Well hello, Information Society, nice to see y’all again. Been, jeeze, seven years? And the original lineup…wow, not since ’97. Still, you’re looking well.

So, we hear there’s an album in the works?

In case the preamble there didn’t cue you, we haven’t heard from these guys in a while. While their name doesn’t get far beyond dedicated communities of synthpop lovers, they’re still a member of the electronic pantheon. Kurt Harland, Paul Robb, and James Cassidy combined to pump out a string of hits through the 80’s and 90’s. Their last ride as the original trio was 97’s Don’t Be Afraid, though a partial reunion would see Robb and Cassidy partner up with Christopher Anton to produce two EPs and 2007’s Synthesizer.

But now the gang’s together again. They’ve apparently done some maturing in the nearly 20 years since their last major release as a band (be slightly disturbing if they hadn’t), and _hello world is shaping up to be a horse of a slightly different color. The new album contains both a Devo cover and a love ballad – neither of which would have been welcome on earlier releases.