In 1985, New Order had already proven themselves to be one of the biggest musical innovators of the 80s, and absolutely the most successful new wave band in transitioning from post-punks to bona-fide booty-movinโ wizards. While 1981โs Movement was carved squarely in Joy Divisionโs shadow, 1983โs Power, Corruption, and Lies was their first true masterpiece, and the recordโs iconic artwork is the first to come to mind to the surface level new waver when imagining New Order. The band had never put their faces on their records, even when Gillian Gilbert wasnโt on keys and Ian Curtis walked the Earth.ย Low-Life (1985) is the perfect New Order album. Even if Power, Corruption, and Lies is a nearly perfect record, itโs still in limbo between their old incarnation and the band they became. In the bandโs story, it is on the upward trajectory, but does not break through the surface. Teetering between raving dance rockers and haunting serenity, New Order by โ85 had taken over; they had nothing to fear and nothing to prove. Drummer Stephen Morris appears on the cover, and the other bandmates adorned the sleeves and promotional material. They had never shown their faces on a record. This is New Orderโs day in the sun. Of the eight tracks here seven would become dance club staples, ready for remixing, editing and stretching to a disc jockeyโs desires. The eighth is possibly the greatest instrumental of the 80s. Everything clicks. Bernard Sumnerโs singing is purposeful and streamlined, Stephen Morrisโs drumming is superb, Peter Hookโs bass lines are powerful, and Gillian Gilbertโs synth work is no longer only ornamentation, but a necessary part of the formula. In their past work, synth-pop leanings seemed distinct from post-punk spirit, but here the two happily meld and twist together. Opening โLove Vigilantesโ is musically a more โLast Time on New Orderโ analogy for their previous album opener โAge Of Consent.โ The antiwar anthem is a charming satire of what Sumner thought Americans returning from Vietnam must have felt likeโ dead or living dead. The charming guitar crunches at the end conclude the catchup: you are now prepared for an epic synth voyage. Itโs really the second track,โThe Perfect Kiss,โ which sets the tone. Though many fans may point to the extended off-album version, this more succinct โKissโ is charming, disorienting, and incredibly danceable. The kick-off blaring sirens knock your head back and forth before launching into Hookโs fantastic bassline. The sampled frog croaks and Hookโs epic solo at songโs end add to the eternal excitement. If โKissโ is a night out on the town, the two following tracks are the night through the early morning. โThis Time of Nightโ may be one of Sumnerโs most venomous compositions, hypnotic synths wash over you as the more restrained tempo and rhythm are relatively more composed. The claustrophobic goth undertones expand, speed up, and explode into the aptly titled โSunrise.โ Staying up all night, you arenโt tired. The time of your life has led to a new realization, and maybe in the cemetery or some grassy place you feel the cold air and the car ride home like youโve just made a core memory.ย The true centerpiece is the instrumental โElegia,โ the mountain between the two sides of what New Order is on this record. 80s synth music often feels dated because of our connotations with it. Joy Divisionโs โIsolationโ is a great song, but the juxtaposition between the synthesizer and Curtisโs lyrics bridges such a distance to the modern ear. Itโs like a candy coating on blood sausage. That isnโt to say synths were very serious at the time, itโs just that they were experimental and sensitive to use, new territory that no one fully understood. Low-life itself ends with one of the cheeriest instrumentals in the bandโs discography. Still, this pristine tribute to Curtis is haunting and eternal, like the best of Joy Divisionโs music, though Joy Division couldnโt have made it. The 12/8 time, the morbid โfuneral vibe,โ the power. This resonance is a full realization of the technology at their disposal, and there is no cheer or awkwardness to this particular articulation. Curtis was a gifted writer, but his bandmates lived to be a more adaptable band, with more control over their craft. This album, a finely made urn, captures the best of both with grace, and without words.ย Once on the other side of the hill, you get โSooner Than You Think,โ which takes a surprise turn. The shimmering guitar is refreshing after โElegia,โ until the synth hits like a vacuum and sucks all of the oxygen out. Sumner remains fixed in the strobe lit dance floor for โSub-cultureโ before the unbridled joy of โFace Up.โ Pushing his voice to its limits, Sumnerโs โOh, how I cannot bear the thought of you!โ is a perfectly New Order-esque lyric: ridiculously hopeful, unapologetically triumphant. The sentiment seeps through thirty-five years later into their new single, โBe A Rebel.โ I recently realized the joys of the album are too big for headphones: I was given the aux and unleashed Low-lifeโs power into my friendโs car. Either my headphones are giving out on me or this albumโs existence requires a larger space to roam. Whether it was the sirens and frog croaks bouncing around the vehicle or the instrumental fakeouts that begin โSoonerโ and โFace Up,โ we couldnโt help but groove. New Order has an amazing discography, but to finally appear, to show their faces. This was a pivotal moment. At a time when it is hard to not be afraid or cynical, maybe bedroom dance parties and hope that teeters on โunrealisticโ are necessary. The beauty in the dark and the embrace of the light; knowing the sun will rise, and with it, all of the low-life. Written by Stanley Quiros Design by Jessie Yang Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Δ