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The group were dissatisfied with the production values of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Humphreys stating, "We didn't know what the heck we were doing half the time." McCluskey, however, feels that "in hindsight it now has a naivety and charm, and is full of energy". Biographer Johnny Waller described the finished record as "basically a studio version of their live set". Kraftwerk, Neu! and Brian Eno served as key musical influences on the album, which showcased OMD's minimal synth-pop style. Cooper played saxophone on "Mystereality", while Holmes supplied percussion on "Julia's Song" Dave Fairbairn played guitar on this track, as well as on " Messages". Still generally a duo performing alongside a TEAC 4-track tape recorder christened " Winston", OMD enlisted Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes, the latter of whom had performed with McCluskey and Humphreys in the Id (both musicians would become full-time band members the following year). Much of the content centres around war themes, with the band exploring "the lengths to which people would go in a situation beyond the norm". McCluskey and Humphreys had to write two final songs, "Pretending to See the Future" and "The Messerschmitt Twins", "off the top of their heads" in order to complete the tracklist. A version of "Electricity" had been issued as OMD's debut single in 1979, and featured an early take of "Almost" as its B-side. The included tracks were composed during the previous four years: " Electricity" (McCluskey and Humphreys' first ever composition), "Julia's Song" and "The Misunderstanding" were holdovers from OMD precursor outfit the Id. The album was largely influenced by German electronic acts, including KraftwerkÄindisc scheduled the album for release in February 1980, allowing three weeks for recording under the supervision of manager Paul Collister.
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Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is also the title of a 1981 compilation album of tracks from this release and OMD's second album, Organisation, issued only in the United States. The album was remastered and re-released in 2003 with six bonus tracks, including the single version of "Messages". " 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.Ī sleeper hit, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark met with generally favourable reviews and became a seminal record of its era. Recorded at the band's Liverpool studio, it showcased their minimal synth-pop style and peaked at number 27 on the UK Albums Chart. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is the self-titled debut studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 22 February 1980 by Dindisc.