Front 242 – Geography

How do you start analysing the yardstick by which so many others are measured? It's an easy cop-out for we reviewers to claim others to be influenced-by or sounding-not-unlike FRONT 242, but whom can one compare Them to? Who influenced the influence?
Actually, it's probably less of a task than it first seemed. The opening track "Operating Tracks" is so obviously their own sound - catchy song structure & simplistic-but-hard rhythmic electronics - that one's task looks impossible. However, "With Your Cries" begins to show the influences beneath. Could there be elements of early HUMAN LEAGUE there? It certainly sounds as if they're using analogue synths, sounds more harsh, less controlled, more vital played over a medium-paced simple rhythm "Art & Strategy" follows along similar lines, low bass-drum, run-away sequencer broken & ragged over a panting white noise constant sequence. "Geography II" is a short piece - only just over a minute long, showing that KRAFTWERK were at least one of their influences. "U-Men" is a well-known track showing that "Body To Body" wasn't a one-off fluke, being one of the harder-edged tracks on the album, catchy as hell, carried along on it's simplistic rhythm to a tight conclusion - no wastage, no meandering - straight to the heart & away. "Dialogues" is fairly typical of this album - a medium-slow-paced rhythmic piece with loads of synth scrawls across it, white audio graffiti. "Least Inkling" is another 'song', a simple beat / rhythm over which the vocals are laid minimally & electronic lead instruments show how individual they can be when played creatively. "GVDT" is a faster little piece, electronically-altered percussion giving us a glimpse of future 242 works where drums almost become irrelevant. Its also an early adventure into sampling with the phrase 'what's wrong' repeated in one part. But were this pre-sampler days? "Geography I" is another catchy-but-uncrowded piece with vocals set well-back in the mix, deep but discernible. The drums, weak electronic voices, still sound punchy in this context. "Black White Blue" is a medium-paced piece along the lines of the third track, fragmented & broken sequencer falling through gaps in the rhythm with great effect, sounding electronic without any shadow of a doubt, edgy, nervy & knife-edge-keen. "Kinetics" opens with a blast of TV dialogue, then settles into a slow-but-frosty rhythm over which synth scrawls, under which various rhythmic devices are employed. "Kampfbereit" is one of the most memorable tracks on the entire album - medium-paced and unhurried with vocals in German, it has a determined, sombre atmosphere. They obviously spent a lot more time on getting this one to sound as moody as it does. Bassy sequencer holds supremacy while sequencers & synths scamper across in perfect harmony to it's mood. "Ethics" is the first of three tracks from the "Two In One" 12", a simple little rhythmic piece based on drum machine & sequencer with vocals mixed way back. "Principles" is another catchy piece, hailing from the same EP. It's one of the more memorable tracks on the album built up on a calm sequence while all manner of synths scrawl across it, including a great fragmenting fanfare of sound. This is the longest track on the album (4'40") but doesn't seem a moment overstretched. "Body To Body" is a more laid back version with wisps of voice in the background. It is not the tight track well-known from the E.B.M. album, but a meandering semi-instrumental thing with what sounds like guitar from something by early SIOUXSIE or P.I.L.

An interesting debut from this group, made between 1981 & 1983. It has a 'back-room' feel to it, as if they had never been exposed to live work at this time. Having said which, this is probably not true, but it has a charm to it, as they seem to search for their own style.

Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.