Heaven 17 - Let Me Go

What this video is

Released October 1982, 'Let Me Go' arrived at the precise moment British synth-pop was transitioning from post-punk austerity to ambitious studio maximalism. Heaven 17 — formed from the ashes of the Human League by Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh — used the track as the lead single for The Luxury Gap, their bid for mainstream recognition. The video's vision of a deserted, post-collapse London (the newspaper prop…

Why it matters

A canonical artefact of British synth-pop's 1982 apex, the video codifies the era's tension between dystopian urban alienation and polished commercial ambition. Steve Barron's 35mm black-and-white location aesthetic elevated the promo above typical performance clips, situating it within a lineage…

The director

Irish-British filmmaker born 4 May 1956 in Dublin. Began career as camera assistant on A Bridge Too Far (1977), The Duellists (1977), and Superman (1978). Co-founded Limelight Productions, which became the world's largest music video production company by…