Hard

Following the departure of founding bassist Hugo Burnham, this highly divisive album saw the Marxist post-punk pioneers diving headlong into slick, heavily synthesized dance-club aesthetics. 'Hard' largely abandons Andy Gill's signature jagged, abrasive guitar work in favor of polished drum machines, prominent female backing vocals, and mutant disco basslines. The aggressively commercial pivot deeply alienated their original punk fanbase and ultimately led to the group's temporary dissolution.