New Order "Complete Music" (2016)

Complete Music
release date: May 13, 2016
format: 2 cd (LTD. - LCDSTUMM390)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,34]
producer: New Order
label: Mute Records - nationality: England, UK

Remix edition of the album Music Complete (2015) with all tracks in extended versions.The album was originally released in Japan only as a special download release, which came with a Deluxe Edition of the 12'' vinyl issue of the album, but was later released in its own rights.
I puchased the album and was given a free download of not only this but also the original album in FLAC-format.
Well, the remixes are really not that far from the original versions - they are generally much longer, but in a way I cannot help thinking of them as over-produced. The great songs remain great, but I really prefer the 2015 album versions.

EDIT, Nov. 2016: I must confess, I have listened to this from time to time, not just skipping it 'cause it really is catchy and seemingly has more to offer than meets the eye. I can't really put a finger on what it is, as I still feel the remixes are very close to the originals, but it's perhaps not simply over-produced after all. I would still recommend the original 2015 Music Complete album, although this is not just bad. My initial verdict 3,22 has improved but still eludes 'must-have'...

New Order "Music Complete" (2015)

Music Complete
release date: Sep. 25, 2015
format: cd (CDSTUMM390)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: New Order
label: Mute Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Restless" - 2. "Singularity" - 3. "Plastic" - 8. "Nothing But A Fool" (4 / 5) - 9. "Unlearn This Hatred" (4 / 5) - 11. "Superheated"

10th studio album by a re-united New Order following 2½ years after Lost Sirens (Jan. 2013) is here on a new label, and with the introduction of a new line-up after what was never announced an official break-up, although, founding member, bassist Peter Hook in 2007, upon his departure, declared that he and Bernard Sumner were no longer making music together. On the other hand, an official New Order statement promptly stated that the band would continue with or without Hook; however, both Hook and Sumner founded new bands in 2007 and in 2009 Sumner then argued that he would not make music again with New Order. So, although there never really was an official disbandment, the band was practically dead by 2009 [about the split, see: here - here - here - here - here - and here].

New Order's last studio album, Lost Sirens from 2013 was actually recorded 9-10 years prior to its release and basically only consisted of outtakes from the studio recording sessions for the album Waiting for the Sirens' Call (Mar. 2005).

In this new formation of the band, Bernard Sumner still handles lead vocals and is also credited for playing guitar, keyboards, and synthesizers. Likewise, Stephen Morris is the band's usual drummer and percussionist. He also handles keyboards, synthesizers, and is credited for drum programming. After Hook's departure, the band has welcomed back Morris' wife Gillian Gilbert, who once again plays keyboards and synthesizers. Phil Cunningham, who was brought in to replace Gilbert, and who has been a band member since 2002, plays guitars, keyboards, synthesizers, and is in addition credited for electronic percussion. Tom Chapman, replacing Hook, is the newest member, who fills the part as the band's primary bassist, but he also handles keyboards, synthesizers and is credited for backing vocals. Several prominent guest musicians feature on the album. Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers has produced and co-written two of the tracks (tracks #2 & #9). Lead vocalist of The Killers, Brandon Flowers, has co-written and feature on "Superheated". La Roux (now synonymous for Elly Jackson) is credited for additional vocals on two tracks on the album (tracks #4 & #5), and Iggy Pop appears on "Stray Dog".

Soundwise, this is unmistakably New Order, but for once the band has not only reproduced its own back catalogue - which have come to mind on a few occasions looking closer at the albums from 1991 to 2011 - but the band has broadened and updated its sound to a more modern / contemporary expression. Sumner sounds like Sumner, which is a distinct quality of its very own kind and a thing you wouldn't replace, and Morris adds his usual great skills to the basics, which may be the band's biggest asset. On top of that, synths, keyboards and bass-lines provide a fine spatial dynamic soundscape rarely heard of by New Order, and that really says something. La Roux, Iggy Pop, and Flowers don't really provide the music with much extra on this. Actually, I think, the only really fine contributing guest artist is that of Tom Rowlands.

Music Complete is easily bettering the band's last four albums and literally reaching back to redefine what many think of New Order as a band belonging to, defining, but also a band stuck in the 1980s. With the 1990s, and the first decade of the new millennium, New Order had basically taken an artistic de-route, in so far that after many years with lesser albums, this manifestation, is a surprising and uplifting 'new order' of the band many of us had buried in a glorious past.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, The Guardian, The Observer, Mojo, Q 4 / 5 stars ]

New Order "Lost Sirens" (2013)

Lost Sirens
release date: Jan. 14, 2013
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,98]
producer: New Order and various
label: Rhino Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I'll Stay With You" - 2. "Sugarcane" - 3. "Recoil" - 4. "Californian Grass (Doomy)"

9th studio album by New Order released close to 8 years since their most recent studio album, Waiting for the Sirens' Call (Mar. 2005). Like that it's produced by New Order and various others - Stephen Street, Stuart Price and Jim Spencer are back as producers on a few tracks and then Mac Quayle and Swedish producer Tore Johansson is credited on tracks #6 and #2 respectively. After several years with rumours of a new album under way this was finally released in 2013 after the band had unofficially split due to controversies between vocalist Bernard Sumner and bassist Peter Hook. And speaking of a completely new collection of songs to show us a new direction since their mediocre 2005 album this isn't exactly that. All tracks were recorded in 2003-04 and are "outtakes" from Waiting for the Sirens' Call. These songs were intended to follow the 2005 release within a two-year period but the split that ended with founding member Peter Hook leaving the band in 2007 ended up delaying the release. So, almost a decade after the recordings it finally had was released after New Order officially had disbanded, and it actually proves to be a much better album than the shallow 2005 album. I think, it basically show how some recording take bad turns based on wrong decisions about what works and what people (band members? / producers? / managers?) think is the right thing to do. Initially, they chose another musical direction but this show us that the very same people were still capable of making good music. Still, it's not one of their best, and I rate it just above mediocre.

Still in 2007, after Peter Hook left New Order, he formed the band Freebass with ex-The Smiths' bassist Andy Rourke, ex-The Stone Roses bassist Gary Mounfield and ex-Haven vocalist Gary Briggs. Bernard Sumner and Phil Cunningham formed the band Bad Lieutenant with vocalist Jake Evans, and Steve Morris featured as guest drummer. Tom Chapman, who would eventually substitute Peter Hook in the new formation of New Order also made guest appearances in this band.

In the fall of 2011 New Order reformed with a new line-up for a number of live performances, and in 2012 the Lost Sirens album was announced for an upcoming release, which led to new disputes with former bassist Peter Hook regarding copyrights, which further delayed the release another year.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

New Order "Singles" (2005)

Singles (compilation)
release date: Oct. 3, 2005
format: 2 cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: New Order and various
label: London Records - nationality: England, UK

A compilation album by New Order consisting of single releases only. The album consists of 31 tracks released as (primarily 7'') singles in the span of two decades from 1981-2005. The band has released several Best of albums over the years starting off with Substance (1987), and they all contain different track lists. With the band's extensive back catalogue it's hard to pick one of these as the best 'cause they all miss out on great tracks, but I really like this one, which is not an attempt to pick the most popular tracks but simply to document all single releases in one album. Except from showcasing some of their greatest moments, the album also enlists the tracks in the order of their release, so the listener upon hearing the different tracks may come to terms with how the band progressed from post-punk influences into synth pop and alt. dance with various electronic elements, which is quite nice.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, NME 4,5 / 5 stars ]

New Order "Waiting for the Sirens' Call" (2005)

Waiting for the Sirens' Call
release date: Mar. 28, 2005
format: digital
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,39]
producer: New Order et al
label: London Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Who's Joe?" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "Hey Now What You Doing" (3 / 5) - 4. "Krafty" (3 / 5) - 8. "Jetstream"

8th studio album by New Order follows nearly 4 full years since Get Ready (Aug. 2001) and is produced by several people. New Order are co-producers on all 11 tracks, Stephen Street is credited on four (tracks #2, #6, #10 & #11), Jim Spencer on three (#1, #3 & #5), John Leckie on two (tracks #4 & #7) and Stuart Price also on two (tracks #8 & #9). After Gillian Gilbert left the band in 2001, Phil Cunningham officially replaced her on keyboards and guitar. So in effect the three remaining members of Joy Division are still together. Having said that, the album is, in my mind, their least favourable to this date. It comes without any great tracks, and some sound like drawn on older more original compositions. 'Mediocre' (equalling 2,5 stars) is a rare word used when speaking of one of the most influential bands in British music history, and this is hardly that.

Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Blender 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

New Order "Get Ready" (2001)

Get Ready
release date: Aug. 21, 2001
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,45]
producer: Steve Osborne
label: London Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Crystal" - 2. "60 Miles an Hour" - 3. "Turn My Way" - 5. "Primitive Notion" - 8. "Someone Like You" - 9. "Close Range" (live at Finsbury Park) - 10. "Run Wild"

7th studio album by New Order released on London Records is the first in a long series of New Order releases not to be produced by the band. Steve Osborne has produced all tracks except track #7 ("Rock the Shack"), which is produced by New Order and Flood (aka Mark Ellis) and track #10, co-produced by Bernard Sumner and Osborne. The band had not released a studio album for 8 years with the predecessor being Republic (1993), and the album was a bit of a surprise to many people who had buried the band. Stylistically, this is somewhere between the style of Low-Life (1985) and the two most recent albums. It's more simple and raw, and there has been made room for the inclusion of acoustic instruments (e.g. "Run Wild"), which is a bit of a contrast compared to the more complex dance-pop compositions of Republic.

I think, it's a decent release, although, I like Twisted Tenderness from 1999 by the collaboration project Electronic (consisting of Sumner and Johnny Marr) better. Unfortunately, it should prove to be their final album together.

Get Ready is the so far last New Order album to feature Gillian Gilbert, who had been in the band since its formation, and it may not be among their best but is definitely worth a spin or more.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

New Order "Republic" (1993)

Republic
release date: May 3, 1993
format: cd (POCD-1110)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: New Order
label: London Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Regret" (4 / 5) - 2. "World (The Price of Love)" - 3. "Spooky" - 6. "Young Offender"

6th studio album by New Order released on London Records. Rumor has it that New Order indirectly made their record company, Factory Records, collapse after enormous financial debts after producing this album. It's both a return to simple synthpop like on Low-Life (1985) and Brotherhood (1986) but also a full embrace of house and dance-pop.
It's the bands so far least interesting album - "Regret" is the exception - but it's also the first in a series of lesser albums, which in a way already indicate that the 90s really wasn't a prosperous decade for the band. After this release, most of the band members sought new partnerships and put their energy in various collaboration projects, while New Order was put on pause. The most successful side-project is possibly vocalist Bernard Sumner's project with ex-The Smiths guitarist, Johnny Marr named Electronic (1988-99). Another well-known project was keyboardist Gillian Gilbert and drummer Stephen Morris' project The Other Two (1990-99). The two were married later this year. Bassist Peter Hook took part in Revenge (1989-95) and Monaco (1995-2000). All side-projects has released several albums.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

New Order "Technique" (1989)

Technique
release date: Jan. 30, 1989
format: digital (FACT 275)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,39]
producer: New Order
label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Fine Time" (3,5 / 5) - 2. "All the Way" (4 / 5) - 3. "Love Less" (4 / 5) - 4. "Round & Round" (3,5 / 5) - 6. "Run" (4 / 5) (other link) - 9. "Dream Attack" (3,5 / 5)

5th studio album by New Order released as FACT 275 on Factory Records. I heard a few tracks from it then, and decided that it wasn't worth it. I guess, I wasn't ready for their acid house and dance-pop combo with synth pop. To me, it was just dance pop music, and in those days, that meant: bad. 15 years later I bought the album after listening to "Run", thinking "Now, what album is that from?". I had to look through their back catalogue, and found so many positive reviews telling stories of how New Order was one of the sources to the techno and electronic revolution of the 90s, and my new heroes were The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy. Today I get why New Order is mentioned as a source. Nearly all their albums of the 80s point to what later became techno. And Technique and Republic (1993) contains some fine proto-'house' material. Well, even today I can listen to "Round & Round", although, I don't find it great, and I couldn't stand it when it was a dance floor hit. Anyway, despite the album mostly shows how they're perfectly capable of incorporating the band's characteristics when adapting to new styles. It's the second New Order album to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5  stars ]

New Order "The Peel Sessions" (1987) (ep)

Limited Edition

The Peel Sessions, ep
release date: Dec. 5, 1987
format: vinyl (LTD. metallic finish - SFPS039) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,05]
producer: Tony Wilson
label: Strange Fruit - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Truth" - 2. "Senses" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "I.C.B." (4 / 5) - 2. "Dreams Never End" (4,5 / 5)

3rd ep by New Order in a Special Metallic Finish Limited Edition Sleeve. This was the first recording for BBC Radio 1's John Peel Show, but it was only released as the second Peel Sessions by New Order and the 39th overall album by Strange Fruit Records. These four tracks were all recorded in Jan. 1981 at a point where the band had so far only released two singles, and they all appear on the debut album Movement (1981), but the recording sessions for the John Peel Radio Show were made before the final versions for the debut album. It's really only a mystery as to why Strange Fruit Records (and John Peel) didn't release this session as the first with New Order. Maybe, Factory Records had a say because all songs appear on their release with the band? Anyway, this is a fine album showing the band with strong bonds to the post-punk sound of Joy Division.

[ collectors' item - 'metallic finish', ltd. edition sleeve - from ~ €40,- ]

New Order "Brotherhood" (1986)

Brotherhood
release date: Sep. 29, 1986
format: vinyl (FACT 150) / cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,61]
producer: New Order
label: Factory / MNW - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Paradise" (3 / 5) - 2. "Weirdo" (4 / 5) - 3. "As It Is When It Was" (4 / 5) - 4. "Broken Promise" (3,5 / 5) - 5. "Way of Life" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Bizarre Love Triangle" (4 / 5) - 2. "All Day Long" (3,5 / 5) - 3. "Angel Dust" (2,5 / 5) - 4. "Every Little Counts" (4 / 5)

4th studio album by New Order released as FACT 150 on Factory Records. I really loved the album back then, and equally as much as Low-Life (May 1985), but I tired of it after a year or two. I think, I felt it was too much alike the '85 album. Despite the fact that the band understood to reinvent itself and recorded another two fine successive albums after this, I didn't acquire them back then, and I simply had grown tired of the New Order sound and style, and perhaps basically tired of Peter Hook's bass-line hooks.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

New Order "The Peel Sessions: New Order" (1986) (ep)

The Peel Sessions: New Order, ep
release date: Sep. 27, 1986
format: vinyl (SFPS001) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,63]
producer: New Order
label: Strange Fruit - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Turn the Heater On" (4 / 5) - 2. "We All Stand" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Too Late" (3 / 5) - 2. "5-8-6" (3,5 / 5)

2nd ep by New Order. This was actually the second recording for BBC Radio 1's John Peel Show, as the first recording session was later released as SFPS 039 in '87. This ep is released with the catalog number SFPS 001, which indicates that it was the very first release by Strange Fruit Records, the record company co-founded by John Peel, primarily to release the many radio transmitted broadcasts of live studio sessions. These four tracks were all recorded Jun. 1982, and track #A2 and #B4 were later released on Power, Corruption & Lies (1983). The other tracks were only played on this occasion. "Turn the Heater On" is a rare track as it's a cover version of a reggae song (by Keith Hudson, apparently, played as a tribute to Ian Curtis who supposedly was very happy with the song). New Order hardly ever played cover songs except from their own Joy Division tracks and first from around 2000. I enjoy this ep as it shows the band in the transition period with a lot of post-punk and Joy Division trademarks, and with especially 5-8-6 the sound they move towards within synthpop.

New Order "World (The Price of Love)" (1993) (single)

World (The Price of Love), cd single
release date: Aug. 1, 1993
format: cd
[single rate: 3,5 / 5]
producer: New Order, Stephen Hague
label: Qwest / Warner Bros. - nationality: England

4 track single release from the album Republic released May '93. All tracks are alternate versions of the track included on the album. Two tracks are shorter version, one is the album version, and the last track is an almost 3 mins longer "Perfecto Mix" version [a mix by Paul Oakenfold (who founded Perfecto Records) and Steve Osborn].

New Order "The Perfect Kiss" (1985) (single)

The Perfect Kiss, 12''single
release date: May 13, 1985
format: vinyl (FAC 123)
[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: New Order
label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "The Perfect Kiss" (4 / 5) - 2. "Kiss of Death" - - B) 1. "Perfect Pit"

Single release by New Order as FAC 123 on Factory Records. The title track is taken from the studio album Low-Life (1985), and both album and single were released on the same date.
This was the last vinyl single that I purchased with New Order.

New Order "Low-Life" (1985)

Low-Life
release date: May 13, 1985
format: vinyl (FACT 100) / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,14]
producer: New Order
label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Love Vigilantes" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Perfect Kiss" (4,5 / 5) - 3. "This Time of Night" (3 / 5) - 4. "Sunrise" (3,5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Elegia" (4 / 5) - 2. "Sooner Than You Think" (4 / 5) (studio session) - 3. "Sub-Culture" (4,5 / 5) - 4. "Face Up" (4,5 / 5)

3rd studio album by New Order following Power, Corruption & Lies (May 1983) released as FACT 100 on Factory Records. Soon after the release, I found that this was the best album they had ever made. Today, I think of it as great but not quite as powerful as its predecessor from '83, but gosh, it's a fine and positive synthpop and dance pop album, which is enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

New Order "Murder" (1984) (single)

Murder, 12'' single
release date: May 1984
format: digital (FBN 22)
[single rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,72]
producer: New Order
label: Factory Benelux - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Murder" (2,5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Thieves Like Us" (Instr.) (3 / 5)

Single release by New Order as FBN 22 on the Belgian sub-label Factory Benelux. At this point I had just bought new singles and albums as they were released without listening to them first. As long as it was New Order, everything was in order... After this my expectations were beginning to calm down. I think the B-side clearly is the best, although, it's an instrumental version of the previous single release. Like the previous single "Thieves Like Us", both tracks are included on the 2008 'Collector's Edition' of Power, Corruption & Lies, but somehow it's not included on the 2005 compilation album Singles, which should be a a compilation of all single releases.

New Order "Thieves Like Us" (1984) (single)

Thieves Like Us, 12'' single
release date: Mar. 1984
format: vinyl (FAC 103)
[single rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: New Order
label: Factory / Rough Trade - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Thieves Like Us" (4 / 5) - - B) 1. "Lonesome Tonight" (Instr.) (3,5 / 5)

Single release by New Order as FAC 103 on Factory Records. A fine single, which is included on the Power, Corruption & Lies Collector's Edition album from 2008.

New Order "Taras Shevchenko" (1983) (Live in New York, November 18, 1981)

Taras Shevchenko, video
release date: Aug. 1983
format: vhs
[ vhs rate: 4 / 5]

Set list: 02:56 "Chosen Time" - 07:01 "Dreams Never End" - 10:23 "Everything's Gone Green" - 15:35 "Truth" -  20:12 "Senses" - 24:46 "Procession" - 28:46 "Ceremony" - 33:32 "Denial" - 38:32 "Temptation"

First official video featuring New Order. It was recorded from a live concert held in New York at Taras Shevchenko (The Ukranian National Home), Nov. 18, 1981 and was released Aug. 1983. I used to own this great live recording on VHS. It's the band's first tour in the US. Joy Division was scheduled to tour in the summer of 1980 - a tour that was cancelled because of lead vocalist Ian Curtis' suicide. The band continued as New Order with Gillian Gilbert on keyboard and guitar, and guitarist Bernard Sumner took the part as vocalist. This concert shows his unfamiliar part as vocalist. Later on he proved to do much better, but despite his poor singing qualities at this stage, it works, and perhaps mostly because of Stephen Morris' excellent job playing drums, and at times like a drum machine. Fantastic performance.

BEST OF 1983:New Order "Power, Corruption & Lies" (1983)

Power, Corruption & Lies
release date: May 2, 1983
format: vinyl (FACT 75) / cd
[album rate: 5 / 5] [4,77]
producer: New Order
label: Factory / MNW - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Age of Consent" (5 / 5) (studio session) - 2. "We All Stand" (4 / 5) - 3. "The Village" (5 / 5) - 4. "586" - - B) 1. "Your Silent Face" - 2. "Ultraviolence" (live in '83) - 3. "Ecstacy" - 4. "Leave Me Alone" (5 / 5)

2nd studio album by New Order released as FACT 75 / FACT SEVENTY FIVE on Factory Records (Factory / MNW in Scandinavia). Although, it doesn't even contain "Blue Monday" released only two months prior to this, PC&L stands as New Order's masterpiece. With this, New Order was way ahead of anyone else at the time just like when (they as) Joy Division made their two classic albums. This is one of those very rare albums that just sounds like that and nothing or no one else. If someone should pick the most important album of the 80s they'd be in serious trouble and doubt as to whether to choose Closer (1980) or Power, Corruption & Lies by the same people. One of my all-time favourite tracks is "Leave Me Alone".
A 'Collector's Edition' was released as a double cd with tracks omitted from the album like "Blue Monday", "The Beach", and 1984 tracks like "Confusion" and "Thieves Like Us". I can only give this album my highest recommendations as the music, now more than 30 years old, still seems new, fresh and timeless.
Every home should have one!
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Blender 5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

1983 Favourite releases: 1. New Order Power, Corruption & Lies - 2. Tom Waits Swordfishtrombones - 3. Big Country The Crossing

New Order "Blue Monday" (1983) (single)

Blue Monday, 12'' single
release date: Mar. 7, 1983
format: vinyl (FAC 73) / digital
[single rate: 5 / 5] [4,38]
producer: New Order
label: Factory Records - nationality: England UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Blue Monday" (5 / 5) (official video*) (studio session) - - B) 1. "The Beach"
*[shorter than the org. song]

Single release by New Order as FAC 73 on Factory Records. The A-single track is a cornerstone in modern popular music. After the initial shock of recognising this as a track by New Order, I fell for the new sound of alt. dance. The single is known for being the best-selling single ever. The B-side track has its own title but is in fact "just" an instrumental alternate version of the A-side.

New Order "1981-1982" (1982) (ep)

1981-1982, ep
release date: Nov. 1982
format: vinyl (FACTUS 8) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,20]
producer: Martin Hannett; New Order
label: Factory Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Everything's Gone Green" (5 / 5) - 2. "Procession" (5 / 5) - 3. "Mesh" (3,5 / 5) - - B) 1. "Temptation" (4 / 5) (studio session) - 2. "Hurt" (3,5 / 5)

1st studio ep release by New Order aka Factus 8 on Factory Records. It's a strong and classic ep, which signals a new sound of the band, but it still shows the bonds to the sound of Joy Division. Upon its release, my favourite tracks were #A2, #A1, and #B1, in that order. "Procession" is a marvellous track, I recorded on cassette from a radio program (it was originally released as the band's second single Sep. '81) before buying the album, and I played it over and over a zillion times. That bass-line, and progress in development is... gorgeous. It has both something of the new synthpop as well as much of the old post-punk, like heard on "Ceremony". It's the last album to be produced by Martin Hannett, who had worked with the band since the beginning, thus helping in shaping the sound and style of both Joy Division and New Order. But where the debut album Movement (1981) by New Order follows close in the footsteps of Joy Division, this ep signals a new era, which would really come through on the following album. The A-side is produced by Hannett, whereas New Order themselves produced the B-side.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5 stars ]