the synth pop pioneers return to solidify their status as leaders in their field, combining a youthful romanticism with technical expertise and flawless songwriting prowess to sonically lethal effect.
welcome back boys!their 14th studio album was born from the impetus to kickstart new explorations during lockdown when, as andy mccluskey admits: “i rediscovered the creative power of total boredom”. ranging further from the beautiful film noir ballad of ‘veruschka’ and the dance stylings of ‘anthropocene’ - a term for the current epoch in earth’s evolution to the sinister ‘evolution of species’ and the hectic ‘kleptocracy’ - omd’s greatest straight-up protest song - this album is a broad electronic sonic masterpiece that lyrically tackles the topics of the future. the record closes on ‘healing’ - a moment of reflective calm. by rights omd should be in semi-retirement performing classics like enola gay and maid of orleans on the nostalgia festival circuit like so many peers. instead they’ve created a landmark album worthy of their finest work. 'bauhaus staircase' remains unmistakably the work of a duo who are still perfectly in sync 45 years after their first gig at legendary liverpool club eric’s.
1. bauhaus staircase
2. anthropocene
3. look at you now
4. g.e.m.
5. where we started
6. veruschka
7. slow train
8. don't go
9. kleptocracy
10. aphrodite's favourite child
11. evolution of species
12. healing