Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark — Genetic Engineering

JUL 01 1983 · 12:00

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark — Genetic Engineering (1983) Director: Steve Barron Era: Early MTV / New Wave Synth-Pop Peak (1983) - Post-punk electronic acts using promo videos as primary commercial vehicle; the UK new wave scene at its most experimentally ambitious, bridging pop accessibility with avant-garde electronics on the cusp of the global MTV era. High. A confirmed-director, dateable 1983 promo from one of the UK's most critically re-evaluated synth-pop acts, shot by the era's pre-eminent music video director at the peak of the early MTV economy. Represents both OMD's artistic peak and the industrialisation of the British promo form. Preserved on official DVD release (Messages: Greatest Hits, 2008), confirming canonical status within the OMD catalogue and the broader synth-pop video archive. Context: Released in February 1983, 'Genetic Engineering' arrived at a pivotal moment: OMD were transitioning from the gothic synth-pop grandeur of Architecture & Morality (1981) into the radically experimental Dazzle Ships LP. The single's subject matter — a deliberately optimistic engagement with biotechnology at a time of widespread public anxiety about genetic science — was misread by audiences and broadcasters as a protest song. The Dazzle Ships album, with its musique concrète collages, shortwave radio recordings, and Cold War-era conceptualism, represented a high-water mark of art-school ambition within the UK synth-pop mainstream. The video, commissioned through Steve Barron's Limelight at the height of the early MTV promotional video economy, reflects the era's rapid industrialisation of the promo form. Director notes: Confirmed via Wikipedia's dedicated 'Genetic Engineering (song)' article, which states the promotional video was directed by Steve Barron. The video was reportedly filmed on or around 24 January 1983, per photographic evidence cited by the OMD fan wiki. It features genetics-related books (some of which McCluskey borrowed to read himself), a Rolls-Royce owned by comedian Mel Smith, and actress Joann Kenny. The promo was included on the Messages: Greatest Hits CD/DVD release in 2008. At the time of production, Barron's Limelight company was at its commercial and creative peak, simultaneously handling commissions for acts including Michael Jackson and The Human League.