By the time of OMD’s fourth album they’d established such a constant presence in the UK charts that expectations were things would simply continue on an upward path. But Dazzle Ships was that classic scenario of a band recording what they wanted rather than what the market expected — and yet the blend of understated experimentation, wartime nostalgia and a nervous eye towards a technological future became one of its strongest albums overall, one that welcomes listeners more than its reputation would suggest.

– Ned Raggett