The Human League

Octopus (Warner Bros.)
by Chris Adams

In the early ’80s, The Human League were the clinical deadpan sci-fi sound of the future – now! In the mid-’90s, The Human League are the clinical deadpan sci-fi sound of the ’80s – now! I guess that could be construed as some kind of reverse-dialectic progress. Octopus sports a nice line in bachelor-pad futurist cheese meets melodic pop. In other words, it’s the Human League being the Human League as you knew and loved (or, I suppose, hated) them. Yet more indication that the early ’80s revival is bleeping robotically just around the corner. Wedge haircuts anyone?