The German synth-pop trio Camouflage was officially formed in 1984 by vocalist Marcus Meyn and keyboardists/programmers Heiko Maile and Oliver Kreyssig. The group took first place in a radio-sponsored song contest in 1986, and before long, their debut single, "The Great Commandment," was scaling the German charts. Their full-length debut, Voices and Images, was released in 1988, reflecting the group's classic new wave synth-pop influences, but most of all Depeche Mode. 1989's Methods of Silence began to broaden Camouflage's sonic palette, yet the Depeche Mode sound still remained at the forefront.

Founded in the southern German city of Bietigheim-Bissingen by Heiko Maile, Oliver Kreyssig and Marcus Meyn in the year 1984, the band Camouflage scored an unexpected international hit with their debut album ‘Voices & Images’ in 1988. Their sophomore album ‘Methods Of Silence’, released just a year later, was an even bigger success. Songs like ‘The Great Commandment’ and ‘Love Is A Shield’, went on to become perennial classics of the synth pop genre. For the production of their third album ‘Meanwhile’ Heiko Maile and Marcus Meyn (Oliver Kreyssig has left the band by then) were striking a new path. They recorded the songs with a band lineup with real drums, bass, guitar and keyboards. To mark the 30th anniversary of the album, the band opened up the archives to assemble a special bonus edition including a wealth of rare and unreleased recordings, limited to 500 triple LP sets and 1,500 double CDs.

From a logical viewpoint "Sensor" was bound to be the electropop masterpiece that it is, given the patented "experimental" phase most bands go through before deciding to go back to what they do best. Following hit parade "Voices & Images" and the under rated follow-up "Methods of Silence" (perhaps due to the band including acoustic instrumentation) was "Meanwhile", an album few bothered with. And, granted, it sounded way too "ordinary" with its traditional rock setting and much of the Camouflage aura had gone missing. Oliver Kreyssig, who left the band after "Methods of Silence", decided to join the band again during the recording sessions for "Sensor", and it makes sense, as this new album shows a back-to-basics approach in terms of the song writing. The music, however, sounds remarkably fresh and modern. Maybe this was what Marcus and Heiko aimed at with "Bodega Bohemia", but didn't quite succeed with…

The German synth-pop trio Camouflage was officially formed in 1984 by vocalist Marcus Meyn and keyboardists/programmers Heiko Maile and Oliver Kreyssig. The group took first place in a radio-sponsored song contest in 1986, and before long, their debut single, "The Great Commandment," was scaling the German charts. Their full-length debut, Voices and Images, was released in 1988, reflecting the group's classic new wave synth-pop influences, but most of all Depeche Mode. 1989's Methods of Silence began to broaden Camouflage's sonic palette, yet the Depeche Mode sound still remained at the forefront. Oliver Kreyssig then left the group, leaving Maile and Meyn as a duo augmented by several studio musicians. By the time of 1991's Meanwhile, Camouflage had garnered a not insignificant following on college radio; the album moved still farther away from synth-pop and incorporated greater instrumentation…

To mark the 30th anniversary of the album, the band opened up the archives to assemble a special bonus edition including a wealth of rare and unreleased recordings.
Camouflage entered the synth pop game when most people had already moved on, which spelled trouble for their 1989 sophomore album. The total absence of acknowledged humor in Camouflage's material contrasted sharply with the vibrancy of the ensuing decade, and the album's widening addition of violins, saxophones, and guitars couldn't prevent the band from being forced into a prematurely outdated pigeonhole. In hindsight, this was the LP's biggest problem. "On Islands" and "One Fine Day" were sweet, multi-textured pop that swayed like a hammock strung between industrial pylons…

To mark the 30th anniversary of "Voices & Images", the album now earns a repackaged, limited edition reissue featuring deleted remixes, rare versions and B-sides.
When it was played on modern rock radio stations in 1988, Camouflage had everybody duped with "The Great Commandment." With its chilly synths, robotic percussion, and gloomy vocals, the song was a Depeche Mode doppelganger. Similarly, Camouflage's debut album Voices & Images is the sound of young men who couldn't stop playing Depeche Mode's Black Celebration in their tape decks. However, they are somewhat talented plagiarists…

There is no denying that the German band Camouflage clearly was inspired by Depeche Mode. Camouflage came out a few years after Depeche Mode was already making albums and like Depeche Mode, it went through many of the same transitions of sound and musical style. In fact, Camouflage and Depeche Mode sound so much alike that they are almost indistinguishable from one another. In a way, Camouflage can be thought of as the little brother of Depeche Mode. But there is no denying that Camouflage has talent and they can come up with some great songs.
And then there's Relocated. Along with their previous album Sensor, Camouflage has proven its greatness in the 21st century. Both Relocated and Sensor are incredible albums with pretty much no weak spots between the two of them. If you like Depeche Mode at all, you must get both of these albums.

Camouflage entered the synth pop game when most people had already moved on, which spelled trouble for their 1989 sophomore album. The total absence of acknowledged humor in Camouflage's material contrasted sharply with the vibrancy of the ensuing decade, and the album's widening addition of violins, saxophones, and guitars couldn't prevent the band from being forced into a prematurely outdated pigeonhole. In hindsight, this was the LP's biggest problem. "On Islands" and "One Fine Day" were sweet, multi-textured pop that swayed like a hammock strung between industrial pylons, while "Rue de Moorslede" regaled itself with a taut instrumental of circus organs, filtered horns, and the recurring sound of doors slammed shut…

By the time of Spice Crackers' 1995 release, Camouflage found themselves dealing not only with changing times on the part of their key inspirations – Depeche Mode having long since grappled with rock motifs on albums like Violator and Songs of Faith and Devotion – but with the shift from electronic pop being pop, to being a quieter concern amid the aboveground explosion of techno in Europe throughout that decade. Spice Crackers feels like a reaction to both changes in many ways, a chance for Camouflage to find their own identity as well as see how to roll with the times – and what's striking is how they predated some future developments elsewhere as a result. (It says something that the bass-heavy introduction "X-Ray" might have appeared on Depeche's Ultra, for instance, even though that album was two years away from release at that point.) There's a self-referentiality to the field that's almost amusing in its apparent po-facedness – calling one song "Kraft" and the one immediately after it "Electronic Music" is almost too much – but the exquisite instrumental "Ronda's Trigger," arguably the album's best song, celebrates things more effectively, a classic electronic dance number in the best way, propulsive and serene at the same time.