Information Society

Information Society

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1988
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002LDM
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,237 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The earliest incarnation of this Minnesota band of tech-geeks was essentially a rock band with a deep love for club music, and their first widely distributed record splits the difference. The hit "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)," featuring a Leonard Nimoy sample, is essentially the great lost Duran Duran single, but the rest of the album is pleasingly all over the place. "Walking Away" owes as much to Latin freestyle as it does to mainstream dance-rock, "Lay All Your Love on Me" lights a fire under Abba's tailbone, and the last few tracks slow the tempo way down to an electro crawl. The album is inconsistent and fillery, but it demonstrates a bunch of routes dance music might have gone in the late '80s and didn't quite. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In every revolution, there is one band with a vision, July 18, 2000

By	J. Derek Reardon (KC, MO, USA) - See all my reviews

The timing couldn't have been better. It was my senior year in HS, and "What's on Your Mind" came out as I was prepping for the debate tourney season. I think this was the first song I ever proudly blared out my car windows, probably much to the annoyance of other motorists (but I didn't care). Then I bought the remix version, and that forever hooked me on 12" remixes. And then I finally bought the entire album, and that solidified my love for InSoc and my passion for electronic dance music. This CD is a must have for those who enjoy layered dance electronica with cutting edge sampling (for the time), great vocal harmonics, and thought-provoking lyrics.

The album starts off on a high-paced, high-energy note with "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" with its throbbing drum-n-bass, deep orchestrations, and brilliant samples from Star Trek. If you haven't heard this song, you're at the wrong clubs. [And if you like this song, the remix CD is a must have!] The energy continues (slightly more upbeat) with "Tomorrow," featuring fantastic orchestration, lyrics, and vocal harmonies. InSoc brilliantly remade the Abba classic "Lay All Your Love on Me." At the time, I didn't even know this was an Abba song (it sounds every bit of InSoc), and I absolutely love this version of the dance classic. [Yet another single released with remixes that kick butt!] "Repetition" slows down to ballad mode, but it has fantastic orchestration and lyrics. "Walking Away" is another dance masterpiece that capitalizes on more Star Trek samples amid the sensory barrage that forces you to dance. [This was also released as a remix single, which is AWESOME... get it if you can!] You'll continue to bounce around the dance floor with the bright yet deep "Over the Sea." Appropriately titled, "Attitude" departs some from electronica and introduces a bit of funk and an r&b groove attitude. "Something in the Air" continues with a slow funky groove that utilizes more great samples from Star Trek. "Running" is a long (7:41) electronica infused minimalist piece of art; the angst-filled vocals sound like David Bowie, some backing orchestration is reminiscent of older Depeche Mode, and the ending is filled with creative sampling. [This song also had remixes released.] The release ends with "Make It Funky," which is a very short (1:11), slow, minimalist funk piece with some cool computerized samples.

I give InSoc's debut release a low 5 star rating. While it falls within my top 100 releases of all time, I must admit that I tend to only listen to the first 6 tracks. Also, if I want to listen to InSoc, I tend to prefer to listen to my remix singles from this release, or listen to Hack instead (InSoc's second album, which is brilliant). But I must pay this release its proper respect, because it did solidify my love for electronic and dance music (as well as a desire to program my own music).

If you like late 80s dance-pop-electronica, or if you merely remember liking "What's on Your Mind," you will not be disappointed with purchasing this release. It is full of body-moving, mind-blowing, thought-provoking beats, orchestration and lyrics that will satisfy even the most finicky dance floor diva. For their time, InSoc were musical visionaries that showed where music could move, both in sound and in content.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic!, June 11, 2004

By	Laury B. "lauryb_77" (Canada) - See all my reviews

It was 1988. After years of playing in small clubs, Kurt Harland (who was known as Kurt Valaquen back then), Jim Cassidy, Paul Robb and, later on, Amanda Kramer, struck a record deal with Tommy Boy/Warner Bros and recorded their first album without realizing that it would be their ticket to this crazy roller coaster ride called fame. Of course, they had to make some sacrifices : their electronic, Kraftwerk-influenced music, in order to be more top-40, radio-friendly, was turned into a brilliant blend of pop, funk and dance that would propel Information Society to the top of the charts. The first single off their eponymous effort, What's on your mind (which has one of the catchiest choruses ever in my opinion), was an instant success in the summer of '88 and still remains one of the most memorable songs from the synth-pop era. With a profusion of Star Trek samples and infectious beats, the rest of the album is equally satisfying, with Walking Away and Something in the Air among the highlights. InSoc was never able to repeat the success of their first album, but it was enough to give them a loyal and still surprisingly-large fan base and make people dance for decades to come.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great late 80's synth pop, June 24, 2004

By	insoc (Miami, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

If you are buying this cd for the song "what's on your mind" you will be very pleased to know that the rest of the album is on par with that song. "Tomorrow" has an excelent beat and melody, so does "Repetition", wich is an extraordinary synth pop ballad. Worth to mention is the song "Make It Funky", great use of samples and a particular beat. "Walking away", also included, was the second single of the album. Recommended if you love synth pop and are building a synth pop collection. Better than this album is Information Society?s next album called Hack. It is Information Society at its peak of performance and inspiration.
Interesting Fact: Paul Robb, member of Information Society, also was the producer for the first synth pop band Red Flag album, wich, believe, it is a dance synth pop gem. Be sure to check out Red Flag's N?ive Art then.