Telekon
Gary Numan · 1980
73 min · 16 tracks · electronic music
A chilling blend of synthesizers and robotic vocals, creating a dystopian atmosphere that captures the anxieties of modern existence.
Top tracks — play these first
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This Wreckage Start here — Opening with an eerie soundscape, this track sets the tone for the album’s exploration of alienation and existential dread, featuring Numan's signature detached vocal style.
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We Are Glass — This standout single showcases a more upbeat tempo while still delivering introspective lyrics about identity and visibility in society, making it a quintessential Numan track.
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I Dream of Wires — With its intricate synthesizer work and themes of technological obsession, this song encapsulates the album's core message about humanity's relationship with machines.
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I Die: You Die (alternate version) — This alternate version provides a fresh take on one of Numan's most enduring songs, emphasizing the album's darker themes through its haunting arrangement.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
Telekon showcases strong electronic composition and distinct sound, though its cohesion is affected by bonus tracks.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features tracks that maintain a consistent mid-tempo pace, while the second half introduces more varied tempos and arrangements.
- Several tracks utilize layered synthesizers to create a dense, atmospheric soundscape, particularly evident in 'I Dream of Wires' and 'Please Push No More'.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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8/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- haunting soundscapes for introspection
- wave-like pacing that unfolds
- dystopian themes for deep thinking
- dynamic exploration of emotions
- for late-night solitude
Maybe skip if you
- seeking upbeat party anthems
- prefer short, standalone tracks
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — Established Numan's reputation and commercial peak, following the success of Replicas.
- Career context
- Released in January 1980, Telekon was Gary Numan's third studio album, coming off the success of his groundbreaking album, Replicas. At this point, Numan had firmly established himself as a pioneer of electronic music and new wave, with Telekon solidifying his status as an influential artist in the genre's evolution.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Depeche Mode· Kraftwerk· The Human League
Tracklist
- 1 This Wreckage Start here 5:26
- 2 The Aircrash Bureau 5:41
- 3 Telekon 4:29
- 4 Remind Me to Smile 4:03
- 5 Sleep by Windows 4:58
- 6 We Are Glass 4:47
- 7 I’m an Agent 4:19
- 8 I Dream of Wires 5:10
- 9 Remember I Was Vapour 5:11
- 10 Please Push No More 5:39
- 11 The Joy Circuit 5:12
- 12 I Die: You Die (alternate version) 3:47
- 13 A Game Called Echo 5:07
- 14 Photograph 2:27
- 15 Down in the Park (piano version) 4:15
- 16 Trois Gymnopedies (first movement) 2:43
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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