Rocktrospectiva: The Synth-Pop Classic "Hunting High And Low" Turns 40

Released on 1 June 1985 "Hunting High And Low" was the debut studio album by the Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha, it was first released on 1 June 1985 by Warner Bros. Records in Norway and the United States, and then released in the United Kingdom and Europe on 28 October 1985. The album was a huge commercial success, reaching high positions on charts worldwide. Spawning five singles: "Take On Me", "Love Is Reason", "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.", "Train of Thought" and the title track. 

 

Hunting High And Low is one of the finest synth-pop albums of all time, and one of the most successful debuts ever. It was, of course, the band’s first album and it is easily their most successful. The band formed only a couple of years before its release, and the world domination that followed had always been part of the a-ha masterplan, a blueprint drawn up by the three members in their home city of Oslo that involved them bravely moving to London without any employment to fall back upon, getting a record deal and then somehow becoming one of the biggest bands in the world.

Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, the band’s guitarist and word maestro for all the album’s tracks as either the sole writer or co-writer, seems to have drawn on the operas and classical music that his parents introduced him to as a child in Oslo. The instrumental usage is evident throughout the album, but one only needs to start with the album’s namesake "Hunting High And Low" to get the full effect. As lead singer Morten Harket puts his beautiful vocals on full display in this almost made-for-film ballad, the flute-synth interlude is not only unexpected, but brings about a type of welcomed nostalgia.

Hunting High And Low is a true testament to the new wave sound of the '80s—whether you like it or not. a-ha’s most recognizable song, "Take On Me" is the embodiment of all things ‘80s. the brilliant clip in which Harket is depicted as a comic book character being tailed by bad guys, separated from his flesh and blood lover former model, Bunty Bailey. The video for “Take On Me” went on to win six awards at the 1986 MTV Video Awards.

The sonic beauty of this album has both been much discussed and also, in many ways, deemed incredibly underrated. It has been forty years since the Norwegian trio sold in excess of 11 million copies worldwide, and the argument of classic vs classical still persists. The album's third single "The Sun Always Shines On T.V." was the album's lesser known second single, failing to chart, therefore many assumed the aforementioned track was the second single released) continued the band’s success with a number one spot on the UK charts. The video again capitalized on the success of "Take On Me," picking up two more awards at the MTV Video Awards again in 1986. But it also served as the second song in what would go on to become a trilogy with the album’s fourth single “Train Of Thought” rounding it out which actually predated "Take On Me," and became the inspiration for the band's smash hit video. With its comic animation waling a similar line as Take On Me, it made perfect sense that this track not only came full circle, but also brought the trilogy to a close. Yes, it is hard to ignore Harket’s beauty and those cheekbones (is it just me, or does this man exude some kind of Bowie-esque vibe?), but it is equally as hard to ignore that voice. It is believed that his range can span five octaves and one only needs to listen to pretty much any track to hear that breathtaking rock-opera falsetto that rarely, if ever, is out of tune. 

With half of the album's ten tracks being released as singles, it would be easy and almost justified in thinking that the remainder of the LP is comprised of fillers. Well that is wrong ‘80s pop can unfairly get a bad wrap at times, many times in fact, more often than not being cited as repetitive and somewhat unoriginal.  

Hunting High And Low breaks that mold by showcasing a distinct and identifiable individuality in each song. Linear is a word that is used a lot with your typical pop song, but on this album we are exposed to a-ha’s fearless ability to move in many directions, as shown in their variable synth settings and usage of classical instruments in and over that new wave sound and this record has not only stood the test of time, but has gone on to become a resplendent classic. 

Hunting High And Low Track List: 

 

1. Take On Me 

2. Train Of Thought

3. Hunting High And Low

4. The Blue Sky

5. Living A Boy's Adventure Tale

6. The Sun Always Shines On T.V.

7. And You Tell Me

8. Love Is Reason

9. I Dream Myself Alive

10. Here I Stand And Face The Rain