Organisation (album)

Last updated

Organisation
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Organisation album cover.jpg
Studio album by
Released24 October 1980 (1980-10-24)
Recorded1980
Studio
Genre
Length40:05
Label Dindisc
Producer
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark chronology
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
(1980)
Organisation
(1980)
Architecture & Morality
(1981)
Singles from Organisation
  1. "Enola Gay"
    Released: 26 September 1980

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.

Contents

Organisation met with favourable reviews and provided OMD with their first top-10 album in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number six on the UK Albums Chart. "Enola Gay" was the only single taken from the record, and was the group's fourth entry on the UK Singles Chart, reaching number eight. Organisation was remastered and re-released in 2003, with several bonus tracks.

Background

Much of Organisation was recorded at Ridge Farm, Rusper, with assistance from producer Mike Howlett. Ridge Farm Studio in 2015.jpg
Much of Organisation was recorded at Ridge Farm, Rusper, with assistance from producer Mike Howlett.

OMD wrote the bulk of Organisation in June and July 1980. Dindisc requested a new studio album before Christmas; lead vocalist Andy McCluskey recalled, "We were too naive to disagree." [1] Backing tracks were recorded at the band's Gramophone Suite in Liverpool. They later moved on to Ridge Farm in Rusper to record vocals and additional instrumentation, working with Mike Howlett (former bass player of Gong). [1] [2] This marked the first time the group had worked with a producer; keyboardist Paul Humphreys said, "We learned a lot from [Howlett]. We were young and didn't understand the recording process and he guided us and pushed us – he was sensitive to our more esoteric, experimental side." [2] Additional recording was completed at Advision, London, and The Manor, Shipton-on-Cherwell. [1] [3]

Organisation features a darker, more melancholic tone than OMD's other work. [4] The band had been Factory label-mates, and had played many gigs with Manchester group Joy Division, whose frontman Ian Curtis died by suicide during the writing of the album. OMD's compositions were influenced by Joy Division's moody sound, with "Statues" being partially inspired by Curtis himself; [2] [3] the record also drew from krautrock influences. [4] McCluskey handled the majority of the songwriting, as Humphreys devoted more time to his relationship with California-based Maureen Udin. [1] Malcolm Holmes, who had drummed for precursor outfit the Id and provided session musicianship for OMD (notably on "Julia's Song", from the group's debut studio album), was recruited as a full-time band member, replacing the TEAC tape recorder named "Winston". [4] [5]

Sole single "Enola Gay" had little in common with the downbeat feel of the rest of the record, despite its bleak subject matter. [6] The song was written at the same time as the band's debut studio album, as was "Motion and Heart", which was considered as a second single. [7] "The Misunderstanding" is a holdover from the Id. [3] "The More I See You" is a cover of a song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren in 1945, and popularised by Chris Montez in 1966. The track began as an original composition, but McCluskey found himself singing the words to "The More I See You" over the song, which morphed into a cover version. [3] OMD's arrangement is radically different from that of previous versions. [8]

"Promise" features Humphreys' first lead vocal, and represents his first solo composition on an OMD album. [3] "Stanlow" was written about the Stanlow Refinery in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, where McCluskey's father and sister worked. OMD cherished the view of the refinery lit up at night, often observing it when returning from tours. McCluskey's father granted the band access to the site to sample sounds from the machinery; a diesel pump forms the rhythmic opening of "Stanlow". [2] [3] "VCL XI" was the name of McCluskey and Humphreys' short-lived, pre-OMD group, which itself was named after a valve on the back of Kraftwerk's 1975 album Radio-Activity album (the name of the valve is written "VCL 11" on the Radio-Activity sleeve). [2] [3] The record's title is a homage to the band Organisation, a precursor to Kraftwerk. [9]

As with all of OMD's early album covers, the artwork was designed by Peter Saville Associates. It features a photograph by Richard Nutt of the cloud-covered peak of Marsco in the Red Cuillin mountains, on the Isle of Skye. [10]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Alternative Rock: The Best Musicians & Recordings 8/10 [12]
The Big Issue Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [13]
Future Music 7/10 [14]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Record Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [16]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [17]
Sounds Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [18]
Tom Hull – on the Web A− [19]
Uncut 7/10 [20]

Organisation met with favourable reviews. [21] [22] Dave McCullough of Sounds awarded the album a full five stars, asserting, "[OMD] are a youth-mirror more valuable than any Street-Chic punk outfit I can imagine... warmer than your so-called 'warm' bands, your [Bruce] Springsteens and your [Graham] Parkers could ever be. They reflect the young horror of where and how we live but, in their songs at least, they face the problems with an irrepressible intuitive sense that makes the best pop of any time." [18] Record Mirror 's Daniela Soave said of the record, "Full of drama and numerous layers, it conjures up many images, so much so that it could almost be a film soundtrack... outstanding." [16] Flexipop noted that Organisation sees "the best of all the electric bands come up with another winner". [21]

In The Age , John Teerds wrote, "Much of the music is hook-laden and highly-memorable. Orchestral Manoeuvres... have a very distinctive sound which is hard to beat when you're looking for the best in a modern, electronic style." [23] Lynden Barber of Melody Maker observed, "OMD have produced not so much a collection of songs as a pervading mood, a feeling of restlessness spiked by an unsettling edge that never allows the music to descend into complacency... a very healthy step forward." [1] On the other hand, NME 's Adrian Thrills felt Organisation inferior to the group's debut album, writing that "the more experimental stuff gently teases rather than confronts any radically new ground while the pop stuff... lacks the insistence of an 'Electricity' or 'Messages'." [24]

In a retrospective article, Ryan Leas of Stereogum dubbed Organisation "one of the great albums from the early synth-pop era", on which OMD were "forging new sonic territory but also capturing the feeling of the times". [4] Trouser Press wrote, "[Organisation] pays attention to ensure variation in the tunes... With nods to John Foxx and David Bowie, OMD overlays melodies to dramatic effect; the performances are excellent." [25] Critic Dave Thompson praised the record's "smart lyrics, sharp songs... and genuinely innovative use of electronics", [12] while AllMusic's Ned Raggett said it is "packed with a number of gems, showing [OMD]'s reach and ability continuing to increase". [11]

Legacy

Despite featuring one of OMD's most well-known hits in "Enola Gay", Organisation has been recognised as a "lost" classic, overshadowed by the band's subsequent albums and other music of the period. [4] [26] The record, and its cover art, have nevertheless been ranked among the best of 1980. [27] Organisation has also been noted as influential, and a factor in the emergence of minimal wave music. [28] [29] When including 1981 follow-up Architecture & Morality in his 2023 list of "The 50 Greatest Synth-Pop Albums of All Time", Paste critic Matt Mitchell stated that Organisation and 1985's Crush – both excluded under a "one album per artist" rule – were "equally worthy". [30]

Organisation and predecessor Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark were cited as influential by the electronic bands Depeche Mode and LCD Soundsystem. [31] [32] Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson named Organisation as an inspiration and one of his "top 5 not-so-guilty pleasures of all time". He said, "It's not [OMD's] biggest record, but I think it's probably their best. It's got that Teutonic, Germanic kind of cold wave thing going on, which I've always been a sucker for." [33] Nivek Ogre of Skinny Puppy listed Organisation among the five albums he "can't live without", noting that it "changed [his] perceptions" musically. Ogre added, "[It] gave me the warm fuzzies within that dark mechanized-seeming world created; full of waltz timings and strong moods. Amazing dance music for mutant youngsters like myself." [34]

Organisation has received further endorsements from DJ/producer Paul van Dyk, [35] composer Yann Tiersen, [36] No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal, [37] and the electronic artists Mike Paradinas and Public Service Broadcasting. [38] [39] Van Dyk and Tiersen cited it as the first album they ever acquired, with Van Dyk adding, "It was extremely influential. Early electronic, but also melodies and poppy elements, the general imprint of what later came for me in music." [35] [36]

Elsewhere, graphic designer and musician Brett Wickens (co-founder of the bands Spoons and Ceramic Hello) was affected by Organisation's marriage of artwork and music. He identified the record sleeve as the standout from OMD's catalogue, and said of the musical component, "It was extremely moving. I used to listen to it driving in the dark a lot." [40] Physicist and musician Brian Cox wrote in 2018, "I eventually persuaded my parents to buy Organisation, an album of gentle darkness beneath clouded skies, which I fell in love with aged 12 and still love today." [41] In an interview with BBC Radio 6 Music in April 2020, Britain's Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, was asked to select a song from history for airplay: he chose Organisation's closing track, the near seven-minute "Stanlow". [42]

Track listing

Original release

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Enola Gay" Andy McCluskey 3:33
2."2nd Thought"McCluskey4:15
3."VCL XI"
3:50
4."Motion and Heart"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
3:16
5."Statues"McCluskey4:30
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."The Misunderstanding"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
4:55
7."The More I See You"4:11
8."Promise"Humphreys4:51
9."Stanlow"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
6:30
Total length:40:05

US release (OMD)

Organisation was not formally released in the US; instead Epic Records released a compilation in 1981. This US release collects material from Organisation and the first OMD studio album, but retains the sleeve-art of the debut LP.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Enola Gay"McCluskey3:31
2."2nd Thought"McCluskey4:12
3."Bunker Soldiers"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
2:51
4."Almost"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
3:46
5."Electricity"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
3:32
6."Statues"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
4:08
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."The Misunderstanding"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
4:45
8."Julia's Song"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
  • Julia Kneale
4:32
9."Motion and Heart"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
3:13
10."Messages"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
3:59
11."Stanlow"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
6:30

2003 remaster

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Enola Gay"McCluskey3:33
2."2nd Thought"McCluskey4:15
3."VCL XI"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
3:50
4."Motion and Heart"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
3:16
5."Statues"McCluskey4:30
6."The Misunderstanding"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
4:55
7."The More I See You"
  • Warren
  • Gordon
4:11
8."Promise"Humphreys4:51
9."Stanlow"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
6:40
10."Annex"
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
4:33
11."Introducing Radios" (live)
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
1:27
12."Distance Fades Between Us" (live)
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
3:44
13."Progress" (live)
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
2:57
14."Once When I Was Six" (live)
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
3:12
15."Electricity" (DinDisc 1980 version)
  • Humphreys
  • McCluskey
3:43
Total length:59:37

Notes

"Annex" was the B-side to "Enola Gay". "Introducing Radios", "Distance Fades Between Us", "Progress", and "Once When I Was Six" are 1978 performances at The Factory that were originally available on a 7" released with the first 10,000 copies of Organisation, and initial copies of the cassette (which had a special silver cover/inserts).

Personnel

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Organisation
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [47] Gold100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark</span> English band

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy McCluskey</span> British singer, songwriter and bass guitarist

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 on-stage frenetic 'trainee teacher' dance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Humphreys</span> English singer, songwriter and musician

Paul David Humphreys is an English singer, songwriter and musician who is best known for his contributions to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), an electronic band which he founded alongside Andy McCluskey in 1978. John Doran in The Quietus remarked: "If, roughly speaking, McCluskey is the intellect and inquisitive nature in the group, then Humphreys is the heart."

<i>Dazzle Ships</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Dazzle Ships is the fourth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 4 March 1983 by Virgin Records. Its title and cover art allude to a painting by Vorticist artist Edward Wadsworth based on dazzle camouflage, titled Dazzle-ships in Drydock at Liverpool.

<i>Junk Culture</i> 1984 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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 we've ever made".

<i>Architecture & Morality</i> 1981 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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.

<i>Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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.

<i>Crush</i> (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album) 1985 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Crush is the sixth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 17 June 1985 by Virgin Records. It is the first of two OMD studio albums to be produced by Stephen Hague. Aimed primarily at the US market, Crush is notable for moving the group towards a more polished sound, although elements of earlier experimentation are still present. During recording the band employed a greater use of organic instrumentation than in the past.

<i>The Pacific Age</i> 1986 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

The Pacific Age is the seventh studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 29 September 1986 by Virgin Records. It was the last of two OMD studio albums produced by Stephen Hague, after Crush (1985). The record exhibits the same refined production values as its predecessor while venturing into the realm of mid-1980s sophisti-pop, retreating further from the group's experimental beginnings.

<i>The Best of OMD</i> 1988 compilation album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electricity (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)</span> 1979 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Electricity" is the 1979 debut single by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), featured on their eponymous debut album the following year. Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys sing the lead vocals on the track together in unison. Recognised as one of the most influential singles of its era, "Electricity" was integral to the rise of the UK's synth-pop movement. It has garnered praise from music journalists and other recording artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enola Gay (song)</span> 1980 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Enola Gay" is an anti-war song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and the only single taken from their second studio album Organisation (1980). Written by lead vocalist and bassist Andy McCluskey, it addresses the atomic bombing of Hiroshima by the aircraft Enola Gay on 6 August 1945, toward the conclusion of World War II. As is typical of early OMD singles, the song features a melodic synthesizer break instead of a sung chorus.

<i>Peel Sessions 1979–1983</i> 2000 live album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Peel Sessions 1979–1983 is a compilation album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 2000. The songs were recorded between 1979 and 1983 for the BBC Radio 1 show presented by John Peel. "Electricity" is added as a bonus track and is the original version that was featured on their debut single on Factory Records (FAC6). "Bunker Soldiers" was recorded for the first and fourth sessions; the version from the fourth session was not released on this album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)</span> 1982 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messages (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)</span> 1980 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Messages" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) from their self-titled debut studio album (1980). A re-recorded version of the song was released on 2 May 1980 as the album's third and final single, reaching number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and becoming OMD's first top-40 entry. As with their debut single "Electricity", "Messages" features a melodic synth break instead of a sung chorus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Souvenir (song)</span> 1981 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Femme Accident</span> 1985 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"La Femme Accident" is a song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released as the third and final single from their sixth studio album Crush (1985). Like two of their previous singles, it references Joan of Arc. Unlike those two singles, it was not a substantial hit, peaking at No. 42 in the UK.

<i>Messages: Greatest Hits</i> 2008 compilation album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Messages: Greatest Hits is a compilation release by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), issued in 2008. At the time it was the most comprehensive of the band's retrospective packages, featuring a CD of 20 charting singles and a DVD of all the band's music videos. Material was drawn from the group's recording career from 1979 to their first disbandment in 1996.

<i>English Electric</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

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.

<i>The Punishment of Luxury</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

The Punishment of Luxury is the thirteenth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and the third since their 2006 reformation. Produced by OMD, it was released on 1 September 2017 by 100% Records in the UK and White Noise elsewhere. In July of that year, the band commenced a tour of North America and Europe in support of the record.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Waller, Johnny; Humphreys, Mike (1987). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Messages. Sidgwick & Jackson. pp. 75–80. ISBN   0-283-99234-4.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Wilson, Lois (30 September 2019). "OMD". Record Collector . Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Organisation". OMD . Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Leas, Ryan (23 October 2020). "OMD's Organisation Is One of the Great, Lost Synth-Pop Albums". Stereogum . Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  5. Cummings, Sue (11 December 1986). "Audiences Catch On to OMD". Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on 28 May 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  6. Ware, Gareth (4 March 2013). "OMD: Of All The Thing We've Made: Dazzle Ships At 30". DIY . Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. Browne, Paul (24 October 2020). "Organisation: These Games You Play". Messages. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  8. Thompson, Dave. "The More I See You – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". AllMusic . Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  9. Porter, Christopher (28 September 2010). "Synthesized Past: 'History of Modern,' OMD". The Washington Post . Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  10. Fulton, Rick (20 November 2020). "Don't call us a nostalgia band". Daily Record .
  11. 1 2 Raggett, Ned. "Organisation – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". AllMusic . Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  12. 1 2 Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock: The Best Musicians & Recordings. Backbeat Books. p. 779. ISBN   978-0879306076.
  13. Miller, Paul (21 February 1994). "Meanwhile in the North...". The Big Issue . p. 5 (of When Synthesisers Rocked the Earth).
  14. Jones, Andy (May 2003). "OMD: Organisation". Future Music . No. 135. p. 85.
  15. Eddy, Todd (May 2003). "The Synthesists (supplement)". Q . No. 202. Darker and more robust than their debut [album]... the sound of two Merseyside kids happening upon electro greatness.
  16. 1 2 Soave, Daniela (25 October 1980). "OMITD Get Organised". Record Mirror . p. 22.
  17. Evans, Paul (2004). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p.  607. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  18. 1 2 McCullough, Dave (25 October 1980). "Young Is Chic". Sounds .
  19. Hull, Tom. "Rock (1980s): Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  20. Dalton, Stephen (December 2018). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Organisation". Uncut . p. 47.
  21. 1 2 "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Flexipop . No. 2. January 1981. pp. 12, 28.
  22. Burke, David (25 October 2022). "The Lowdown – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Classic Pop . Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  23. Teerds, John (11 December 1980). "Records". The Age . p. 49 (GG: 12).
  24. Thrills, Adrian (25 October 1980). "O, Dim". NME . p. 46.
  25. Grant, Steven; Robbins, Ira; Reno, Brad. "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Trouser Press . Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  26. Huggett, Stuart (17 May 2016). "OMD's Cold War Album Comes In From The Cold: Dazzle Ships Live". The Quietus . Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  27. Multiple sources:
  28. Meighan, Nicola (6 April 2013). "Electric Company". The Herald . Arts supplement. Retrieved 21 November 2023 via Nicola Meighan. This interview originally ran as the cover feature of The HeraldArts supplement...
  29. Vasicka, Veronica (26 January 2010). "The 20 best Minimal Wave Records Ever Made". Fact . Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  30. Mitchell, Matt (21 July 2023). "The 50 Greatest Synth-Pop Albums of All Time". Paste . Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  31. "Depeche Mode Talk Influences (1988)". MTV News. 2 August 2023. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  32. Murphy, James (22 May 2010). "LCD Soundsystem: This Is Happening". NME . p. 13. Murphy guides you through his new New York dance-punk troupe's new album." ... [Murphy:] "I was constantly listening to the 'Sweet Dreams'-era Eurythmics stuff and Bronski Beat and the first couple of OMD records.
  33. The linked page features Wilson's introduction. Move to page (i.e. slide) 6 for his comment on Organisation:
  34. Lentini, Liza (31 March 2023). "5 Albums I Can't Live Without: oGre and cEvin Key of Skinny Puppy". Spin . Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  35. 1 2 Moayeri, Lily (21 April 2020). "20 Questions With Paul van Dyk: The Trance Icon on Growing Up in East Berlin & Why Social Distancing 'Is Incorrect' as a Term". Billboard . Archived from the original on 28 May 2020. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  36. 1 2 "Interview with Yann Tiersen". Fifteen Questions. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  37. Marchese, David (24 September 2012). "No Doubt Explain OMD, EDM, and Peter Hook Basslines on 'Push and Shove'". Spin . Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  38. Finlayson, Angus (1 March 2013). "'We just called it techno': Mike Paradinas and Lara Rix-Martin on Heterotic, the early days of µ-Ziq and the ascent of Planet Mu". Fact . p. 2. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  39. @PSB_HQ (12 June 2020). "10:29 pm" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  40. Browne, Paul (15 February 2014). "Brett Wickens Interview". Messages. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  41. Houghton, Richard (2018). "Foreword". OMD: Pretending to See the Future. This Day in Music Books. ISBN   978-1999592721.
  42. "Simon Armitage". Guy Garvey's Finest Hour. 27 April 2020. BBC Radio 6 Music. British Broadcasting Corporation.
  43. "Charts.nz – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Organisation". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  44. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  45. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  46. "Chart File – Top 100 Albums 1980" (PDF). Record Mirror . 4 April 1981. p. 38. ISSN   0144-5804 via World Radio History.
  47. "British album certifications – OMD – Organisation". British Phonographic Industry. 8 January 1981. Retrieved 28 May 2021.