Artist: Dalek I Love You

Title: Dalek I Love You

Year: 1983

Label: Korova  

Personnel: Gordon Hon, Kenny Peers, Alan Gill

Tracklisting: Holiday in disneyland, Horoscope, Health and happiness, The mouse that roared, Dad on fire, Ambition, Lust, 12 hours of blues, Sons of sahara, Africa express 

Glass say…

Of all the significant post-punk British music scenes, Liverpool’s is perhaps one of the least well documented. Largely focused around a single nightclub, Roger Eagle’s ‘Eric’s’, it includes such luminaries as the Bunneymen, Teardrop Explodes, OMD and this curious collective.

Dalek I’s debut (‘Compass Kumpas’) was a brilliant, and deceptively melancholic collection of lo-fi, bedroom synth. Retaining many of the key characteristics of the debut – i.e. insidious tunes with bizarre lyrics (‘Dad on Fire’ anyone?!) – the follow up album expands the sound considerably for a programme of upbeat, polished, eccentric synthpop. By spreading vocal duties across three distinctive singers (Alan Gill’s attractive croon is unmistakable), the album, rather than becoming annoyingly goofy, simply packs one surprise after another. Best moments include the aforementioned ‘Dad on Fire’, the equally hooky ‘The Mouse that Roared’, and the epic ‘Africa Express’ from a more reflective side two.     

With Dr Who pulling in the ratings again, has there ever been a better time to love Daleks?