NEW ORDER レコード& CD

Review: In one of those unique cases where a compilation eclipses the studio albums, New Order's Substance is often considered the definitive representation of the band in their prime. It's understandable given it pulled together all their singles up to 1987, but equally they re-recorded classics like 'Confusion' and 'Temptation' so everything fitted together more naturally. As a result, Substance is a more cohesive listen than many similar offerings might be and these singles remain some of the finest to ever emerge from the UK's alternative music scene. Repressed and remastered, it's sounding better than ever.

Review: You know a band has iconic status when not only their LPs but all their singles get a fresh repress. If there's one group who warrant such indulgence, it's New Order, and amidst the many classics being spruced up for a new audience here is the evergreen The Perfect Kiss, originally released in 1985 and interestingly the first New Order single to have also been included on an album, Low-life. As well as the title track, there are some essential B-sides in the form of 'The Kiss Of Death' and 'Perfect Pit', but really it's about the special extended version of 'The Perfect Kiss' - a shining emblem of everything great about the 12" single.

Review: As part of the Low-Life 'Definitive Edition' release campaign, New Order reissue the 12" singles from the album, first released in May 1985 at the height of their controversial exploitation by Factory Records. 'Sub-Culture' is one of its lead singles: originally released on white label (infamously, graphic designer Peter Saville allegedly deemed the song unworthy of his talents), this functional synthpop banger reeks with and oozes of FM-farty glitz, and lyrically concerns a nocturnal protagonist, disaffected with the modern, measured day-night cycle. The B 'Dub-vulture' pulls a similar instrumental trick with a varied melody.

Review: As part of the Low Life 'Definitive Edition' release campaign, New Order reissue the 12" singles from and around the album, first released in May 1985. 'Shellshock' the perfect name for the thousand-yard-stare of satiation we experience on relistening to this glitzy and glamorous electro tune, packed with 16th note rimshots, not a buzzing master bus that few synthpop acts could rival back then. The B-side 'Shellcock' snips the hidden jockstrap on, meanwhile, on an instrumental dub of the tune, much in the fashion of what Depeche Mode were doing contemporaneously.

Review: In the midst of a slew of high-end reissues of New Order's classic material (including represses of the singles, no less), here comes a mouth-watering deluxe edition of their 1985 album Low-life. It's always a bold statement to call a release 'definitive' but it's hard to imagine topping this lavish box set with a 180 gram pressing plus a double CD, double DVD and accompanying book. There are full live performances from 1985 in Japan and Belgium, and every possible remix, outtake and demo version you could possibly dream of. And that's not even saying anything about the original album itself - a true totem of 80s synth pop in all its glory.

Review: You might think that you could cop a copy of New Order's seminal hit 'Blue Monday' fairly easily and cheaply given its ubiquity over the years. But no, copies in good condition still fetch around 50 quid, so this remastered reissue is well worth a cop. The single's iconic bassline and twitchy synth modulations very much soundtrack a generation, if not an entire youth revolution, but still enliven any dance floor many years later. What's more, the de-humanised vocals will always provide real singalong joy. On the flip is a 'The Beach', which is drenched in echo and reverb and general sonic filth.

Review: Although the single that followed it, 'Blue Monday', remains New Order's most significant and influential club cut, 'Confusion' is every bit as impactful. It was recorded with Arthur Baker and John Robie, and mixed by John 'Jellybean' Benitez, and saw the Manchester band turn their hand to the then brand-new sound of New York electro. As this re-mastered reissue proves, the track still sounds superb, offering a unique mix of the band's usual hazy, post Joy Division guitars, evocative Bernard Summer vocals and ultra-tough beats from Baker and Robie. As it did first time around, the full-length mix (A1) comes backed by two dub-style club revisions ('Confusion (Instrumental)' and the sparse, effects-laden B-boy classic 'Confused Beats'), as well as the demo version (the 'Rough Mix').

Review: The 21st Century has been quiet thus far for New Order, with only two full albums to date, and only an out-takes compilation in the last decade. Moreover, 'Music Complete' marks their first album to date without founding bassist Peter Hook, and the return of Gillian Gilbert to the ranks. Yet from this turbulence and inertia they've somehow managed to create a collection of songs that rank as their strongest set since 'Technique' in 1989. VIbrant, upbeat and colourful, yet driven by the same mix of electronic experimentation and effortless pop suss that characterised their '80s heyday, 'Music Complete' is the sound of a timeless and unique force newly revitalised.