Front 242 - No Comment (1984-1985)

Originally released in September 1984, No Comment is the legendary second studio album by the Belgian electronic music group Front 242. The album holds a massive place in music history as the record that formally birthed the term "Electronic Body Music" (EBM)—coined via the inner sleeve note: "Electronic Body Music Composed and Produced On Eight Tracks by Front 242". It also marked the definitive arrival of the band's classic lineup, as Richard 23 (Richard Jonckheere) joined Daniel Bressanutti, Patrick Codenys, and vocalist Jean-Luc De Meyer.

The coveted 1992 CD Reissue—released via Red Rhino Europe and Epic Records—subtitled the release 1984–1985 on the back cover. This reissue expanded the original 6-track vinyl record into an exhaustive, 11-track historical document. Sourced from dynamic early remasters, the 1992 disc appends the 1985 standalone track "Body to Body", raw live versions recorded during their definitive mid-80s touring era, and an unreleased demo, preserving a period when Front 242 shaped a cold, militaristic live image that dominated global underground dancefloors.

Musically, the 1992 expanded reissue of No Comment solidifies the album as the absolute structural bedrock of Electronic Body Music. While their 1982 debut Geography experimented with delicate, minimalist synth-pop lines, No Comment strips away the melody to weaponise the synthesiser. The legendary, nine-minute opening marathon "Commando Mix" serves as a masterclass in tension, driven forward by a massive, punchy bass sequence and mechanical, metronomic drum rhythms. Daniel B.’s genius production treatments reject the warm, commercial sounds of mid-80s radio, engineering a clinical, high-tech, and heavily syncopated electronic architecture that values physical, danceable impact over traditional verse-chorus pop templates.

The core tracks on the record showcase an astonishing jump in live energy, heavily assisted by the recruitment of Richard 23. On enduring masterpieces like "No Shuffle" and "Lovely Day", the arrangements pulse with an intense, carnal momentum that bridges the gap between industrial noise and club culture. The introduction of aggressive, barked vocal layers alongside Jean-Luc De Meyer’s deadpan, bureaucratic baritone creates a tense, dual vocal assault. This vocal chemistry, set against the cold sequences of tracks like "Deceit", perfectly mirrors the geopolitical dread and paranoia of the late Cold War era.

The secondary half of the 1992 CD edition expands this stark landscape, functioning as an indispensable archive of the band’s mid-80s transition. The inclusion of "Body to Body" is an absolute triumph, carrying a relentless, sequence-driven groove that directly influenced the trajectory of early Detroit techno and European darkwave. The live tracks, "See the Future" and "In November", demonstrate the sheer power of the band's stage performance. Stripped of studio polish, the live material highlights a group pushing analog hardware to its limits, translating cold, complex programming into a sweaty, aggressive, and highly kinetic ritual.

Decades after Front 242 first plugged their Roland sequencers into an 8-track recorder, this 1992 configuration remains the definitive document of their classic era. By gathering the landmark album cuts alongside rare live audio and historical context, the reissue proves that No Comment was never just an album—it was a radical sonic philosophy. It captured the exact moment when computer-driven electronic music gained a physical, confrontational human heartbeat. For industrial historians, dark-dance enthusiasts, and collectors tracking the evolution of alternative electronic pop, this CD remains a timeless, essential masterpiece that still demands absolute discipline.

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1. Commando Mix (9:23)

2. Deceit (3:44)

3. Lovely Day (5:23)

4. No Shuffle (3:50)

5. Special Forces (5:23) — Features dialogue samples from Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now

6. S.FR. Nomenklatura I (4:26)

7. S.FR. Nomenklatura II (2:10)

8. Body to Body (4:15) — Originally released on the 1985 "This Is Electronic Body Music" compilation

9. See the Future (Live) (6:20)

10. In November (Live) (2:37)

11. Special Forces (Demo) (4:50)