Blancmange's first album, 1982's
Happy Families, yielded the minor radio hit "Living on the Ceiling," which also received a good deal of attention from early MTV. Though
Happy Families can accurately be described as techno-pop, it's techno-pop with a modicum of taste and sophistication, putting it more in the ballpark of genre pioneers like
OMD and
Yazoo than of annoying '80s anachronisms like
Kajagoogoo or
EBN-OZN.
Neil Arthur's lyrics are interesting enough to reward close listening, and his
Bowie-esque voice, while somewhat limited, serves the material well. The sound of
Happy Families is built largely around synthesizers, played by
Arthur and partner
Stephen Luscombe. The duo have a knack for catchy basslines and drum programming, on top of which they strategically deploy guitars, Eastern instrumentation, and female backing vocals. Particular highlights include "I Can't Explain" (not the
Who song), "Feel Me," "Sad Day," and "God's Kitchen." ~ Bill Cassel