After a nine year hiatus, Heaven 17 returned with "Before After" in 2005. This album proved to be Ian's last involvement with the group and he left soon after it was released. The version I am playing here is the coloured vinyl from the "Another Big Idea" box set from 2020.
The album gets off to a promising start with the energetic "I'm Gonna Make You Fall In Love With Me". Second track "Hand Up To Heaven" is well produced, but its too melancholy to be the uplifting dance anthem it aspires to be. The CD version of the "Another Big Idea" box set has 17 edits and remixes of these two songs but none really hit the mark.
The retro synth style of "The Way It Is" is entertaining but the backing vocals become too dominant. There are some great beats on "Freedom From Love" and Glenn's baritone is given room to breathe. There's an ill advised cover of rock classic "Don't Fear The Reaper" which comes replete with outdated plastic Korg M1 house piano. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad effort, but it lacks zest.
After all of this disappointment we are greeted with what is probably the best thing Heaven 17 have ever recorded, "Into the Blue". I love this track so much I wrote a post about it ten years ago. There is a surprising amount of guitar here but it somehow suits the mood perfectly. I can't place my finger on why I love this song so much, but it has always been a firm favourite..
Whilst the next track "Deeper and Deeper" has a great groove and some great melodic ideas it sounds dated. Next up is an embarrassing copy of "Gangsta's Paradise" called "What Would It Take" which is pretty awful. The next track "Someone for Real" represents the low water mark and you get the impression the band had run out of ideas by this point. Things improve with the final track "Are You Ready?" which is yet another competent stab at nineties dance music released ten years too late. 3/5
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