divided between songs about radioactivity and activity on the radio. The 1975 album retains appeal in the digital age as the result of its painstaking analog creation.“ Radioland” moves patiently in time with its electronic pulse while oscillators, radio static, and various machinegenerated tones that are now commonly associated with science fiction B-movies sweep from one ear to the other in the stereo spectrum. At the time of release, these sounds were revelatory, cuttingedge, and meticulously crafted through experimentation. Radio-Activity was the first project by the band’ s classic lineup, including founders Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider, joined by Karl Bartos and Wolfgang Flür. It was also the band’ s first album with bilingual lyrics. The group’ s English and German words explore atomic age topics of wireless technology and radioactivity with childlike simplicity and fascination.“ Radioactivity, discovered by Madame Curie,” sings Hütter in a straightforward explanation on the title track. Hütter’ s voice is filtered through a vocoder and similar tools for harmonized robotic effects on“ Radioland” and“ The Voice of Energy,” the latter of which creates the spark-sputtering personified voice of an electrical power plant.“ Airwaves” tethers a rising melody and Theremin-like harmonies reminiscent of the classic Star Trek theme to an uptempo motorik rhythm. The influence on other synthetic pop mavens soon to follow, including Thomas Dolby, is evident.“ Antenna” describes the exchange of information as artist and listener trade roles as transmitter and receiver. The shimmering and foreboding tones of“ Uranium” describe the process of radioactive decay.“ Transistor” twinkles with utopian optimism. The album concludes with the gentle electronic symphony“ Ohm Sweet Ohm.” As Kraftwerk essayist Stephen Dalton notes, Radio- Activity borrows from“ musique concrete, audio collage and circuit-bending sound art as much as any contemporary pop influences.” The results remain tuneful and intriguing, with alien qualities enhanced by the use of innovative, unproven tools and a foreign perspective.
For the 50th-anniversary campaign, Hütter and engineer Fritz Hilpert have crafted new ways to experience Radio- Activity, including high-definition audio on Blu-ray. A new Dolby Atmos mix is sourced from the original 16-track master tapes recorded at the band’ s renowned sound laboratory Kling Klang in Düsseldorf. A vinyl picture disc features the striking imagery of the radioactivity symbol, as seen on the 2009 remastered edition of Radio-Activity. Picture disc vinyl isn’ t known for providing supreme audio fidelity, but it’ s certainly playable and makes for a fun keepsake. The Blu-ray is ideal for audiophiles.
– Jeff Elbel
THE SPECIALS
Live From The Cathedral( Island)
At the time of Terry Hall’ s tragic death from cancer in December 2022, ska pioneers the Specials were allegedly working on new material. Unfortunately, those songs will never see the light of day, and Live from the Cathedral will be their last authorized album. Impeccably recorded in 2019 at a landmark bombed-out church in their hometown of Coventry, the Specials treated hometown fans to four nights of classic material from their brief 2-album career and their 2019 album Encore. Emotions were high for their homecoming, although truth be told, there are more high-energy versions of“ Rat Race,"“ Message to You Rudy,” and " Nite Klub " from their( now deleted?) 2009 reunion tour recordings. This well-worn material has been recorded more than a dozen times in live performances and reissues, so frankly, it’ s more than an oldies band cliché. Terry Hall realized there is a good payday resurrecting his teenage ska roots, and after years of battling mental illness and the charts, it was well deserved. The bonus in the ** Cathedral ** are excellent live renditions from Encore, especially the Ghost Town“ sequel”“ Vote for Me” and the sinister“ Lunatics” borrowed from Fun Boy Three. If this indeed is the last we hear from the original Specials- it’ s both a stark reminder they indeed had something left in the tank, and we have at least a decent musical souvenir.
– John Vernon
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14 illinoisentertainer. com august 2026