If history was at all fair, this October would see a street party or two in honour of the 20th anniversary of the Human League's 'Dare'. An album that, in 1981, turned a tall bloke from Sheffield with a thing for stilettos, and his two shape throwing chums, into global stars, whilst slightly altering the path of pop into the bargain. Now in 2001, with the likes of Moby and Daft Punk singing their praises, Phil, Joanne and Susan return with their first album in six years and perhaps their best album since that era.
Produced by the mysterious Toy, the band sound at their best on the pumping acid of 'Liar', the insanely catchy comeback single 'All I Ever Wanted' and the burbling future-pop of 'Never Give Your Heart..', 'Secrets' is also layered out with alternate instrumentals such as 'Nervous', 'Ran', 'Release' and '122.3BPM' which nod to Sheffield's other electronic legacy of Warp records.
Phil Oakey's knack for memorable couplets (remember 'And where there used to be some shops'?) is in good form too, with the semi-gabba 'Love Me Madly?''s quite special 'You're like a cocktail set Atilla, a kind of Holland Park guerilla'. The overall effect takes the League far, far away from the selective memory syndrome of eighties revivalism and images of pissed secretaries belting out 'Don't You Want Me' on karaoke.
'Secrets' is the sound of one of electronic music's pioneers taking in all the best bits of the genre and sounding as vital as ever. Your respect is due.
