Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.There's much to enjoy about The Human League's comeback album, not least the way Phil Oakey expands the lexicon of pop to include such outré terms as witless, rancour and hellions, sprinkled among the 11 tracks.
But the enjoyable only just outweighs the annoying on the opener "Never Let Me Go", where the auto-tuned vocal is a let-down. Part of the League's unique appeal was the untutored authenticity of the girls' voices, but here they sound like everyone else, as does the anaemic backing, a pale shadow of their once innovatory electropop. But things improve elsewhere: the bleep'n'buzz of "Electric Shock" recalls Kraftwerk circa The Man-Machine, and the closer "When the Stars Start to Shine" finds Phil and the girls interacting in fine style over a groove that builds bridges between their classic punchy sound and contemporary dubstep.
DOWNLOAD THIS When the Stars Start to Shine; Electric Shock
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments