New Order at The Factory in Deep Ellum

Rising from the ashes of the legendary British post-punk unit Joy Division, New Order triumphed over tragedy to emerge as one of the most acclaimed bands of the 1980s; embracing the electronic textures and disco rhythms of the underground club culture many years in advance of its contemporaries, the group’s pioneering fusion of new wave aesthetics and dance music successfully bridged the gap between the two worlds, creating a distinctively thoughtful and oblique brand of synth pop appealing equally to the mind, body, and soul. The band’s first releases were cold and sometimes abrasive as they struggled to come to grips with Ian Curtis’ death. As their confidence and willingness to explore new sounds grew, their records became poppier and more accessible. Singles like 1983’s “Blue Monday” and 1985’s “The Perfect Kiss” established them as hitmakers, while albums like 1985’s Low-Life often showed off a more melancholy, song-based sound. 1989’s Technique was the band’s high point commercially, and many would say artistically, as they seamlessly fused club culture and songcraft. After this, their intentions began to split as members pursued other projects and only occasionally reconvened for New Order recordings, including 1993’s Republic. As the group continued to work sporadically, they were set on a different course when founding bassist Peter Hook quit in 2006. After shuffling the line-up a little, they continued to perform as a live act and occasionally released albums like 2015’s Music Complete and singles such as 2020’s “Be a Rebel.” Through it all, their influence never waned, and bands as diverse as Galaxie 500, the Chemical Brothers, and the Killers looked to their sound and songs for inspiration.

– allmusic.com