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. ~ Andy Kellman