These albums show shift in style from synth-driven punk energized sound towards a darker, more polished synth heavy sound.

“Duty Now for the Future” is the second studio album by the American new wave band DEVO, released on July 1979. Produced by Ken Scott. The album followed their groundbreaking debut, “Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!” (1978), and continued their exploration of mechanical, futuristic, and satirical themes. The album leans further into synthesizer-driven sounds while still maintaining their jagged, robotic punk energy. It expands on their themes of de-evolution, consumerism and social control, blending quirky humour with a more polished, synthetic production style.

“New Traditionalists” is the fourth studio album by DEVO, released on August 26, 1981. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker & DEVO. This album marked a shift towards a darker, more polished and synth-heavy sound compared to their earlier work, reflecting their growing disillusionment with mainstream culture. “New Traditionalists” leans heavily into synth-pop and electronic rock, featuring colder, more mechanical production. The themes focus on conformity, societal decline and de-evolution, but with a more serious, dystopian tone than their earlier satirical works. The band also introduced a new visual aesthetic, wearing grey ‘Utopian Boy’ uniforms and distinctive plastic ‘New Traditionalist Pomp’ wigs, inspired by John F. Kennedy’s hair.