UK synth-pop duo’s breakthrough album reissued! It took three albums for Erasure to reach the same level of popularity as Vince Clarke’s former groups Depeche Mode and Yazoo, but with 1988’s The Innocents, Clarke and singer Andy Bell scored their first number one hit on the UK charts. To date, it’s still their best-selling record and for good reason—Side A alone has back-to-back bangers "A Little Respect,” "Ship of Fools," "Phantom Bride," and "Chains of Love.” The more miscellaneous Side B is also filled with its fair share of synthy jams, such as the ABBA-esque “Imagination.” Another underrated track, “Yahoo!,” both references Clarke’s earlier group and the religious themes reflected in the album’s cover art, which was inspired by a stained glass window at the Chartres Cathedral in France. Overall, The Innocents is a synth-pop classic on the level of Pet Shop Boys' Actually or Soft Cell’s Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret. 11 tracks on 180g black vinyl.

• 180g black vinyl pressing
• music label: Mute 2021

reviewed by SHH! 06/2021