OMD, Telegraph (12" single)

The OMD song "Telegraph" appears on their fourth album, 1983's diverse and memorable Dazzle Ships.  The A-side of this 12" single is an extended version of the single.  While "Telegraph" features catchy synthesizer and vocal melodies, the extended version brings emphasis to the percussion loop.  The snare's pop feels exaggerated, either through mix or mastering, and the pattern is allowed more room to breathe in the extended version.  It's unclear whether this 12" was meant as a dance single, but the arrangement pulls lightly in that direction.  The B-side is a particularly odd juxtaposition with this reworking.  "66 and Fading" features no percussion, vocals, or melody.  It's an ambient piece, loosely in the tradition of On Land, with synthesizer notes stretching major chords across time.  The odd thing about "66 and Fading" within that genre, is that it's played using fake string patches, on an old analog string synthesizer.  The timbres would certainly be out of place on an early Eno Ambient album.  "66 and Fading" is also drastically quieter in volume than "Telegraph".  The austere packaging design here is cool and appropriate, if less distinctive than the die-cut gatefold layout of Dazzle Ships.