Review of Landscape A Go-Go, by Olivia Cheves

DJ Mag July 2023

Bleep bloop a go-go

Formed in London in 1975, Landscape were key players in the post-‘Autobahn’ synth-pop scene that dominated the charts through the late ’70s and ’80s. This five-CD boxset moves mostly chronologically through the band’s catalogue, collating their three full-lengths as a five-piece, as well as cuts from their time as trio Landscape III.

As a collecior's item for serious Landscape heads, it offers a real glut of goodies to be dug into, including live recordings, early EPs, B-sides and the odd remix. Most interesting though are the tracks getting their first release via this set, such as the soft electro-jazz meandering of ‘Watt is Knott’, or the brassy, ambient ‘Tribute’. And for those with only a surface knowledge of the group, it’s a route through the goofy whistles and bleep-bloops of the hits into a much richer region where jazz, synth and punk all meet.