Immunity

by François CoutureImmunity marked a return to solo work for Rupert Hine after a few years with Quantum Jump. Early-'80s synth-pop did not age very well as a genre, but this album (like maybe Jon Anderson's Animation) is a stellar exception. As a producer, Hine's vision had been sharpened by his work with, among others, Anthony Phillips. One finds here an atmosphere similar to the latter's LP Sides, but also to Peter Hammill's solo albums from the same period. Of course, Hine's approach was closer to pop, but he favored disquieting moods, oblique accompaniments, poetic lyrics, and dramatic effects. Highlights include the gloomy "I Think a Man Will Hang Soon," the catchy title track, the delicate "Samsara," and the progressively schizophrenic masterpiece "Make a Wish," although each of the album's original nine tracks is a gem, full of clever ideas and daring artistic choices. Hine handles most instruments. Guest musicians include Phil Collins (drums on two tracks), Marianne Faithfull (back vocals on one track), while guitarist Phil Palmer can be heard throughout the album. The 2001 CD reissue on Voiceprint's imprint Misplaced added the B-side "Scratching at Success" and "Introduction to the Menace," the stage walk-on music Hine used for his shows at the time. It also features the original "scarier" mixes of "I Think a Man Will Hang Soon" and "Make a Wish," both rejected by the record label in 1981. For anyone interested in Hine's singer/songwriter career, Immunity is the place to start.