The Department is a duo from London (Rob Green) and Gothenburg (Magnus Lindstrom). It is a relatively new band (2012) but the guys are clearly much more experienced than this. For instance Rob Green used to make progressive house in 90s and he worked as a DJ in several clubs. This is just to say that, although this is a debut, these guys are not inexperienced. And as a matter of fact the debut 'Alpha' is a well played album. But let's start from the beginning. The Department is a band clearly inspired by classical electro and new/dark wave. As Rob himself admits, they clearly stands on the shoulders of giants such as early Depeche Mode, The Cure, The Smiths, Soft Cell, New Order. However, they are a particularly interesting mix and they have plenty of peculiarities. These guys are incredibly good in arranging songs, they know how to choose a good bass or a good lead, to make a good lines and, moreover, they are very good in structuring songs. Finally, there are also songs with commercial potential, such as 'Not for you' and 'As if transformed'. Overall, I think that 'Alpha' is a damn good album, and we will hear about The Department very soon.