When it was time for OK Go to make a new album, they wanted to make one that was bigger and better than their previous albums, but they mostly wanted to make something different.

“We played songs from ‘Oh No’ [our previous album] for three years on the road, and by the end of that process, I think all of us were in need of changing the format,” OK Go drummer, Dan Konopka, said in an interview with the Hilltop Views.

They certainly did change. The new album, “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky,” shows a different side of OK Go than any fan could have expected. The rock beat morphed into a dance-electronic beat, and guitars with funky effects replaced the powerful electric guitars. Lead singer Damien Kulash even left behind his normal tenor voice to explore his falsetto range for a majority of the album.

But change can be a good thing. While the album may seem like a whole new species to some fans, the songs are actually quite catchy and varied.     “White Knuckles” has a definite disco vibe, “End Love” transports fans back to the 80s and “Last Leaf” reminds fans of classic OK Go with an acoustic love song.

No matter the song, listeners will find themselves compelled to dance, which can only be expected, considering the influences of the album.

“One of the major influences was Prince,” Konopka said. “Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ and his early stuff was a big guiding light for us.”

The title, “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky,” comes from a book called “The Influence of the Blue Ray of the Sunlight and of the Blue Colour of the Sky.” It was written in 1876 by a scientist named A.J. Pleasonton.

“It was a book that basically claimed that the color blue could heal any ailment,” Konopka said.  “It could make insane people well; it could uncripple cripples; it could make your crops grow better.”

Konopka explained that the album and book have similar themes like believing in the unbelievable and accepting facts without evidence.

While “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky” may be a complete shock for long-time OK Go fans,the band’s heart is still evident throughout the album, and the excellent musicianship that has become synonymous with OK Go is still very much intact.