Here in a scheme
Essential magazine
Changing all the time
Changing all the time
Changes all the time
This is design
This is design
This is design
It's plain to see
The human industry
Changing all the time
Changing all the time
Changes all the time
This is design
This is design
This is design
The wheels are turning so much faster now
As all the forces merge as one
It's begun
It's in the air
A logical affair
Changing all the time
Changing all the time
Changes all the time
This is design
This is design
This is design
Here in a theme
A systematic scheme
Changing all the time
Changing all the time
Changes all the time
This is design
This is design
This is design
The wheels are turning so much faster now
As all the forces merge as one
It's begun
Design
Here it's design
Here it's design
Here it's design
Here it's design
Here it's design
Here it's design
Here it's design
Can we assume that Tony is again questioning mankind's obsession with 'progress' here? (I'll come clean - I think NM's lyrics are rarely straightforward and understandable...).
Musikally it holds few surprises at this stage of the album. No CR78, but otherwise the ingredients are all there, such as the notorious pre-echo and other studio touches, and there's those big, 'whooshing' sonar-like effects again. Lovely!
The backdrop of trademark bell-synth provide the classic warmth and atmosphere. (Somewhat similar to those on "A Map Of You", and you know what they did for that track...).
Metallic sounding percussive effects are utilised, and it has quite a powerful, danceable beat to it.
I don't suppose it's anyone's favourite NM track, as I think it just lacks that extra touch of magic needed to make it stand out above the brilliance surrounding it. But that by no means makes it second best, so I'm giving it:
93/100
(Richard M)
If there was a "paint it by numbers" NM track, then perhaps this would be a good example. It has all the right ingredients. That classic arpeggiated synth intro, metronomic beat, Tony's trademark vocals dripping in pre-echo.
The synth pads are straight out of the NM cookery book, and I'm particularly fond of the sequenced bass especially when it comes to the fore just after he sings "the wheels are turning so much faster now". This is actually a very electronic track, yet somehow it lacks the infectious magic of others.
It's great, it's enjoyable, it's very very good. But it happens to rub shoulders with some of the finest tracks NM ever produced. And it doesn't quite "keep up with the neighbours".
(Graham G)
What I like about this one is not the intro, but the way the intro reappears later on with a fierce banging on the bass. The intro actually reminds me of the 'world of water' and 'science' intros from the previous album. I also like the bit where he says 'this is design' 3 times then quickly into the verse bit with no pause.
I don't think this one's a filler, I think this one is a leftover from 'from a to b', and could have been a b-side on one of those first 3 singles, but it was a bit too good for a b-side.
(Rich E)