Low-Life

I have a few New Orders albums, not this one. Actually, I don't recognise any of the songs. Starts great, sounds like New Order, no duds but then again no total standouts. 3.5 rounded up Heard before? No Owned: No 59/247 (23%) Will I get: Maybe

Jeg kan faktisk ret godt lide det. Jeg er overrasket over det, fordi det er så sindsygt dateret i lyden, men på en charmerende måde. Den får lige et lyt mere idag. 👌

Bellino dai. Musica anni 80 ma non è noiosa.

Released on **May 13, 1985**, *Low-Life* represents a pivotal moment for New Order. It was their third studio album, recorded at Britannia Row and Jam Studios in London, and notably the first to feature the band members' faces on the cover—wrapped in tracing paper that had to be torn open. This was a significant departure from Peter Saville's typically abstract designs . --- ## Lyrics Bernard Sumner's lyrical approach on *Low-Life* is characteristically **deceptively simple yet emotionally resonant**. The album showcases a fascinating duality: **Narrative Storytelling:** "Love Vigilantes" opens the album with what appears to be a straightforward country-tinged tale of a soldier returning from war—though many interpret it as the ghost of a fallen soldier. Inspired partly by Kenny Rogers' "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town," it carries an anti-Vietnam War message beneath its bittersweet melody . **Dark Humor and Provocation:** The band's mischievous side emerges in tracks like "The Perfect Kiss" (originally titled "I've Got A Cock Like The M1") with lines like *"Tonight I should have stayed at home/Playing with my pleasure zone"* and "Sub-culture's" *"You realise you can't shaft without someone else"* . These deliberately provocative lyrics, delivered with deadpan sincerity by backing vocalists, create moments of unintentional hilarity. **Existential Melancholy:** "This Time of Night" features the album's title source—a sample of journalist Jeffrey Bernard saying *"I'm one of the few people who lives what's called a low-life"* from his *Spectator* column. The sample caused controversy when Bernard threatened legal action, leading the band to sneakily reduce its volume to a barely perceptible whisper while keeping it on the record . **Collective Writing:** Unlike "Love Vigilantes," most lyrics were written collectively by the entire band, contributing to the album's diverse emotional palette . --- ## Music & Sound *Low-Life* represents New Order's **most eclectic musical statement**, seamlessly blending multiple genres: **Genre Fusion:** The album moves from country-tinged pop ("Love Vigilantes") to ecstatic dance-rock ("The Perfect Kiss"), brooding instrumentals ("Elegia"), and guitar-driven rock ("Sunrise"). This diversity is arguably the album's greatest strength . **"The Perfect Kiss":** A nine-month production journey that became the album's centerpiece. The track features the famous "frog solo"—the band sampled a pinball machine flipper after Warner Brothers demanded $30,000 to license the "That's All Folks!" sample . **"Elegia":** A 17.5-minute instrumental edited down to under five minutes, dedicated to Ian Curtis on the fifth anniversary of his death. Inspired by Ennio Morricone's score for *For A Few Dollars More*, it creates a "cyclical motif" of "twinkling glacial keyboards, ringing bass, alternately shimmering and choppy guitars" . **Innovative Techniques:** For "Sunrise," the band achieved a metallic lead guitar tone by removing strings and placing small metal washers at the bridge end. "Sooner Than You Think" opens with the same sampled congas as "The Perfect Kiss" . **The Cure Connection:** "This Time of Night" features a bass sequencer melody that Robert Smith noted was "a direct steal" from The Cure's "A Forest"—slowed down. Smith took it good-humoredly, suggesting the band "must have had a few beers, got drunk, put the Cure record on and then decided 'wow! that sounds like a good tune!'" . --- ## Production **Self-Production:** Produced by New Order themselves with engineering by Michael Johnson, the album reflects the band's growing confidence in the studio. Stephen Morris noted: *"With Low-life, I think we grew up and became a proper band... we wrote great songs and played them with conviction"* . **Technological Evolution:** The band adopted MIDI and SMPTE timecode, adding a Voyetra-8 polyphonic analogue synth to their existing gear from *Power, Corruption & Lies*. The mixing process at Britannia Row was described as "slow and painstaking" . **Tension and Chaos:** The sessions were fueled by cocaine (a new addition to their previous habits of pot and acid), alcohol, and increasing internal friction. Bernard Sumner's habitual lateness, chaotic working patterns, and the band's divergent lifestyles (Morris, Sumner and Gilbert being nocturnal while Hook tried to maintain boundaries) created pressure . **The "Sub-Culture" Remix Controversy:** The John Robie remix of "Sub-culture" for single release was widely criticized as "over-egged/overcooked," though later Razormaid remixes were more favorably received . --- ## Themes **Duality of "Low-Life":** The album title encapsulates its central tension—between the hedonistic, nocturnal club culture (the band frequented leather subculture clubs like Skin Two, inspiring "Sub-culture" and "This Time of Night") and moments of genuine emotional vulnerability . **Memory and Loss:** "Elegia" explicitly memorializes Ian Curtis, while the album as a whole represents the band's navigation of their post-Joy Division identity—no longer purely post-punk, not yet purely dance-pop. **War and Violence:** Beyond "Love Vigilantes," the Falklands War influenced the album's atmosphere, with Bernard's military obsession shaping lyrics . **Sexuality and Subculture:** The leather/S&M club scene permeates tracks like "Sub-culture," reflecting the band's immersion in these worlds—Peter Saville was even spotted "skulking in the shadows" at such clubs, claiming to be "just curious" . --- ## Influence & Legacy **Chart Success:** *Low-Life* became New Order's first album to chart in America, reaching #94 on the Billboard 200. "The Perfect Kiss" hit #1 on the UK Indie Singles chart and #5 on US dance charts . **MTV Breakthrough:** The Jonathan Demme-directed video for "The Perfect Kiss" helped establish New Order as MTV stars, bridging indie credibility with mainstream exposure . **Genre Creation:** As one reviewer noted, *Low-Life* was *"the first in a genre no one could name, but everyone recognised"*—perfectly synthesizing bass-driven post-punk with electronic dance music . **Cover Versions:** The Oyster Band covered "Love Vigilantes" as a single in 1989, demonstrating the track's belated recognition as a classic . **Cultural Permanence:** Forty years later, the album remains *"one of New Order's defining works"* and *"still shines as brightly as ever"* . --- ## Pros | Aspect | Strength | |--------|----------| | **Diversity** | Seamlessly blends country, synth-pop, rock, dance, and ambient instrumentals—no two tracks sound alike | | **Songcraft** | Contains some of New Order's most enduring songs: "The Perfect Kiss," "Love Vigilantes," "Elegia," "Sunrise" | | **Production** | Flawless self-production that balances electronic precision with human warmth | | **Emotional Range** | Moves from euphoric dance tracks to melancholic tributes without losing coherence | | **Innovation** | Pioneering use of sampling, MIDI, and genre fusion that influenced countless synth-pop and dance-rock acts | | **Band Chemistry** | Peter Hook's melodic bass, Sumner's guitar textures, Morris's drum programming, and Gillian Gilbert's synths achieve perfect interplay | | **Accessibility** | More immediately engaging than *Power, Corruption & Lies* while maintaining artistic integrity | --- ## Cons | Aspect | Weakness | |--------|----------| | **Vocal Limitations** | Bernard Sumner's "slightly strained vocal style" and "nasally" delivery can be "grating" to some listeners—one reviewer compared it to "a guy singing karaoke at a bar after several drinks" | | **Lyricism** | Some critics find the lyrics "simple" or "nursery rhyme" level—"mundane and banal subject matter" that occasionally feels like an afterthought | | **Inconsistency** | The extreme diversity means not every track appeals to every listener; "Sooner Than You Think" is sometimes cited as a relative weak spot | | **Mix Issues** | Some tracks suffer from "weird" mixing choices—"This Time of Night" features "overdubbed drum fills [that] practically coat the song" | | **"Sub-culture" Remix** | The single remix by John Robie is widely considered "godawful naff" and "dated" compared to the album version | | **Cultural Barriers** | The 80s production aesthetics (gated reverb drums, specific synth sounds) can sound "dated" or "like someone just got a new Casio for Christmas" to modern ears | --- ## Conclusion *Low-Life* stands as **New Order's most eclectic and arguably most complete album**—the moment when they fully synthesized their post-punk heritage with dance music innovation. While Bernard Sumner's vocals and occasionally simple lyrics remain points of contention, the musical achievement is undeniable. The album captures a band at the height of their creative powers, navigating internal tensions and external pressures to create something that defined an era and influenced generations of electronic and alternative music. As Stephen Morris reflected: *"Everybody knew what they were doing and even if we didn't realise it at the time, we were somewhere near the top of our game"* . Forty years on, that assessment holds true—*Low-Life* remains a cornerstone of 1980s music, bridging the gap between rock and electronic dance culture in ways that still resonate today.

Great album by New Order feat many of my favourite tracks by them like Elegia and Love Vigilantes.

New Wave and Post Punk are such a hit or miss genres for me, and I blame it on this list, because it features an incredibly amount of bland and mediocre records that fall under these categories. As a result, I thought I wasn't going to like this, and the first seconds didn't help, as it opens with the drum sounding incredibly loud and with that particular sound of the 80's I cannot stand. However, it seems like I shouldn't have doubt the band previously known as Joy Division, because this album actually slaps. What I thought was going to be a generic pop album from the 80's turned out to be a very moody, melodic and grandiose post-punk record with some touches of synth-pop. I want to make emphasises in the moody sound of this album, as it is the aspect I enjoyed the most. It reminded my a lot of The Cure, not only because the bass and vocals sound incredibly similar, but also because some songs have some gloomy and sad atmospheres with the very vulnerable and intimate melodies. The best examples of dark moments are "This Time of Night", "Sunrise", "Elegia" and "Sub-culture", being very slow and deep songs. "Sunrise" might not be as slow as the others, but it has a very sinister intro and I also wanted to mentioned it because I believe it is the best song of the album. The choruses in here are sound absurdly epic and grandiose and the vocals are super expressive. Although its darkness is great, this album is also incredibly catchy and vibrant. There are a handful of quite cheerful and uplifting parts, like the opening "Love Vigilantes", the very ambitious "Perfect Kiss" and its use of frog sounding noises and the very infectious ending "Face Up". So yes, I was incredibly surprised with this. It may have some dated aspects from the 80's, but in this instance, it didn't even bothered me.

4/5

Really like this. It is interesting, enchanting and well put together. Solid 4.

Good find

Great new wave sound captured here on an enjoyable album.

Oh this has that song from Stranger Things. I didn’t know the others here as I only know a handful of their songs, but ya, good stuff.

Pretty cool

Love this album. Clean 80s alternative sound.

I was not too familiar with new order and was really impressed with this album. I thought of them as dance music and this is far more than that.

Powerful and moody

Class

This is a bit of me this. Love the bass and synth driving the songs. Like the Cure esq vocals. Like the vibe of wearing Sergio Tacchini and Fila on the dance floor. A fun and at times anthemic listen. I like it more than Unknown Pleasures I'd go as far to say.

Aww man. Dang it! I really thought I had found my next 5 star album. I just wrapped listening to the last two songs before writing this, and while they were fine, I didn't love them as much as the rest of the album before it. And considering there's only 8 tracks, that has to just SLIGHTLY bring this down to 4.5 stars. Still, REALLY enjoyed this listen, had only heard of New Order from the Blue Monday song, and they have some good stuff! Kind of sounds like The Cure meets a happier version of early Nine Inch Nails.

7.5/10 - Good album. Reminds me of The Cure in a few songs which is high praise. Hard to believe this band came out of Joy Division.

There isn't a bad song on here but it's less emotionally charged than some of their other work. Good vibes and good grooves. 8/10

Dope

I always thought the two versions of Joy Division/New Order were distinct but even in the third album of the second iteration you can still hear the angst of the former, but with synths. Let’s be honest Sumners vocals are not a patch on Curtis , but this band would not exist if Ian had not died.

Great album - solid

New Order has a unique sound I've always enjoyed and this is no exception. Personally the vocals really appeal to me and complete the effect. There are some outstanding songs on this and a few slightly weaker ones, but overall this is great.

4⭐️/5 02.08.2026

I tend to think of New Order as a singles band but this holds up. Still not sure I’d choose it over Substance but enjoyed it.

Pretty good, but not my favourite New Order album I would say. Some standout tracks mixed with some mixed synth-post punk styles. I prefer it when they fully embrace one or the other. Still a great time though. 03/0226

I thought was quite good

The only band to have one foot on electropop and the other on rock'n'roll. No other band from this era is as musically rich. "Love Vigilantes" has to be taken without prejudice. "Perfect Kiss" is the electro equivalent of prog.

Great record! I usually don't listen to new wave or whatnot, but this album has just the right amount of diverse and rich tracks. 'Love Vigilantes' is one hell of an opening. I will definetely return to this one.

Love vigilantes I knew already, one of my favourite tracks fron the 80s 10/10!). The rest was not consistent enough for 5 stars overall, but a few more glimpses of brilliance (Sunrise!)

8/10. Love the instrumentals... but not a huge fan of the vocal delivery. A solid album though!

I listened to the album first with vocals, and thought it's a shocking mix of some of the worst singing and best instrumental I've ever heard. Then I listened to it without vocals, and it's truly a masterpiece.

New Order always sounds like New Order

Electronic dance music with dark lyrics. I liked it! Torn between a 3 and a 4.

fave songs: Sunrise, Love Vigilantes, Sooner Than You Think SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD. i did not know that new order had game like this... i am not a huge joy division fan so i think that put me off of new order but maybe i need to put myself back on because this album was fire, so cohesive, the 80s continues to be the best decade for music probably ever

chill nothing insane

Substance is so great that I’m not sure I ever listened to a New Order album: my mistake.

I had never heard of this band or album before, but I can see how their influence rippled forward for bands like LCD Soundsystem. It wasn't all for me, but I really enjoyed parts and it may just be a gateway for me to get into New Order and contemporaries like The Smiths. 7/10

Really good - no obvious stand out tracks, but all decent - think will be even better after a few more listens

Dig this, have always liked New Order when they come up. Elegia and Sub-Culture highlights

Very 80s very vibes

I really enjoyed this even on first listen. I think Newwave could be good for me.

About halfway through this album on initial listen I thought "is this The Cure?" and checked the year of release. Same year as Head on the Door which may very well be my favourite Cure album of not top 3. This sounds massively similar, which means I love it. I am very familiar with New Order, as are most due to Blue Monday but it is strange rating this before any Joy Division. Having heard their other work this album was a surprise in the best of fashions, and is incredibly coherent and cohesive in structure, and while there are no definitive catchy bangers like on many other New Order albums I actually prefer that. There's no massive high to compare to, and that makes listening to the full album in a single session pretty easy. I didn't even clock it was 40 minutes, which is fairly standard but I did double check expecting to see a low 30 runtime, which is just further expression that this is a fantastically consistent. I am tempted to give this a 5 based on pure bias but I am trying to be more intensive about what does and doesn't cross that threshold. I adore the sound but I think the writing isn't quite up to snuff, but again if you're a fan of the Cure especially in that mid 80s era this is a definitive recommendation. It's getting a very high push up the list because I am just that much of a fan of this sonically. Best songs: Sunrise / Elegia Worst songs: N/A Rank compared to everything else so far: 19/53 (below Nevermind the Bollocks, above The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady)

Yeah this was a good listen. I liked the vocals up until the last song. He's a lot better at singing nowadays. Got a lot of feel and oomph from just a guitar and a few synths. Good stuff.

the perfect kiss? the perfect song more like

This rocks. I love those synths. Just good songwriting all around here. Not the best thing ive listened to on here but easily in the top half. Saved a bunch of tracks and will be happy when they come up. It feels like another goth rock type album but less depressing than the usual of that genre. Had alot of somber moments but just ad many joyful moments as well. I appreciate having that vibe from this type of music. Good stuff all around

Quite suprised this made it on, over Power Corruption and Lies and Brotherhood, given both of them are stronger albums and have more recognisable singles. Nevertheless, it's a strong continuation of New Order's 80s hot streak, with the Perfect Kiss being a top ten New Order song.

Man, what a great band. Love Vigilantes and Face Up were my favorite tracks, but really this whole album put me in a good mood.

As 'Lost Vigilantes' starts, you'd swear you'd heard that from some early Beatles record ('Love Me Do,' or is it 'I Want to Hold You Hand'?), but the lyrics, which are a tongue-in-cheek analysis of a vet returning home from Nam, are almost mockingly American, placing you in some weird meeting-ground for Bruce Springsteen (Born in the U.S.A.) and The Kinks (Arthur). The rest of the record, which is very good, but not as stunning as the first track ('Elegia' is a beautiful but meaningless instrumental), is an alloy of the tormented accents of Robert Smith and Blondie's ironic-not-so-ironic take on dance-rock. Not as grand as Power, Corruption, and Lies, which boasts the perfect 'Age of Consent,' Low-Life is nonetheless a classic of its time.

Absolutely fantastic album, but just a few weak tracks in the middle. Overall loving this new discovery though, never knew about this group before this project.

Glad I gave this one a fair chance. It didn’t grab me on the first listen, but after a few spins, I grew to really like it. 4/5 Highlights: Love Vigilantes Elegia

8.5/10 Best songs: The Perfect Kiss, This Time of Night, Sunrise, Elegia Kind of like a less-depressing and more synth-heavy Depeche Mode. I am VERY into the music - but man, the singer's voice is... not the best. I think the first half of the album (through Elegia) is genius, more than deserving of 5 stars, but I was thinking the last few songs are a bit weak. Overall a great discovery and a band I'll revisit in the future, but not a perfect album.

Love this album. British new wave, at its best.

Sunrise goes so fucking hard.

so good, re-listened immediately afterwards

i've never really listened to new wave much before so this was a nice introduction to the genre! i have to say i wasn't a massive fan of the first track (sorry!) but the rest of the album was really good and the use of synths was so catchy and upbeat that it kept me wanting more!

Overall very good, only a few songs where the instrumentation just didn’t sit right with me. But definitely will listen to again.

One of their best. Peter Hook rocks

SOOOOO GOOD, so bouncy and dancey and happy and sad and fun and devastating

New Order is a major blind spot for me (I basically only know 1986’s Brotherhood) so it was really interesting to dig into these 8 lengthy and forward thinking tracks which I found to be very atmospheric. Will require repeat listening to really wrap my head around the song structures.

good album, a bit 80s goofy at times but some of the songs were really standout. Specifically sunrise and elgia.

Really good. Not my style but I definitely see why it's so popular.

enjoyed it a lot!! v joy division/the smiths estque

Excellent

Never listened to this one beyond the singles before. Always preferred their gloomy post-Joy Division period but really enjoyed this

I love new order but this album isn't my favourite. 3.5 Edit: I got technique and this mixed up. This is unreal.

Better than I expected

New Order has been making good to great to excellent albums for over 40 years.

I’ve always been a casual fan of New Order but I don’t know something really clicked with me on this one. Danceable but still quite dark and full of great basslines

Not my favorite from New Order, but clearly one that deserves its place here!

This was a banger. Intro track was fire, so was the rest of the album

1.Love vigilantes=7/10 2.The Perfect kiss=8/10 3.This time of night=7/10 4.Sunrise=7/10 5.Elegia=6/10 6.Sooner than you think=8/10 7.Sub-culture=7/10 8.Face up=8/10 Overall:7.5/10

One of my favourite New Order albums. Amazing production. Favourite Track - Sunrise 8/10

Great album, lovely sound, great vocals, found it did drag towards the end but had fun listening

Fav track: sunrise I haven’t heard this album by new order before so it was nice to hear something new!

Great vibes, memorable melodies

I love 80s post-punk, I love new wave, I love a darker atmosphere but something I can still dance to. This was great for me!

fire flames

I liked it...I don't know the timeline of these English bands but it sounds like a less goth-y Cure and reminds me of the Smiths. These blokes had a good sound back then.

An Album that shaped my youth

Lowpoints are way too busy for my liking (Perfect Kiss, Sub-Culture, Face Up) but the highs are so cathartic. Sunrise and Sooner Than You Think are elite.

Really enjoyed this one and it’s dark synth-alt pop makeup. Sub-culture was my top track which was followed by face-up, my least favorite track. The lyricism and poignant themes stuck out to me the most and connected me with album.

This album is like Disintegration but better. I guess Disintegration is Low-Life but not as good since it came out 4 years later, but that's besides the point. It's just really good Pop music, that's the point. I really like the instrumentals. I feel like "gothic" is the word I'm looking for to describe them, but something about it feels different from the notably very gothic synth-heavy bands from the same decade, especially with Elegia. I feel like the album trails off a bit after Elegia and generally I wish there would be more songs like Love Vigilantes that get away from the same kind of breakup lyrics, but it's still better than Disintegration, so it's pretty good.

I wrestle with Low-Life. Seems like a bold push forward and also seems to possess a bit of trepidation embracing new technology. The result sometimes makes things feel a bit stilted. Overall, some very solid songs marred by some sub-par vocals. (Sub-culture and Face Up being the worst offenders) I feel a bit biased with this one.

Weirdly like a backing soundtrack to something 80’s like stranger things. Liked quite a few instrumental songs, their singing kinda ruined it in a few.

Can't quite put my finger on why but just really enjoyed the vibe. Quite different and boppy, reminds me of Mum a bit - just a nice easy listen.

This Time Of Night // Sunrise // Elegia // Sooner Than You Think // Sub-Culture // Face Up 4.5/5

kom ud i en tid hvor synth-pop var begyndt at blive rigtig populært. New order er jo tidligere Joy Division som var mere post-punket og mørkt, men det her bevarer nu stadig det mørke synes jeg. Men man kan også høre det er mere danceable og groovy. Man kan rigtig høre de der programmerede 80'er trommer, så det lyder bare mega 80'er agtig med guitar indblandet. Men stadig rimelig simple 4/4 strukturer og guitarspil og catchy melodier og omkvæd. Jeg må indrømme jeg synes kombinationen af rock og elektronisk er mega fedt og det er nok derfor jeg også kan lide Stone roses, happy mondays, LCD-soundsystem etc som de her også har inspireret rigtig meget. Der er også rigtig meget af det som lyder meget som disintegration/the cure som jeg synes er rimelig klart og tydligt at der er inspiration fra. altså fra the cure. Der er dog noget med hans vokal som irriterer mig lidt hen af mod slutningen, hvor det lyder alt for meget som om han synger urent? jeg tror måske det er meningen, men jeg kan slet ikke fjerne fokus fra det. Det lyder næsten uproffesionelt. MEn det er det eneste som gør at det ikke bare er straight up topkarakter fra mig

Had a bit of a turn round with this. I've never really clicked with New Order, apart from some mega singles. On first listen, I struggled with Sumner's singing voice. He's not a natural singer and some of the lyrics aren't great. BUT. The sound of New Order is unique. The first song seems to be a letter home from a soldier - I didn't expect this. This disarmed me. I dropped me preconceptions and realised that New Order are a great band. I might not revisit this album much, but I'm looking forward to Power, Corruption and Lies at some point in the near-ish future.

Esta bueno, 8/10 ochentoso. Pero los banco una banda

This is where New Order makes the transition from post-punk to dance music. By incorporating both, they create something truly new and exciting for 1985. rock bands and synths, what a concept. New Order were on a streak, continued from Power, Corruption, & Lies (my favorite New Order album), and showed no signs of letting up. There really aren't any misses on this album. "Love Vigilantes", "The Perfect Kiss" and "Elegia" are my favorites, but the whole album is truly good.

Impressive as usual

Stranger Things vibes. Terrible 80s drums/production but damn this album is actually so good.

Very good

Liked it.

very nice

In the year 2025, this album oozes retro cool, and especially with the synths. Favorite track: "This TIme of Night," "Elegia"

Love this one. Really solid classic rock, totally rooted in the blues, album that I hadn't heard before.

Album 60/1001 Manc for it 🐝 🐝 🐝 🐝

Better than I recall but may be a bit overrated. Still gonna give a 4 tho

4.5. In the end you will submit its got to hurt a little bit

3.5 A lot of great tracks! but some middling ones too

8.0/10 Wow what a surprise this was. Never listened to early New Order before and loved the guitar heavy tracks. Thought some tunes sounded like The Cure and Nine Inch Nails. Really enjoyed this one!!

Love Vigilantes 3.8 The Perfect Kiss 3.7 This Time of Night 3.5 Sunrise 3.6 Elegia 3.7 Sooner Than You Think 3.6 Sub-culture 3.4 Face Up 3.4 Score: 3.5875

One of the best New Order albums. The first half is one great song after the next. Moody, angular but also full of warm synths, it finds a common ground between post-punk and dance - and with that New Order’s influence cannot be understated. The second half isn’t as strong as the first. And Sunrise may be the best song The Cure never wrote.

Really consistent album with recognizable New order guitar and voice in every song. Particularly enjoyed the perfect kiss and Sunrise but the album as a whole is good

Liked this one a lot. An interesting mix of songs and moods

new wave bop

Fantastic album, five star potential I will be revisiting! A strong 4/5

Went over this album a week ago, and it passed me by completely. Returned again yesterday, and something clicked. My new-found appreciation was probably partly because I listened on a way better sound system, but it really came alive in another way. The album feels very much like a synth record to me, a feeling enhanced due to the heavy chorus use on guitar. Sounds a bit like a mix between Depeche Mode and Petshop Boys. I found many songs I liked on the record: The first three ones, 'Elegia', and 'Sub-culture'. Most of the record was quite good sounding, with very few duds. After listening to this again I think it actually deserves a weak 4. Very good sounding record still, and the songs hold up well. It definitely sounds dated though, not doubt.

The only song I really know by New Order is Blue monday. This sounded a lot more like 80s pop than I was expecting. My favourite songs were the ones furthest form this sound. “Sunrise” was by far my favourite song with it’s guitar driven riffs. My other favourite was “Elegia” which just sounded dark and ambient. The weakest part of this album may be it’s vocals. They really work for some tracks but for many they are a dud. I mean, the vocals sound like bad kareoke on “Sub-Culture”. I have trouble settling between a strong 3 or a weak 4. I started listening a second time and the album started to grow on me. Weak 4 it is.

Favorite track(s): Love Vigilantes, The Perfect Kiss, Sunrise

Not much to say here. I like it. You give me pacy, melodic guitar and keyboard-driven music and I'm a happy camper. I'm not the biggest fan of Bernard Sumner's vocals, but his voice doesn't lessen the overall impact for me. Can take or leave the instrumental "Elegia" and weirdly-mixed "Sub-Culture", but otherwise every song is good.

New Wave has never sounded better, this might actually be my favourite New Order album at this point.

another album from new order. it's more of that spacey, synthy dance pop music that i've heard before... not sure if it's any different from the last one. from what i've read, this is their first album where they've really dived into that synth dance pop sound. it's strange to me, new order to me is one of the greatest examples of alternative synth pop groups, and yet when i listen to a lot of albums by them, i don't fully get into it. maybe it's too spacey, maybe the production is a little messy. it's not to say this album or other albums by the group is terrible, i think there's just an extra bit of polish that's needed on a lot of these songs in my opinion. the songs are pretty great though.

8/10 Favourite: Love Vigilantes Least Favourite: Sooner Than You Think

This is my kind of 80's music. I found myself drawn to Elegia in particular.

favourite: love vigilantes

Vette new wave

Se merecen un buen trato los muchachos

Melancholy post-punk / synth-pop that reminds me of both The Cure and Depeche Mode. I really enjoyed it but some of the more 80s elements haven't aged so well and I didn't really like the vocals. Love Vigilantes sounds really familiar and is great, as is Elegia.

The guitars are really nice. The singing… he is one of those guys that is a crap singer, but there is something captivating about his voice.

I like the second half of the album better than the first half, but overall, quite a good album.

winner, this'll get more play

i wish to club in the late 80s

Ah some really good new wave melodies from a band that likes Nazi stuff too much. Also this album cover is bad. Top tracks: "Love Vigilantes," "The Perfect Kiss," "Sub-culture," "This Time of Night"

Love Vigilantes - 4/5 The Perfect Kiss - 3/5 This Time of Night - 4/5 Sunrise - 5/5 Elegia - 3/5 Sooner Than You Think - 4/5 Sub-Culture - 4/5 Face Up - 5/5 Average score: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

some songs on substance got a better sound to it then on here. but there are some bangers on here i havent heard, solid 4

joy division you can dance to

yeah why not partie 2 ❤︎: Love Vigilantes, Sooner Than You Think, Sub-Culture, Face Up

A lubię New Order. elektronika nie jest tu nachalna, raczej stanowi tło niż główny sens i motyw przewodni. Utwory są melodyjne i wpadają w ucho. Nic mi się nie dłuży. 7/10

4,1 - Ein Album wie aus einem Guss. Ohne den einen Hit ist es von vorne bis hinten ein Erlebnis. Highlights: Sunrise, Elegia

Classic New Wave goodness

120/1001 :: New Order - Low-Life Heard before? :x: Would I revisit? :white_check_mark: Rating: 8 Listen before you die: Yes (especially if you fancy Joy Division) I’ve heard songs from this album before specifically Love Vigilantes (maybe my favorite New Order song) which I love, but never this whole album. And 2 things really struck me about this album. First, I’m no New Order expert but it’s the most Joy Division sounding album they have (which is awesome). Second, the vocals on this album are not great. Sumner does his best here but I don’t ever recall a New Order album where I was like wow they miss Ian Curtis but it’s very apparent here. Either way this album has great songs and they all hold together really well. I think I just found my "go-to" New Order album.

Took a few playthroughs, but this was really good 80s pop! Favourite tracks: Love Vigilantes, The Perfect Kiss, Elegia, Sooner Than You Think, Sub-culture.

There's no band in the world that sound more like themselves than new order. The effects on the guitar and bass are so good and so them. Its good. Not sure its as good as the other new order album on the list but its grrrrreat

Despite the weak vocals I found the album enjoyable. Some Joy Division vibes but not as dark or moody, definitely more dance oriented.

Very good!

It was quite good and had a solid alt 90's sound. Interesting and fun to listen to.

Synth pop is usually not my thing, but this is such an awesome album that I really enjoyed it from start to finish. Great musicianships, playing overall sound. It's a 4.5, pretty close to 5.

Classic album with several timeless tracks.

Really good

What a great album to start with. A pure 80s classic. I hadn't heard this in a while. I didn't like it back in the 80s so that was a nice reminder of how uncool I was. Thanks for that.

I enjoyed this! 80s 80s 80s synths synths synths. I need to get more into it to really dig into the lyrics. But I’m really enjoying what I’m hearing. I went back to listen to elegia multiple times, it just sounds so barren and epic. All tho production makes me wanna dance. I am a shameless synth pop lover. 3.5/5

New Order’s for feeling things. So in no particular order: Thank you to Bernard Sumner for never yielding and, oh, I don’t know, getting some singing lessons sorted; it is you who normalised thin and wispy vocals that routinely overextend themselves and for that emo thanks you. “The Perfect Kiss” is a perfect song made all the better for its infuriatingly premature ending (you work me all the way up just to fade out then?!). I wish that bloke from Ou’est Le Swimming Pool hadn’t died. If I could only listen to records from one year in musical history, it’s 1985 and it isn’t even close (add this to Songs from the Big Chair, Meat is Murder, Night Time, Steve McQueen, Don’t Stand Me Down …). “Elegia” is wonderful and so obviously full of love – it’s a beautiful piece of music – but it also reminds me a lot of something I’d hear on the odd occasion I caught some post-watershed 90s telly, an ITV programme about ghosts or other unexplained phenomena. Maybe those two sensations aren’t entirely disconnected. “Sooner than you think” is so full of competing hooks – ahem – that I reckon I could listen to it a dozen times and, by picking a different track to focus on, hear a dozen different songs. What is Bernard thinking with all this horny stuff? It’s not that the monotone drawl makes lines about “pleasure zones” and “rummaging around in the park” (or whatever it is he says) worse – no vocalist could resuscitate such etiolated frippery – but rather the opposite: by sounding so absolutely humdrum, Bernard threatens to expose sex itself as something so entirely quotidian that it’s barely worth bothering over. Drop the first and last songs from this LP and you’ve got the best EP ever made; leave them there and you’ve just got a really bloody good record. Poor things. What’s it about a band like New Order that makes me feel like I’m being given a sort of, maybe not guided, but scaffolded experience? It’s uncanny – without ever needing to pay too much attention to what’s being said, I never fail to be overwhelmed by an abundance of feeling. If I can put it this way – this is the sort of record that opens up a space of its own; my every emotion mixing on a dance floor of pulsating coloured tiles forever and ever. It’s just that, I suppose. New Order’s for feeling things.

OH WOW starting off strong!! Like right off the bat the first track is so good. Probably the best music I’ve listened to in a long while. Holyyyy folks. Okayyy on the second track now and I can definitely hear the post-punk sound, plus some pure 80s structure/synth. Almost reminiscent of Joe Strummer on Combat Rock? It’s fun! Some low points in the album—nothing distinctly bad, just less exciting than the standard set by the best tracks on the record, which is a compliment.

Listening to this while staring into a still lake might make you go for a swim and never return (compliment)

86/100. Vibey and atmospheric, blending melancholy melodies with danceable rhythms. Just overall great.

Pretty decent. I know nothing of New Order except Blue Monday (who doesn't) and this was a lot more than I expected, I guess. I listened twice because I suspected it would be better on second hearing. I was right. Subculture was the only one that didn't really do it for me. It sounds very 80s, but it was a great listen. Loved the way the guitar came in at the end of Elegia - that was my favourite bit.

Great albums. Not ne New Orders best, but it's up there.

What a pleasant surprise! This one is bop after bop. New Order never clicked with me until now, but this might be the album that brings me around to them.

Personally I'd probably have gone with Power, Corruption and Lies over this for the list but this is nonetheless classic New Order. Barney's vocals and lyrics are a bit ropey in places but musically it sounds great.

If you treat New Order as a direct continuation of Joy Division, 𝘓𝘰𝘸-𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 could easily be seen as their fifth album — the moment when the band finally moved beyond the shadow of Ian Curtis while still carrying his melancholy spirit. The mix of cold electronics, warm melodies, and Peter Hook’s unmistakable basslines shows a group coming fully into its own. A perfect balance of emotion and precision — understated, yet quietly powerful.

Dark. That's how I'd describe this album. Even on the most upbeat songs, there's a dark undertone to everything. A brilliant blend of guitars and electronica, a brilliant blend of dark bass and synth with upbeat melodies, it feels like a representation of a musical movement. There's lots of great stuff here, but it's fitting that the standout track is a tribute to Ian Curtis. "Elegia" is a brooding instrumental that feels like the soundtrack to a Western set on the surface of Mars. It's glorious, unique and perfectly the centerpiece of the album, both in placement and musically.

Flew by. Dank synths, high bass and 808s. Lavely. Elegia is a personal highlight. 4/5

I've always been a bigger Joy Division fanatic than New Order fan, so am drawn to the latter's debut which sounds like a "lost" Joy Division record. With New Order in fully fledged 80s Synthpop mode I most love the big, bold, brash singles, which makes The Perfect Kiss my highlight on Low-Life. Elsewhere there is a nice mix of jangling yet angular guitars, sweet storytelling and overbold synths.

Love this album. Doesn't necessarily have many of their biggest hits, but it's a great collection of work. 8/10

If this one is on the list, I sure hope Power Corruption and Lies is too. This is good, that is better.

like franz ferninand if it was good. would cop instantly. ice dungeon song rules instant cop 4

Love New Order. Great album

Some really great tracks on this! - Love Vigilantes - Sunrise - Elegia - Sub-Culture - Face Up

Another surprisingly good album! Very catchy beats 4 ⭐️

Great to explore a bit more content from a great band. Very enjoyable.

This was like perfect 80's music

This is for some reason a better version of the album from the beginning of the week. Good synth pop that doesn’t or do it. It.

3.8 Yes. My first new order album on here I was pretty disappointed with, but this was more like I expected, having only really known but really loved blue monday. The perfect blend of post punk and dance. The only thing stopping it from getting a higher score is the vocals man. I appreciate sometimes people who can't sing can still sound really good. But there are certain points here where the illusion is broken. Last track in particular, it ends the album on a "is that really his voice" note. The highs of this album are real high though

Ok I keep getting albums that I round down to 3 stars but today I’m going to round up, maybe a little bias on my part given their Manchester roots, and that they are one of my wife’s favourite bands. I wasn’t sure if I’d listened to this album before but I know Perfect Kiss, this is a good album, and with just 8 tracks over 40 mins, very succinct. Sure, Bernard Sumner’s vocals often seem weak but it’s mostly not a problem for me here. By now New Order had fully moved away from their Joy Division sound, with synths taking centre stage. I also caught myself thinking one of the beats was a bit cliched but then it almost instantly occurred to me that it was because New Order made it famous with Blue Monday. I’m still very much a Joy Division fan over New Order and most of my favourite New Order tracks weren’t released on albums but I had a good time with this one, finding time for a couple of listens.

I don't know what it is inside me that resonates to this, or whether that's a good thing, but there you are.

One of New Order's best. Very 80's, but in a good way. It is actually surprising how well this sounds compared to other synthpop of the time, probably the more indie feel gives it a somewhat more current appeal. The vocals are obviously trash a lot of the time, especially in the second half. But that doesn't really detract from how good these songs are, and how euphoric they can sound. Key tracks: Love Vigilantes The Perfect Kiss Sub-Culture

great 80's synth pop, only one song that I didn't really enjoy on the whole album

Ich hörte mir das Album auf der Fähre von Giglio auf Festland an. Besser wäre es noch gewesen, wenn ich draussen gesessen wäre und den Sonnenaufgang hätte von Anfang an sehen können.

Classic, fantastic stuff. Thoroughly enjoyable.

great

Favorite Track: Love Vigilantes

Classic new order

Pretty good vibe

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would, low 4

Dark Synth Wave

The cool kids in Hawkins Indiana were definitely listening to this in 1985.

Was hovering at 3, Elegia pushed it up to 4

Has a lot in there, remnants of Joy Division, Bits that sound like The Cure, bits that sound like Depeche Mode, and the classic sound of what new order is.

This is a fun one. New wave but with a lot of character and good production.

I love New Order and this album is no exception. However I'm still a bigger fan of Substance which has a few (better) remixed tracks that came from this album. The energy on this album seems more tame when I prefer their more dancy tracks.

I only knew 2 songs on this album and really enjoyed listening to it on repeats a couple of times yesterday. Bernard Sumner always cops a beating for his singing, but I kinda like the honesty of a crap singer doing his stuff with the backdrop of perfect synth and drum machines. Playing the bass an October high has such a classic sound. I recently saw New Order in concert, which made me realise how much tinkering they do to his voice on studio albums! Lol New Order are an awesome band and although I’d prefer to be reviewing other albums in their collection, it was a great excuse to be introduced to this one.

Classic ‘don’t judge an album by the opening track’ I was really worried in the first 30 seconds of this album that I was going to hate it, there’s a bit of harmonica-like but possibly a synth that had me feeling nauseous, BUT it really turns around in track 2 and I loved it! The vocals (as others have mentioned in their reviews) sounds slightly off, but I kinda liked it with the backdrop of the more polished music. I haven’t listened to a lot of New Order, but I think I’ll have to do a deep dive!

nice 80er sound, de gsang isch mer mengisch chli störend vorcho

Me encanta New Order, sobre todo el álbum anterior a este: Power, Corruption and Lies. En este disco hacen una combinación interesante de New Wave, Post Punk y Synth Pop cada vez más alejada de Joy Division. 4/5

I love me some New Order. I feel like they are one of the best 80s new wave bands and this album was quintessential New Order. This album made me wanna dance to new wave music all night. I would definitely jam to this album again!

Favourite songs: Love Vigilantes, This Time of Night, Elegia, Sub-Culture Least favorite songs: The Perfect Kiss 4/5

Love me some New Order, but this one skewed a little off for me. Still enjoyed the hell out of it

It was good ish,

My favourite thing about New Order is just how outrageously they have to cook with the production to compensate for the fact Bernard Sumner can't really sing.

Perfect as a background music for nice vibes

I really liked this album. I've always liked Joy Division but was only vaguely familiar with New Order. But damn, I think I've kind of been missing out. I would definitely buy this if I saw it in the record shop and would probably play it a bunch of times, forget about it for a year, remember I have it, and play it a lot again. Rinse and repeat. I think with these kinds of band from the mid 80s, you're rolling the dice when you start an album but I really enjoyed this one all the way through. The vocals are not the greatest, true, and the recording is a little uneven, but the album as a whole is really strong. Would absolutely recommend to friends. 4/5

Muy buen album, conocia alguna pero realmente me ha gustado mucho

8 songs, love it. Curation! Immediate jams.

pop 4

I love new order! Such a good album! I really like that this was a very moody but also good sounding album, kind of classic new order sounds!

kinda crazy we get 2 new order albums 3 days apart

Once again new order is at their best when sumner shuts the fuck up. I love new order and they have so many amazing songs but I just don’t think they have a single 5/5 album unfortunately

I liked this. It’s synthier than what Joy Division delivered which is fine, though anytime I hear New Order I just think about how much I wish there was more Joy Division, that isn’t their fault obviously but it’s still sad that we don’t get more from Ian Curtis. This was awesome though, Love Vigilantes was a great jangly opener with a clever dark story. I think I may have liked the instrumental track Elegia most, it had some haunting notes to it that I really enjoyed. Really cool stuff that had a heavy influence on really cool shit to come. 4 stars

Having recently had Joy Division as my album of the day, it was cool to have this as a followup shortly after. Cleaned up and a different perspective on songwriting makes for a lighter tone, while still keeping their creativity flowing. Any album that can have both early electronic elements AND harmonica is a win for me, its a cool fusion between the acoustic and electric elements of music with the thrilling bass playing that we've come to love from Joy Division and New Order really standing out. I really enjoyed this album with some stellar standout songs in The Perfect Kiss and Elegia.

I had not heard this and thoroughly enjoyed it. Short, sharp and no filler. The transition from standard rock, to their synth based 80's sound is here and ot brings the best of both worlds. String lyrics and lovely groove.

Liked the mix of guitars and synths.

Decent album

I have listened to New Order in my student days and this album feels a bot nostalgic because of that, but it also hits me with global nostalgia for years you havent been born yet. It was nice to listen to it, but I also felt older and it is noisy for me to listen to new order for a longer time now (that also has to do a lot with the fact i mostly listen to music while i drive in my car)

not british

yayyyy fav tracks: love vigilantes; the perfect kiss; face-up

LOVED!!! I think it’s so easy for synth-y music like this to feel long and samey but this did not feel like that at all. The lyrics are deeper than your typical synth/dance music I think, probably due to the post-punk nature of it, and the sounds are textured and evocative compositions which is really cool that they could use electronic sounds to do that. I can see why this band is oft cited in subsequent generations of electronic music. Fav tracks: The Perfect Kiss, This Time of Night, Sub-culture

Ahh New Order! The band that always reliably had at least one or two tracks per album that felt great enough that you had to add them to your collection. The thing about this album is that the metamorphosis from Joy Division to New Order had finally become complete and this was clearly, in every way, a New Order album from top to bottom. They had clearly mastered the use of sequencers and samplers. The bangers that lasted the test of time in culture were "Love Vigilantes", "Elegia", and "Perfect Kiss". Personally I think they are at their best with "Elegia" where the instrumental says everything it needs to without the use of lyrics. On LOW-LIFE can hear their influences from Kraftwerk, Bowie's Berlin Cycle, New Romantic and New Wave bands like Duran Duran and the Thompson Twins. One of the selections by this list of the 80s that I think the list got right. Personally my favorite decade of music. Music was vibrant, rich, experimental, and not overly filled (as in the 70s and the 90s) with pompous social criticism lyrics. So much experimentalism in this decade that I feel like music journalists and editors should have subtitled the 80s, not the decade of excess, but rather - THE DECADE OF THE SUB-GENRE.

Maybe it's just because I've been in a synth phase and because I hadn't really heard this before but I thought was great. I'll be generous and go all the way to 4

Well I wasn't expecting this - I think this is really good! I really like all the layers to the songs. It's got surprising depth to it, despite being quite heavy on synths. I like how it's upbeat but also quite melodic. It's 80's, and it has some trappings of the 80's, but it doesn't sound dated to me, or at least it's held up way better than some other bands from the era. Surprised by this one, as New Order were never on my radar as being a band I might like.

Did not think I would enjoy this as much as I did. Really cool fusion of punk and new wave. Will definitely be listening again.

Took a couples of listens but this grew on me - although I still prefer their later Balearic/having it large in Ibiza moment.

The Albumator has kept me in a prog rock abyss for the past few days, so this is a welcome change. I really enjoyed this album. It’s concise, it’s upbeat and it’s really dancey. A bit of a change from Power Corruption and Lies, but I love the vibe on this album. Bernard Sumner’s vocal style isn’t for everyone, but I love his loose style. Great album from a really influential band.

I love the albums on this list that remind me of the good of the 1980s, and while I am not sure this is the best New Order album, it sounds great! It has depth, heart, and scope. Most of all, it captures the rebelliousness of the 80s without whining or feeling over the top. The first half is stronger than the second, but it all sounds good. Hats off to the boys from Manchester!

there is a obscure album by an italian artist i listened to once that was very reminiscent of this album. i feel two types of away about it. some part of me really found it compelling as a listen, and other parts of me felt like i was in the soft rock era of the 2000s. I do not believe the latter feeling was warranted. also alex and tom said my reviews are unpredictable and now i'm in my head about the whole thing

I was astounded to learn that Love Vigilantes is a beloved New Order song, because my first impression of hearing it was "what the fuck is this" and I only felt that more intensely as each far superior subsequent track came on.

Great album

I liked this more when it was dark, moody and Cure-like and less when it went full pop

slightly-spooky club music

i liked the harmonica on the first song

Crack a miller low-life and dance through pain.

80’s new wave. I get the hype now. Uppy and happy. Definitely makes you want to dance. I’ll venture into their catalog for sure. I now understand the club hype and gen x love for them.

I’ve always found New Order albums confusing affairs - is it an album? Is it a compilation? I always thought of them as a singles band, then they released that God-awful football song and I took to disliking them, in spite of everything. I like this though and it surprises me that I’ve never listened to it properly before now.

Really enjoyed this, very similar to The Cure (or The Cure is similar to this?)

esse me tirou um sorriso num dia horrível tá graças a deus new order não tem erro

Amazing album, one banger after another. The only things that keep this from being a five-star album are a couple of songs on the second half.

going to Cure in 'Sunrise', they were a good thing after Joy Division

Perfect Kiss and Elegia are my favorites. Good album but not my favorite from them

Very good

Nostalgic..

Liked this a lot more than my unwarranted preconceptions had me thinking, thought this would be a generic 80’s electronic new wave album which it kind of was to be honest but it was a really good one, very 80’s sound to it though maybe making it a bit dated. I wasn’t a fan of the perfect kiss or this time of night but other than that I liked all of the songs especially sunrise with its use of guitar. Overall 7.5/10.

New Order is great but it's kinda annoying that none of the song titles have anything to do with the lyrics so I can never remember which song is which

The inception of LCD Soundsystem and similar acts is rooted in this album. The transition of post-punk consciousness into a new dancier environment that was reigning culture at the time made a special album. Substance really capitalized the end of post-punk era and is my personal favorite of theirs, but the influence of this album is unmistakable

Fun listen Reminds me of being 18 in a conservative town with one alternative bar. Lots of good and unique music and cavorting with wild women!

A few great songs but some others are mediocre, the singer is not great but overall really nice

Great album, ya the singing is what it is. Lots of people slag New Order for the vocals but somehow for me they work.

I've never really listened to New Order and I was blown away! I see a lot of people complaining about the singing but I'm a sucker for bad singing. The Perfect Kiss and Love Vigilantes are both big big bangers and I love how Elegia breaks up the album.

Never heard this before. Thought it was a great mix of electronic and post punk. No one would accuse him of being a great singer, but it works

4/5

pretty neat

I feel like I've known this music my whole life. The synth and the vocals are a bit dated sounding at times. There are definite elements that remind me of the The Cure, in the best possible way. Pretty good; far from perfect.

I fell madly in love with INXS around the same time this album came out and probably would have been equally wild about New Order had I been exposed. Such a fantastic album start to finish. There’s a light airiness to their darkness.

Not the best New Order, but any New Order is better than most. 4.5/5

I enjoyed this greatly.

I'd never heard any of the tracks off this album before, and I'm sure I won't be the first to say it... but man, does it sound like The Cure! Sumner's vocals, which I usually don't rate, even evoke Robert Smith on Sunrise, and they nick the bassline from 'A Forest' on This Time of Night. Of course, sounding like The Cure is no bad thing, and the songs that do feature the synth-driven beats I expected from a New Order album, like Sub-Culture, also hit the spot. All in all, I'm impressed. I've been a bit indifferent to NO previously, but this album might start to change that.

First of all I am a huge New Order fan, I often view this album as a sum up of what New Order is trying to get musically, that upbeat but somehow groomy syth-dance-new-wave kind of thing. I get it, I really do, however, I won't say I really favor this album in particular, to me it seems they are in a weird and awkward position here, the syth arrangement are a little bit sour and immature, for a type of music that heavily depends on production, yet they are.trying to get rid of their Joy Division/post punk root, so as for a even bigger Joy Division fan myself, it sounds a bit off...but you can ignore what I've just said because clearly I'm highly biased. The music is outstanding. I'd give it a 4-4.5/5. "The Perfect Kiss" is perfect.

Have come to appreciate New order in later years. At the time of recording I generally felt they were a bit too synth pop for my liking. Having listened to this a few times, I am starting to appreciate New Order a lot more. I particular like the synth/heavy guitar fusion of eligia. I find this more in tune with the original Joy Division incarnation of the band. Would give this 5 but for the weak vocal delivery, it's just not to my taste.

I found this generally uninteresting, but the ambient tracks 'Sunrise' and 'Elegia' were so good that I might return to New Order in the future to see if they've made more of that stuff Standouts Sunrise Elegia 4/5

Tih prvih pet New order su klasici. Power curruption and lies mi je najbolji ali i ovo i brotherhood su super

I used to think this NO album dated badly (with the rest of the 80s) bit I think I'm wrong. I doesn't have tbe majestic quality of Powee C and L but it's still damn good.

Opening two sounds were awesome. Weird songs that are certainly unique with a good 80s vibe. solid 4

'The Perfect Kiss' is the perfect song, quite honestly, and 'Elegia' is so mystifying it's brilliant. Apart from another song I mildly enjoyed, lots of it was cheesy, I'll admit. But the sheer talent that went into those few songs is praiseworthy.

I enjoyed this more than I thought, despite the length of most songs they were very listenable to and they went quickly. They were all pretty enjoyable and the signature bass was as good as always.

Kind of felt like a really fun marriage of Billy Idol and The Cure. A fun listen.

I dug it. Neat melodies and a fantastic guitar sound. The gated drums -- well, it was the 80's. But just knowing the hits from Substance and such, this was a nice intro to them. Unexpected bangers: Sunrise, Sub-Culture.

You know, it's always interesting to see what a band does when they lose their lead vocalist. Obviously, it's very sad whenever a band's lead vocalist dies (especially for a case like this), but it serves as a pretty good way to gauge how the other members view things like life, fame, and music. This brings me to the band of focus for this review, New Order, which was formed from the living members of Joy Division after Ian Curtis's untimely passing. This, I think, is one of the better ways to handle unfortunate circumstances. They didn't quit making music, but they also didn't want to continue performing as Joy Division, which I can absolutely respect. Of course, the two bands are kind of inseparable as far as the general discussions surrounding their impacts go, but I'd say that Low-Life is a pretty different album from the Joy Division album that I've heard, Unknown Pleasures. Speaking of which, Low-Life is pretty good! It's not Unknown Pleasures levels of good, but it's still a strong album. The vibe here is definitely a bit different, with New Order taking things in a more synth-pop-oriented direction rather than the straight post-punk of Joy Division. Synth-pop as a genre is one with some hits and misses as far as albums I've listened to go. Fortunately, Low-Life is a hit. The style here is very good. There's enough energy to make the album an entertaining listen for songs like "The Perfect Kiss," but the band is still able to create emotion for songs like the instrumental "Elegia," which serves as a nice tribute to Ian Curtis. Bernard Sumner's vocals are solid. The writing is good. The pacing works well. Overall, this is a great way for me to experience New Order for the first time. I like what I've heard quite a bit. Strong 4/5.

Прикольный альбомчик такой, там альбом ещё на селе одном смешном основан, который алкаш ещё, так что 9/10, не фан просто

This was a lovely surprise, I throughly enjoyed this album, and it’s probably one of the few to benefit from playing out loud on my way to work. Sunrise in particular made my balls tingle (in a good way, not dissimilar from how some people describe the feeling of Orignal Source Mint and Tea Tree showergel). It was all Joy, and no division (or any other mathematical operations)* *Maybe integration too, why not

Loved the last two songs, liked how raw this album was. I could have used less guitar and more synth but seems like this was a transitional record

Eingängige Melodien, tanzbar, ich weiß gar nicht, wieso es mir so gefiel.

Very cool usage of synthesizers. I enjoyed this.

Bueno para echarse una caminada con punch y buen ritmo.

New order stays winning, especially like the opener

Good new wave dance from way back in the day

❤️

Goed album, echt een paar nummers die eruit knallen, maar ook een paar matige

Have always liked New Order - and they have some absolute classics. Not that familiar with Low-Life but really enjoyed - not quite a 5 but solid 4. Followed up with the extended version of Elegia which really enjoyed.

Honestly, I liked Low-Life way more than i thought i would have. This album is of course, horribly dated, and you can easily tell it's an album from the 80s considering it has all the usual elements you would expect from an 80s new wave album. The vocals were also strange in some areas like sometimes they weren't well produced and could get drowned out by the music and there was that one bit of bad grammar in Face Up. However, I still really enjoyed this album, The guitars and synths were really well done, and songs were also super catchy at points. On top of that this album went for the perfect length. This was quite the pleasant surprise. Best Song: Face Up Worst Song: Love Vigilantes

One of my all time favorites from the 1980s. Peter Hook’s bass as lead is great. They added a lot more synth on this album. Love Vigilantes is great. Elegia reminds me of old Joy Division. 4.5

Never heard this one. Didn’t know any songs going into it but really liked the vibe throughout. Reminded me of Seventeen Seconds by The Cure but more upbeat. Enjoyed it more than Power, Corruption & Lies.

Awesome! So many Bowie Berlin-era-esque tracks.

liked songs: The Perfect Kiss (frogs!), Sunrise, Sub-Culture Very good 3.75

yeah! rockige gitarren und voller sound mit melodie, ein wenig wie die späten The Cure.

classic 80s, messy, synthy, and twirly.

Not my favorite NO album but ‘The Perfect Kiss’ is 🤌🏻 muah!

Surprised at how much I like this album.

I really enjoyed the music but the singing was actually not as as good. Especially „Sub-Culture“ was really bad. But it’s a great album nevertheless.

Another artist on my waiting list. Coming from the ashes of Joy Division, I had long been curious to know what the remaining members of that legendary band became. And I tell you: another really cool band! This album has some low points but is very comfortable to listen to. I loved! I'm going to leave 4 stars today!

A solid 80s synth-pop record with dance, upbeat, and occasionally moody tracks. Though admittedly, the vocal mix on this is a little rough and doesn’t match the sound quality of that of the instrumentation; But the lyrics are pretty interesting. This work shows itself to be a coherent and cohesive record overall. No track feels too weird or out of place compared to others. Good stuff. Favorite track: Love Vigilantes. Though, Elegia is a really good instrumental synth/dream wave track that comes in at a close 2nd

Liked this more than I thought I would.

There’s one thing that really lets this album down, and it’s the vocals. The dude just can’t sing and stay in tune. It’s the one time I’ve thought “auto tune would improve this a lot”. It works on some of the more energetic tracks like “sunshine” but otherwise it’s almost annoying enough to make me stop listening. Thankfully there are plenty of long instrumental breaks to keep it from being a disaster. And those instrumental breaks, they’re really great. The programmed or effects covered drums and the guitar tones are my favorite bits of this. The instrument production is super high level and creates a really enjoyable 80s rock sound tinged with synths and electronic music. I would easily listen to an album of their instrumentals. The singing lets this album down and I’m annoyed by that because it could be really good.

I'm really digging these moody 80's bands. I knew I liked The Cure and Joy Division but I'm finding more and more that are making me appreciate the whole scene of that time. The pop rock feel of it is very approachable if not memorable. Kinda blends into the sound of the time, but I'll be back for more.

Nunca los había escuchado. De la misma forma me voy enterando qué antes eran de Joy Division. De los que más me ha sorprendido escuchar.

This I like! I love the guitar work on here, you can hear how much this band influenced future indie rock. The songs were also great. I will definitely be returning to this one.

Expected to hate but pretty good ya know

Enjoyed dancing along to this while making dinner, but I expected to like it more, given how much I enjoy a lot of New Order singles. The singing and vocals really let them down, and some of the songs were a bit forgettable. The Perfect Kiss and Sub-Culture are real standout tracks. This is about a 3.5 for me I think, rounding up to 4 because of cultural impact.

really liked this one, even if it was mildly disappointing that it wasn't the album with blue monday. you can really see how synth pop developed from here.

interesting choice of album. this didn't have any massive singles on it as far as I'm aware, but i was familiar with love vigilantes, which is a great song. otherwise, the darker 80s synthpop sound is alive and well here, with new order fully in their element. i definitely prefer this version of the band to their work as joy division, as these tracks all feel a bit more interesting and punchy to me. favorites: love vigilantes, the perfect kiss, elegia

Love the synth and the vocals! 4.3 stars

I enjoyed this. It’s just high-quality new wave. Yeah I don’t have any ideas for this review honestly

Chaotic and noisy, but the sounds work well together. I think new order is especially good at doing this. Solid album

New Order are better than Joy Division. There, I said it. It’s out there now. 3.6

I liked this :) 4/5

Yo this album actually slaps. I would have loved to have been around when this originally released. I feel like I would have been a huge New Order fanboy. The vocals are a little weak but the genre is associated with sad boys who can't sing so it kinda gets a pass. The synth lines are awesome. The album flows great but I think the front half is stronger and it sorta peters out over time. Fav Track: Sunset

Really good background music, really enjoyed listening to it.

Fun 80s English rock - nothing super memorable but I enjoyed all of it

What a solid album. Brief and to the point. I haven’t heard Elegia in years.