The Human League – Crash – 1986 – Synthpop / Electro-Funk / New Wave (vinyl)

Human League ‎– Crash -1986  Synth-pop (vinyl)

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Released in September 1986, Crash marked a bold sonic shift for The Human League, pairing the Sheffield synthpop pioneers with Minneapolis-based producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis—best known for their work with Janet Jackson. The result was a hybrid of British new wave and American electro-funk, yielding the global hit “Human,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the band’s second U.S. chart-topper after “Don’t You Want Me.”

The album’s production leaned heavily on Jam & Lewis’s polished R&B style, with tracks like “I Need Your Loving” and “Love Is All That Matters” showcasing layered synths, drum machines, and soulful vocal arrangements. While the collaboration was creatively tense, it gave the League a fresh commercial edge and introduced them to a broader North American audience.