Pryor Stroud: In the popular consciousness, the vanguard of ’80s synthpop is typically composed by the likes of the Human League, Tears for Fears, and Depeche Mode. Besides that, “Enola Gay” is a sweet electronic song that’s textured, layered and multi-dimensional, making it a song that almost everyone can find something to enjoy. It’s easily one of the few electronic songs that has a topical/political underbelly, and it is somewhat a shame that the beat overpowers the message at times.
However, underneath this upbeat song is a dark reference to the World War II bombing of Hiroshima, as McCluskey croons “Enola Gay / You should have stayed at home yesterday / Ah-ha words can’t describe/ T he feeling and the way you lied”. Andy McCluskey’s vocals sound great as well, and are enhanced by the great electronic beat behind him. Not only is the rhythm tight, but the synths and melodies float sweetly over the percussion. Emmanuel Elone: For an ’80s electronic song, “Enola Gay” is still more layered and sophisticated than many electronic songs coming out today.
