Technique

The Artist

New Order formed in Manchester in 1980 from the remaining members of Joy Division after the death of singer Ian Curtis. Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Stephen Morris, later joined by Gillian Gilbert, turned grief into a new sound that fused post-punk guitars with sequencers and dance rhythms. Their identity rests on contrasts: Sumner's plain-spoken vocals, Hook's melodic high-register bass, and machine-driven grooves that feel both cold and euphoric. Technique, their fifth studio album, arrived at the height of their powers and is often ranked among their very best.

The Album

Technique was recorded partly in Ibiza during the island's acid house summer, then finished back in England. The band produced it themselves, and accounts of the Ibiza sessions suggest more partying than working. Released on Factory Records in early 1989, it became their first album to top the UK chart. The record splits its time between club-ready electronics and guitar-led pop, often within the same song. Thematically it circles failed relationships, regret, and emotional distance, set against music built for the dancefloor.

Listen For

Acid House Arrival. "Fine Time - 2015 Remaster" opens with squelching synth bass and a rave pulse. It announces how deeply Ibiza's club scene soaked into the band.

Vocal Disguise. On the same opener, listen for the pitched-down, almost cartoonish voice. Notice how it shifts the tone from earnest to playful and slightly sleazy.

Hook's Bass as Lead. On "Dream Attack - 2015 Remaster", Hook's bass sings melodies rather than anchoring the low end. It often carries as much hook as the vocal.

Guitars vs. Machines. "All the Way - 2015 Remaster" and "Love Less - 2015 Remaster" lean on jangly guitars after the electronic opener. Track how the album trades between organic and programmed textures.

Bright Music, Bitter Words. "Round & Round - 2015 Remaster" pairs a glossy dance arrangement with lyrics about a relationship going nowhere. The danceable surface masks real frustration.