and has since been labelled a "cult classic".[41][53][54]
Dazzle Ships has been highly influential on other artists.[55][56] Critic John Earls noted how the "genius, yet wildly uncommercial" album went on to be cited by the chart acts Radiohead, Arcade Fire and the Killers;[9] comparisons have been drawn to Radiohead's experimental Kid A (2000).[lower-alpha 2]Dazzle Ships inspired much of Death Cab for Cutie's Codes and Keys (2011), and was described by the band's former guitarist, Chris Walla, as the record that "everyone points to as [OMD's] magnum opus". Walla added, "It's really a gorgeous album. It's daring and it's weird and it leans a lot on the paranoia of the Cold War."[60]Saint Etienne and Future Islands identified Dazzle Ships as the template for their respective albums, Foxbase Alpha (1991) and In Evening Air (2010).[6][61] Singer Anohni was inspired and "changed" by the "scary, futuristic" record,[62][63] and musician Telekinesis named it his personal favourite.[64]Dazzle Ships has also influenced record producers:[62]Moby observed a "beautiful, experimental, inspiring" album, while Mark Ronson asserted, "I was just completely floored... It's just so elegant but a bit lo-fi at the same time."[65][66]
Several artists have borrowed directly from Dazzle Ships. The indie groups Another Sunny Day and Eggs released cover versions of "Genetic Engineering" (as 1989 and 1994 singles, respectively), with the latter's artwork being inspired by Dazzle Ships' inner sleeve; journalist Stuart Huggett saw both recordings as helpful to the album's "survival".[43] Arcade Fire orchestrator Owen Pallett arranged an encore of songs from Dazzle Ships for a 2006 solo tour, and declared the album the best ever made.[67][68] Pallett later said, "There have been certain records in my life that I feel have saved me. Saved my life... records that sound unique or try some new form of human expression. Records like Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's Dazzle Ships."[69] A number of rap musicians have drawn from the album:[62]Kid Cudi sampled "ABC Auto-Industry" on his track "Simple As..." (2009),[20] while Lushlife recorded a 2012 cover of "The Romance of the Telescope".[70] Singer-songwriter Anton Barbeau referenced the album with his electronic piece "Slash Zed Zip" (2022), whose title is an anagram of "Dazzle Ships".[71]
Noah "Panda Bear" Lennox of Animal Collective stated that his band have listened to Dazzle Ships "on many tours".[72]Liars frontman Angus Andrew and Low singer Alan Sparhawk each listed the record among their favourites, with Andrew describing it as "such a cohesive statement, portraying a bleak and lonely environment of a different sort." He added, "It's such an incredible feat to feature experiments like 'Dazzle Ships, Pts. 1-3' [sic], and have them... enhance an album with more straight forward tracks like 'Telegraph'."[73][74] The record has received further endorsements from Shearwater frontman Jonathan Meiburg,[75]Amanda "MNDR" Warner,[66]Terre Thaemlitz,[76] physicist/musician Brian Cox,[77] and novelist/visual artist Douglas Coupland, who called it "amazing" and one of his 12 "must-have" albums.[78] In The Quietus, critic Ian Wade noted that Dazzle Ships is also cherished by "a whole host of dance types".[55]
Band response
After the release of Dazzle Ships, OMD came to view the record as a creative mis-step. Humphreys lamented that "the good songs on it were lost in the overall presentation aspect." McCluskey assumed much of the responsibility, saying, "When the ideas man ran out of ideas, there was nothing left for the melody man [Humphreys] to work on." Band manager Gordian Troeller expressed regret over not insisting the album be re-recorded. He said, "I didn't fight, Virgin didn't either... I think some of the misgivings Paul felt about the work at the time were too easily overriden by Andy."[1] The disappointing commercial performance of Dazzle Ships prompted OMD to move in a more conservative musical direction on subsequent releases.[19]
By 1988, McCluskey and Humphreys had come to regard "The Romance of the Telescope" as their favourite of the group's songs.[79] Upon Dazzle Ships' initial re-release in 2008, McCluskey noted its improved critical standing: "The album that almost completely killed our career seems to have become a work of dysfunctional genius... it's taken Paul [Humphreys] 25 years to forgive me for Dazzle Ships. But some people always hold it up as what we were all about, why they thought we were great."[19] Humphreys later said, "When we re-released it a few years ago we got five-star reviews... so perhaps it was just a bit ahead of its time. I know fans still cite it as their favourite [OMD] record."[80] Both men have since placed Dazzle Ships in the top three of the band's albums, along with Architecture & Morality (1981) and The Punishment of Luxury (2017).[81][82]
Track listing
Label copy credits: All songs written and/or arranged by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (except "Radio Waves", by OMD/Floyd).
The "Manor Version" of "Telegraph" was recorded at the same time as Architecture & Morality. "Swiss Radio International" was dropped from the album at the last minute. Like "Radio Prague", it contains the call sign for a radio station and was once referred to as "The Ice Cream Song" by drummer Malcolm Holmes due to its similarity to the melodies played by ice cream vans. Another version entitled "Radio Swiss International" appeared on the Unreleased Archive: Vol. 1 disc, included in the Souvenir, 40th anniversary box set issued in 2019. The disc also featured further demos entitled "Violin Piece" "SMPTE" and "Guitar Thrash", all dating back to the 1982/83 recording sessions.
A 40th anniversary release of Dazzle Ships, featuring further bonus demos and rarities, was announced on 2 February 2023, and released on 31 March.[83] It was released on CD and on double 12" vinyl, as well as being made available on downloading and streaming platforms.
Bonus tracks on 2023 reissue
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Length
13.
"Telegraph 82" (Very Early Demo)
Humphreys, McCluskey
2:50
14.
"Silent Running" (Demo)
Humphreys, McCluskey
3:25
15.
"Sold Our Souls" (The Avenue Demo)
Humphreys, McCluskey
3:12
16.
"Shakespeare 82"
McCluskey
0:50
17.
"Untitled Instrumental 82"
Humphreys, McCluskey
3:22
18.
"In Heaven Above" (4-Neu Demo)
Humphreys, McCluskey
2:51
19.
"Telegraph" (Live 1984)
Humphreys, McCluskey
3:50
Personnel
Andy McCluskey – vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, synthesizers
Paul Humphreys – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals, percussion
Engineered by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Rhett Davies, Ian Little, Keith Richard Nixon, Brian Tench
Produced by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Rhett Davies
Mastered at The Master Room by Arun Chakraverty
Designed by M. Garrett, K. Kennedy, P. Pennington, Peter Saville, and Brett Wickens for Peter Saville Associates.
Instruments
In terms of instrumentation, Dazzle Ships saw the band begin to explore digital sampling keyboards (the E-mu Emulator) in addition to their continued use of analogue synthesizers and the Mellotron.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic band formed in the Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of founding duo and principal songwriters Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, along with Martin Cooper and Stuart Kershaw (drums). Regarded as pioneers of electronic music, OMD combined an experimental, minimalist ethos with pop sensibilities, becoming key figures in the emergence of synth-pop; McCluskey and Humphreys also introduced the "synth duo" format to British popular music. In the United States, the band were an early presence in the MTV-driven Second British Invasion.
George Andrew McCluskey is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is best known as the lead singer and bass guitarist of the electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), which he founded alongside keyboard player Paul Humphreys in 1978: McCluskey has been the group's sole constant member. He has sold over 40 million records with OMD, and is regarded as a pioneer of electronic music in the UK. McCluskey is noted for his frenetic onstage "Trainee Teacher Dance".
Paul David Humphreys is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as the keyboardist and secondary vocalist of the electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), which he founded alongside lead singer and bassist Andy McCluskey in 1978. The Quietus remarked, "If, roughly speaking, McCluskey is the intellect and inquisitive nature in the group, then Humphreys is the heart." The pair have been recognised as pioneers of electronic music.
Junk Culture is the fifth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 30 April 1984 by Virgin Records. After the commercial disappointment of the experimental Dazzle Ships (1983), OMD and Virgin intended for the group to shift towards a more accessible sound on its follow-up release. The band retained much of their early experimental approach but embraced a wider range of influences than previously, drawing inspiration from pop, dance, Latin and black music. Frontman Andy McCluskey characterised Junk Culture as "the catchiest, poppiest album [OMD] ever made".
Architecture & Morality is the third studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 6 November 1981 by Dindisc. Inspired by religious music, the group sought to broaden their musical palette by utilising elaborate choral samples, the Mellotron, and other new instruments to create a more naturalistic, emotive sound. The artwork was designed by longtime OMD collaborator Peter Saville, along with associate Brett Wickens, while its title was derived from the book Morality and Architecture by David Watkin.
Organisation is the second studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 24 October 1980 by Dindisc. On Organisation the group worked with a producer for the first time, enlisting former Gong bass player Mike Howlett, while session musician Malcolm Holmes became the band's full-time drummer. The record is noted for its dark, melancholic tone in comparison to other OMD releases.
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is the debut studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 22 February 1980 by Dindisc. Recorded at the group's Liverpool studio, it showcased their minimal synth-pop style and peaked at number 27 on the UK Albums Chart. "Electricity" and "Red Frame/White Light" were released as singles; a re-recorded version of "Messages" provided OMD with their first hit in the UK, reaching number 13.
Universal is the tenth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 2 September 1996 by Virgin Records. Frontman Andy McCluskey opted for a more organic, acoustic sound on the record, which peaked at number 24 on the UK Albums Chart. It was generally well received by music critics, although the British media's overall resistance to OMD – who had been rendered unfashionable by the prevalence of grunge and indie rock – prompted McCluskey to dissolve the group. Universal was their last album until 2010's History of Modern.
Sugar Tax is the eighth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 7 May 1991 by Virgin Records. It was the group's first studio album since 1986's The Pacific Age, and the first of three recorded without co-founder Paul Humphreys, who had departed in 1989. Featuring singer Andy McCluskey alongside a new backing band, Sugar Tax leans towards the then-prevalent dance-pop genre, with McCluskey's songwriting at times being influenced by the breakdown of his relationship with Humphreys.
The Best of OMD is a compilation album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 1988; marking a decade since the band's beginnings. The record essentially delineates the group's experimental early years from their pop-oriented later work: side one features recordings from 1979 to 1984, while side two is drawn from the group's 1984–1988 efforts.
"Joan of Arc" is a 1981 song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the second single from their third studio album Architecture & Morality. It was well-received by critics and became a hit in the British Isles, reaching number 5 in the UK and number 13 in Ireland.
"Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 1982 as the third single from their third studio album, Architecture & Morality. To prevent confusion with the group's previous single "Joan of Arc", the song was retitled "Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)" for its single release. Both songs are about the French heroine Joan of Arc and both reached the Top 5 of the UK Singles Chart—although this release was more successful internationally, topping the charts in several countries including Germany, where it was the biggest-selling single of 1982. "Maid of Orleans" has sold four million copies worldwide.
"Locomotion" is a song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 2 April 1984 as the lead single from their fifth studio album, Junk Culture (1984). It was one of the band's biggest European hits, charting within the Top 5 in the UK, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands, while also peaking at No. 14 in Germany.
"Souvenir" is a song written by Paul Humphreys and Martin Cooper of English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and released as the first single from the group's 1981 album Architecture & Morality. Sung by Humphreys, the track is characterised by its use of slowed-down choral loops, and showcases OMD's early approach of utilising a synthesizer hook in place of a vocal chorus. The song has garnered praise from critics and fellow artists.
The discography of English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) includes 14 studio albums and 46 singles, among other releases. The group issued their debut single, "Electricity", in 1979, and achieved several international top 10 hits during the 1980s and 1990s, including their signature songs "Enola Gay" (1980) and "If You Leave" (1986). OMD's albums Architecture & Morality (1981), The Best of OMD (1988) and Sugar Tax (1991) were certified platinum or higher in the UK; the gold-certified Dazzle Ships (1983) became one of the band's more influential works.
"Genetic Engineering" is a 1983 song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the first single from their fourth studio album Dazzle Ships. The synthesized speech featured on the track is taken from a Speak & Spell, an educational electronic toy developed by Texas Instruments in the 1970s intended to teach children spelling.
"Telegraph" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and the second single from their studio album Dazzle Ships (1983). "Telegraph" was originally slated to be the first single released, but being unhappy with the mix and with pressure from Virgin, the group instead opted for "Genetic Engineering".
"Tesla Girls" is a song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the third single from their fifth studio album, Junk Culture (1984). It peaked at No. 21 in the UK and Ireland, and No. 8 on the Dutch Top 40. Although only moderately successful on the charts, it became one of the group's biggest club hits.
"Dreaming" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark initially released in January 1988 as a single from their compilation album The Best of OMD.
English Electric is the twelfth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and their second since the 2006 reformation of the group. Preceded by lead single "Metroland" on 25 March 2013, it was released on 5 April by 100% Records. Unlike predecessor History of Modern (2010), which was compiled remotely via the Internet, English Electric saw OMD co-founders Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys write and record in person, with the aim of recreating their artistic chemistry in years past. The album was largely inspired by McCluskey's then-recent divorce.
1 2 3 AllMusic.com's review of Dazzle Ships uses prose by Ned Raggett, originally published in the All Music Guide to Rock (2002). The date of publication is noted here as Raggett's commentary is used in a historical context within this article.
↑ Eddy, Todd (May 2003). "The Synthesists (supplement)". Q. No.202. [Dazzle Ships] stands alongside Architecture & Morality as a document of OMD's creative zenith [...] never again would McCluskey and co shine like they did on this transcendent record.
1 2 Reid, Jim (5 March 1983). "Blinded by the Light". Record Mirror. p.21.
1 2 Black, Johnny (3–16 March 1983). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Dazzleships". Smash Hits. Vol.5, no.5. p.41.
↑ Houghton, Richard (2019). OMD: Pretending to See the Future (expanded paperbacked.). This Day in Music Books. p.161. ISBN978-1-9161156-2-0. [Sounds'] Chris Burkham thought Dazzle Ships not that outstanding.
1 2 Dalton, Stephen (December 2018). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Dazzle Ships". Uncut. No.259. p.47.
1 2 Kellman, Andy. "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Biography". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2023. Commercial suicide-turned-cult classic Dazzle Ships... was later embraced as a misunderstood and inspired work, a creative high point.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
Bergstrom, John (8 April 2013). "OMD: English Electric". PopMatters. Retrieved 24 April 2022. Dazzle Ships... has in recent years been re-valued as a bold, ahead-of-its-time combination of popcraft and technology.
↑ Peel, Ian (May–June 2013). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: English Electric". Classic Pop. No.4. p.93. Their fourth album, 1983's Dazzle Ships, was released... with age, it's become a true cult classic.
↑ Travis, Ben (1 September 2015). "OMD: Watch 'Genetic Engineering' Live from Dazzle Ships Show in Liverpool". Evening Standard. Retrieved 23 May 2021. OMD... are set to release a live version of one of their most notorious records, 1983's Dazzle Ships. Recorded live at the Museum of Liverpool, the show captured the legendary electronic outfit recreating their cult classic LP.
↑ Ware, Martyn (11 June 2021). "Paul Humphreys". Electronically Yours with Martyn Ware. Episode 38. 57 minutes in. Anchor. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021– via Podbay.fm.
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