Second Layer

by Andy Kellman
Second Layer was an electronic-based outlet for the Sound's Adrian Borland and Graham Bailey. Borland supplied guitars and vocals while Bailey provided keyboards, bass, and drum programming. The full length World of Rubber was issued in 1981, followed by two singles and an EP released the same year: "State of Emergency," "Flesh as Property," and Second Layer. Since the duo was central to the Sound's sound, their side project retained some of that feel, albeit in a slightly detached fashion that's to be expected when synths and drum machines replace more human elements. Borland's songwriting wasn't much less personal here than his writing for the Sound.