New Order: Music Complete | Album Review

Music Complete
    
Artist: New Order
Genre: Electronic
Label: Mute

New Order's first album of fresh material in 10 years is the work of a band that, by rights, could have given up the ghost many years ago and walked away with its collective head held high. And yet terrific songs such as Nothing but a Fool, Singularity, Restless and People on the High Line display a renewed sense of scope and purpose.

Although without original soundscape bass player Peter Hook, New Order's signature styles are apparent: Superheated rises out of the ground with a symphonic intro and a propulsive electro riff; Plastic applies the Giorgio Moroder/Donna Summer rule of thumb – when in doubt, just throb.

Tutti Frutti subtly revisits past glories while remaining very much in the present.

At over 65 minutes, Music Complete may be making up for disused/misused time, but there isn't a song out of place here. neworder.com

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in popular culture