Now, if you’ve been frequenting this site over its six year history, you’d know that I’m a proudly unabashed New Order fan. Music Complete, which was released last year marked two milestones for the band— as it was the band’s first effort through renowned indie label Mute Records and the first album without co-founding member Peter Hook, who acrimoniously left the band several years ago. And understandably, the album manages to capture the band in transition, while looking forward with the renowned and beloved band gently pushing their sound forward as well.
Interestingly, after the attention Music Complete received, the members of New Order will be releasing Complete Music, an album of extended Music Complete mixes digitally and through CD after overwhelming demand from the band’s fans on May 13 — and Complete Music’s first single is “The Game (Extended Mix)” much like “Singularity,” off Music Complete manages to be mesh their early guitar-based sound with their later synth-based sound in a way that feels and sounds organic and fitting — Summer’s lilting and plaintive vocals are paired with shimmering synths, slashing and angular guitar chords, boom-bap drums, undulating electronics with an anthemic hook and a propulsive and extensive motorik-like groove. Much like a great deal of their recently released material, “The Game (Extended Mix)” manages to be both arena rock and dance floor friendly.
