Technique
New Order
1989
Album Summary
Technique is the fifth studio album by English electronic rock band New Order. Released on 30 January 1989 by Factory Records, the album was partly recorded on the island of Ibiza, and incorporates Balearic beat and acid house influences into the group's dance-rock sound. The album was influenced by the then growing acid scene, and Sumner's experiences at Shoom in London. It was also New Order's final studio album to be released under Factory Records (though not their final Factory release, that being the following year's "World in Motion"); the label would declare bankruptcy in 1992 following a severe financial downturn caused primarily by the significant commercial failure of Happy Mondays' Yes Please!. Technique was the first New Order album to reach number one on the UK charts, and "Fine Time", the first single from the album, reached number 11. Remixed versions of "Round & Round" and "Run" were also released as singles.
WikipediaOoooooh mama. I once met Peter Hook in the bathroom of a strip club. He had a very powerful stream which made me feel like less of a man, as my useless penis could only spray out a few pale yellow drops of disappointment. As a result of that blow to my psyche, I went back out there and picked out the most coked up stripper I could find. She took me into the back and in a rage I thumped her round her temple, knocking her to the ground. As the blood trickled from her nose, I knew I had become a new, powerful alpha male. I laughed heartily. She died.
Hideous 80s synth tones--check. Ugly ass programmed drums--check. At least the rhythms are layered. There's also a welcome overlay of funk on the first track. Why was there such a sickening emphasis on the backbeat in 80s music? I'll give New Order this: they're big on interlocking instrumental parts, which gives their music interest it would otherwise not have. Another thing in the album's favor is that there is a fair degree of variety in the songs. Some of it's synth-heavy, some of it's more conventional guitar-based pop. Unfortunately, the melodies, harmonic content, and lyrics are bland and hackneyed, especially in the more conventional songs. This is not terrible for 80s pop, which ain't saying much. Three songs before the end of the album, I was dying for it to end. One and a half stars out of 5.
"What? Harmless? Is that all it's got to say? Harmless! One word!" Ford shrugged.
Power Corruption & Lies, Low-Life, Brotherhood and then this. What a run of albums.
Wonderful album! In my TOP 3 New Order's albums joined by "Power, Corruption and Lies" and "Brotherhood". Top Tracks; "All The Way", "Vanishing Point" , "Round & Round" and "Dream Attack" *****
I wonder what Joy Division member Ian Curtis would think if he were alive to hear what his post punk group had morphed into? I was actually a big fan of early New Order and I think they made some of the best dance music in the early 80s. Blue Monday and their earlier albums like Movement, Substance, Low Life, Power Corruption and Lies etc were on heavy rotation for me back in the day. I really hope some of their earlier material appear on this list because I really lost interest in the band when this album came out. It seems that they completely lost their bearings after spending 4 months partying on Ibiza. Hell they even got caught stealing from John Denver’s Leaving on a Jetplane. Apart from Round & Round this album doesn’t appeal to me as it deviates too far from their post punk synth sound to appeal to a very commercial radio listener
Really great album. I've never heard any of these New Order songs before. There were synthesizer sounds on this album that I've legit never heard before.
This is phenomenal! The drums and beats sound so damn huge - the amount of attention put into them, and effects layered over them... It's almost like a lead instrument for a lot of the album. The same goes for all of the programming though. The glitchy, saturated synths sound fantastic, and all of the effects are used in a way that's not just imaginative for that one instrument, but that integrates stupidly well into what everything else is doing. And thats saying nothing of the bass and guitars used on the album which are all thoughtfully used... These tracks just suck you in and make you groove.
Wow. Another shocker for me. I was *vaguely* familiar with New Order, but I thought they were some sort of generic 80s/90s hard rock group. This album cover is also not great. Combined, I thought I was in for a bad time. This was excellent! I don't listen to a ton of "Dance Rock", but maybe I should. I loved the rhythms, melodies, and vocals. This album at once sounded quintessentially 80s while also sounding like something completely new. Gotta add New Order to my rotation.
Way ahead of its time. Some great disco stuff in the second half and just a nice boppin album
Cool dance/house album sounds. I am big into the sound and feel after the first two tracks. Run is a great track to get lost to. Man what a great album to ride through. will have to give it another spin at some point
I enjoyed this. I'm going to look more into New Order, but I am interested in their development after Joy Division. I might go back to the beginning.
Some good tunes, starting with "Fine Time" which immediately brings in some synth drums and keyboard sounds that feel very dated now, especially the drum sounds which evoke a very 80s and early 90s house vibe. "All the Way" has a much more conventional 80s rock sound, carrying the cheesy synth drums but with a feeling that reminds me of bands like The Eagles, The Smiths and even Smashing Pumpkins. Other notable tracks are "Round & Round" which sounds much better in the 12" mix, and "Guilty Partner" which has a catchy minor bass ostinato and plaintive vocals, probably my favourite on the album so far. The second half of the song includes a short guitar solo that has almost a Spanish guitar feel which really adds to the song. "Run" comes next with a nice beat, but the simplistic chord progression gets a bit stale (seems like a I-IV plagal cadence with an occasional V sus chord... so three chords: C, F and G major). "Mr. Disco" gives us a bit of 80s dance flavour, although again due to the sampled instruments and FM synths used, it sounds a bit like Beverley Hills Cop or some other buddy cop show from the time. Some cool panning and volume modulation effects are used in the latter part of the song which makes things more interesting. The album also includes "Best & Marsh" which includes some nicely arranged instrumentals that keep the tune moving. There's even a synth cowbell, probably from the Roland TR-808, so that's a thumbs up from me. Overall a great album, although it feels a little dated due to the aforementioned FM synths and synth drums that often sound like the kind of music you'd hear on an Amiga tracker module.
I reviewed each song but had to be done. Fine Time: On hearing this I was like oh no another synthpop nightmare like The Human League (I didn't like them). As the song went on, I realised this song was incredibly varied and interesting - they had immense control over their synthesisers, and explored so many ideas in one song. And then they threw a sheep sound effect in there and I was sold. There was also a cool guitar riff at the end and I realised this song is just a unique and intriguing introduction to a very good album. All The Way - Really good! I find New Order's music really moving, while simultaneously keeping constant energy with the melodic bassline. Sounds good with the strings and various synth effects. I couldn't decide if this was "new wave" coz it was all dancey emo synthpop, but those melodic basslines reminded me of Joy Division's "post-punk" basslines. According to Wiki it's synthpop, dance, post-punk and new wave so whatever. Wiki also says this band is the reformed Joy Division after the death of Ian Curtis. WOW! Love Less - Also found this really moving. Acoustic guitar in synthy-pop is a really interesting choice, I'm into it. You've got multiple melodies here at once so that's real cool, with the guitars bass and vocals all in counterpoint at times. More realistic sounding cymbals than I normally expect from this genre but I like it. Round and Round - This one is ominous, and has constants parts playing at all times giving it a lot of energy. But here's where the vocals start to hold things back a little, coz the vocals don't match harmonically that well. It's hard to tell if it's intentional or whether the new singer just isn't that good, but his voice still sounds quite pleasant to be honest so I dunno. He's probably just in the wrong register for his voice but I'm not so knowledgeable on that. Guilty Partner - Melodic parts are a little more restrained and in the background here, so this song is a slight change of pace, and the vocals are kind of moving freely and not matching the music much. Run - This song stands out for me, it's pretty beutiful and moving. My favourite on here. I like how New Orders songs are actually a little longer than most pop songs, going past four minutes on most songs. Takes you on a bit more of a journey. Mr Disco - I kind of hate the vocals on this one, but luckily they're lower in the mix so it's okay. Everything else is good though. Vanishing Point - more ominous stuff, quite like this one. Run out of stuff to say, but I like all the synth bell stuff which breaks up the pace, and then comes back in with snare roll. Dream Attack - back with the acoustic guitar, sounds great! Backup vocals save the vocals here. In conclusion, some excellent stuff that I'm quite in to, and am curious to listen to more, as apparently their other albums were very commercially successful. Nearly 5 star but gotta be 4 star coz some of the vocals hold it back, and needs more change of pace, the energy here is very high and doesn't come down for very long at a time.
Man, this was an awesome album to listen to. I've heard some New Order before, but not this project. The first track is very electronic, dance music but a lot of the songs on here fit more into a new wave/alternative category. Especially the second track, which is nearly identical to "Just Like Heaven" by the Cure (one of my favorite songs of all time). I liked bouncing between those styles. All told there were only two songs on here that I didn't dig, which makes for an insane hit ratio. I could see this one becoming a five star album with more time. Favorite tracks: All the Way, Love Less, Run, Dream Attack, Vanishing Point. Album art: LOVE this one, and I've never even seen it before. All the colors here are phenomenal. Honestly shocking this was made in the '80s, this seems like something a vaporwave band from the last decade would have dreamed up. I'll never forget this one. 4.5/5
Like all New Order, this sounds primitive, primordial, like music in its most essential form. An effect achieved through chuka-chuka-chuka rhythms, paint-stripped vocals, repetitiveness bordering on ritualistic and every element being treated with equal regard (i.e. no hero worship of the guitar or singer). Weird thing is, their primitivism isn't compromised by the fact they're working with modern sounds and styles, synthesising disco with post-punk, ggbd with programmed sounds. When a sound from outside their usual palette comes in - say, the Spanish guitar on Dream Attack - it stands in beautiful relief to the hewed stone of the rest of the music, like an ornate vase in the middle of stone henge. As Sumner says at the start of that song, "Nothing in this world / Can touch the music that I heard / When I woke up this morning." Too early to say if they've managed to recreate that music here but the signs are good.
Hey, we just bought an emulator. What do we do with it? I dunno, just press one of the demo buttons and we'll record it
I like new order, they have some albums i really like, but this album is just utterly hillarious 1989 electro nonsense. this is what happens when the music teacher at school was late and the whole classroom is sat at a casio going mental with the most annoying sounds they can find. probably well ground breaking at the time, but in hindsight not the best bit of ground to be breaking.
FACT-275! Brilliant. Fun fact: none of the song titles are mentioned in the lyrics.
Great album, no filler, their best in my opinion. I even like Fine Time! Highlight is Dream Attack.
The funkiest, danciest, most layered electropop albums I've ever heard. Bops front to back.
Good album. The incorporation of acid house and dance beats definitely leads into the 90's club scene
Super interesting especially given their history as a band that arise from the ashes of Joy Division. The band is embracing electronic sounds influenced by club music yet can’t shake their new wave roots and the result is wonderfully moody and danceable music. This album has a great sense of space and doesn’t feel too cluttered; every layer is able to be heard clearly
Standout - Dream Attack I liked this album a lot, and I knew that I like New Order before this I was driving for most of it so I don't know the song names that well, which is why I only have one standout Cool bass sounds, synths, vocals and drums
An album I know very very well, my favourite album from my favourite band. Bernard Sumner’s vocals are at their Summery breezy best here, made in Ibiza it’s like this album picks up on that magic isle. It’s the perfect sunny day album, managing to be both upbeat but relaxing. Probably their most melodic album. Fine Time is unique, out on its own but works. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this album, it works really well as a whole. Highlights would be all songs but if I had to pick it would be Run, Mr Disco & Vanishing Point. New Order’s performance of Fine Time on TOTP is quite something too if you get a chance to watch.
This was a fantastic listen. Didnt know how it would go as it had no real singles that were successful.....didnt need them 5 stars
Jag älskar New Order man. det finns något i ljuden de använder och hur borta sångaren låter som får tankarna att gå...
Doesn't have the top top hits but in my opinion is one of their best overall albums. Catchy at every turn and easy to repeat listen. The beats are a lot more intense on this one and harkens to Pet Shop Boys.
This New Order album was new to me. I started making a list of my favorite tracks and ended up with Fine Time, Love Less, Round & Round, Run, Mr. Disco, Vanishing Point and Dream Attack. That leaves out only two songs. Listening again I realized it was absurd to leave out All The Way and Guilty Partner. Every song on this album is frickin' great! Attempts to determine my favorite track was an exercise in futility. I ended up playing Love Less, Vanishing Point and Dream Attack over and over as candidates for my favorite, so probably it is one of those. But I really love and could make a case for every song on the album. Technique is a phenomenal album! It is filled with cool synths, guitars, bass and drums. I’m constantly hearing some cool little flourish or twist in the music that makes me want to hear it again. This is dance music on a higher level. Every song is a delight - absolutely brilliant!
When this album popped up, my first thought was "Oh, I know this one." Turns out that I do not. Even after three listens, I would swear that it is the first time that I am hearing some of the tracks. I don't know what that means, but I really liked the album and plan to listen to it again (for the first time, I guess) and again.
This was one of the first CDs I ever bought back in the day. "Fine Time" was (and is, honestly) a favorite party tune. This is some fine music and nostalgia as well.
since I’ve already heard Low-Life, I thought I’d listen to Brotherhood before this album and Brotherhood was really good, definitely a 10/10, the singer kinda sounded like Pink Guy when he sang but overall awesome album Technique was kind of a surprise tho, a lot more of the electronic, discotheque stuff still super good tho, just hits different 10/10
I absolutely loved the moody romanticism of this album. Especially in that it also held an underlying positivity. I did start to wonder if it’s actually the music or if the music just fits my personality, but at the end of the day, I don’t care.
One of their best albums, good mix of bangers and emotional moody tracks
This was playing in a New York record shop near Columbia in 2004 and I was immediately in love. I knew New Order and knew their parent Joy Division but this album was soothing, familiar, catchy and fresh. Fresh even in 2004 and again in 2022
I love New Order. Yeah, maybe some of it is a bit dated sounding, but I don't care. There's so many great songs here. Round and Round and Dream Attack being my personal favorites. Round and Round is perfection if you ask me. Not their best work, but still really good and it is a no brainer 5.
Yes probably the most consistent of their albums and fully deserving of five stars, though its reputation as their'rave' album is overstated. Fine Time is a club banger, but the rest is 100% classic NO 80s sound.
Ah rakastan tätä yhtyettä! Tää on ehdottomasti kärkipäässä näiden julkaisuja, muttei paras. Menee kunnon tanssi/rock/synatykittelyn kärkikastiin heittämällä. 4,5/5 eli pyöristynee ylös
I liked it. I like their sound. The lyrical bass lines combined with the melody singing guitar parts. And they really do make lovely melodies.
A truly nostalgic listen which takes me straight back to sixth form. Still fantastic.
I can't even say why I love New Order, there's just something about the understated vocals and the electronic sounds that seems like it shouldn't work, but it does
I love this. So many great songs and way ahead of its time. More upbeat than other NO records, but nails that whole synthy/dancey rock vibe. I always feel like it’s taboo to say, but the older I’ve got the more I sway towards New Order rather than Joy Division.
Vette nummers, vette sound! Klinkt nog steeds relevant, wellicht ook door de grote diversiteit in synthlijntjes en andere arrangementen. Perfecte mix van goth, pop, en synthesizers.
Arguably not one of New Order's best... But I still adore it. Round and Round is one of my favorites songs of theirs, and the rest is great too. I considered giving this a 4, but I do think I like this more than the majority of my 4s, so... We'll call it a 4.5 rounded up. New Order are too damn good.
6/14 Disco balls & strobe lights. Standout Tracks: Love Less, Round & Round, Guilty Partner, Vanishing Point
Really liked this one! I don’t remember any specific songs actually but I remember really vibing LOL
Ensin ajattelin että plääh, miksi juuri tämä levy loistavalta bändiltä. Ennakko-olettamukset kuitenkin pyyhittiin pois parin ekan kuuntelun aikana - tämähän onkin ihan yhtä laadukasta kamaa kuin vanhemmat New Orderin homodiscoanthem-levyt. Muutama vähän heikompi tekele on mahtunut mukaan mutta pääasiallisesti äärimmäisen kovaa kasarijytkettä.
Ok, Szenario: was macht man, wenn man mit zuerst mit seiner alten Band den perfekten Popsong in die Ewigkeit geschrieben hat, dann mit der neuen Postpunk und Dancefloor fusioniert und zum Welterfolg gemacht, und dann alles Geld in die geilste aber auch pleiteste Disco der Welt gesteckt hat, was aber egal ist weil nach der Revolution kommt das eh alles weg? Klar, da braucht man doch mal Urlaub! Da fährt man nach Ibiza! Und lässt es krachen! Und dann nimmt man, mit dem ganzen Ibiza im Kopf, ein paar Songs und macht einfach weiter mit den Fusionen - aber diesmal halt mit Sound und Feeling und dem guten E der Insel im Kopf, statt mit der Paradise Garage. Das Ergebnis hören wir hier: da, wo sie am modernsten klingen wollen, klingen sie leider inzwischen bisschen alt, und die stärksten Momente sind immer die, wo Hooky den Kampf gegen die Sequencer doch noch gewonnen hat. Und wenn mich dann bitte jemand jetzt zurück nach 89 bringen würde?
Eigentlich alles drauf, was New Order in ihrer Gesamtheit so gut macht, von daher schade, dass ich das Album bisher so selten bis gar nicht durchgehört habe. Sollte ich mir jetzt öfter mal anhören. Mindestens 4+
Not a huge New Order fan, but on the whole I enjoyed this. A bit samey, but after the last few albums this probably gets an extra 0.5. 3.5/5
Älskar new order men har inte hört detta innan. All the time är bra i think
me está embolando, apenas voy en al segunda canción pero vergas está cm. está cm la vdd
While I am familiar with New Order, this is definitely not the sound I’m used to. I actually double checked the name of the band when I played the first song. Overall, New Order never disappointed me lyrically or melodically, yes, the instrumentals might’ve been too much for me at different points of the album, but isn’t that what the 80’s were all about? I liked 6 tracks of that, my favorites are: All The Way, Love Less, Run, Mr Disco, Vanishing Point, and Dream Attack. Dream Attack and Run were the absolute highlights of the album, in my opinion.
-Honestly a pretty weak 4, but this was better than quite a few of the 3's. Generally palatable electronic dance stuff with a bit of a rock vibe
really liked it, some of the music repeats itself but otherwise a great, fun, easy album to listen to.
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Fine time, All the way, Guilty partner, Dtram attack
- Fine time - dated mixing, odd opening track for album, sheep outro? 3/10 - All the way - hooky melody, solid mixing, coherant synths 7/10 - love less - emotive vocals 6/10 nice accoustic guitars - round and round - stab synths.. how original. interesting outro. 5/10 - guilty partner - nice vibes, not my vibes though. 4/10 - run - not bringing anything new in second half but authentic, dist guitars pop 8/10 (got a like) - mr disco - love song. eh? were the drums a big deal at the time? 5/10 - vanishing point - vocals wtf. distinctive vibes 6/10 - dream attack - raw piano nice. standout for effort? overstay's welcome. overall: 6.5/10, retrospectively generic, likely defined it's genre. Genre - ick overall thoughts: vanilla clubby poppy synth with a hint of drugs addled mixing. Kids these days dont appreciate the greats because everyone ended up sounding like them? sounds like a time in the world.. you had to be there?
Liked their earlier work a lot more, but there is still a lot of JD’s original sound left here.
Cool stuff. Didn't know what was coming next. I owe this album more listens
This was an odd one to me. How they bounce back and forth from electronic to Brit pop makes it not a cohesive album for me. I prefer the Brit pop songs over the electronic.
"Parasites and literasites They'd burn me if they can" (All the way) "The picture you see is no portrait of me It's too real to be shown to someone I don't know And it's driving me wild It makes me act like a child" (Round n round) "Ibiza, Majorca, and Benidorm too I've searched all these places but never found you." (Mr Disco) "Nothing in this world can touch the music that I've heard When I woke up this morning" (Dram Attack) bisexual rights
This is the first album with an "acid house" label that I've actually enjoyed. Best track: Run
Ritmes balears de finals dels 80, noves idees per la banda que els hi senten genial. Un disc molt de l'època però que curiosament encara sona fresc. 'Round & Round' és un dels seus millors temes