Berlin “Pleasure Victim” (re)released 40 years ago today, January 26th, 1983. The hit new wave synthpop album was originally released in late ’82 on the indie Enigma Records label but after the success of the single “Sex (I’m A…),” it was released by major label Geffen. It’s the band’s best-selling album and hit #30 on the US album charts. I totally remember a family friend – a girl two years older than me – playing her LP of Pleasure Victim for me, a bit covertly, in her room at some family dinner thing, us tittering over “Sex (I’m A)…” – I was only 12 at the time so it felt a little scandalous. It’s a great dance track (it went to #62 in the US) but I’m especially fond of the darker synthpop single “The Metro” which went to #58 and the extra-catchy “Masquerade” (#82 US). “World of Smiles” is sunnily upbeat, super-synthy and swirly. The last track, “Torture,” is a bit tortured – a rather unfortunately strained ballad – but otherwise Pleasure Victim is a wonderful example of early 80’s synthpop and one of many contributing factors to my lifelong love of the genre.