Love Action

from the LP Dare, Virgin Records, 1981



The departure of band co-founders Martyn Ware and Ian Marsh in 1980 was, in hindsight, probably the best possible thing that could have happened to the Human League, as they exchanged that duo’s obsession with emotionless darkwave for a more pop-friendly sound, allowing them to breakout into the mainstream. Their departure forced the Human League’s light & projector guy, Adrian Wright, to learn how to use synthesizers in a pinch, and I think he did a smashing job here; Philip Oakey’s vocals are big on drama like always, and although I could do without the weird rant he lets loose with during the “bridge”, his throaty timbre meshes with their minimal brand of synth pop flawlessly. This LP was the League’s undoubted high point and it certainly stands as one of the genre’s brightest moments.