Level 42

A 40th anniversary reissue of 'World Machine', Level 42's 1985 breakthrough album.

By 1985, Level 42 were on the verge of breaking big - After a string of well-received albums, such as their pioneering jazz-funk 1981 debut or the Ken-Scott produced True Colours, the group decided, rather than work up material through jamming, to sit and write some songs for their forthcoming album. Producing themselves, with assistance from engineer Julian Mendelsohn, this new approach meant that World Machine was the quantum commercial leap they craved. And most of that was due to the album's towering lead single, the pop-funk of "Something About You". With its expensive video seeing the group styled for the 80s, it set radio alight, becoming a Top 10 hit and charting around the world, importantly in the USA.

Following up with the tender ballad, "Leaving Me Now", and then the bouncy funk of the album's title track as singles, the album's success was guaranteed