In case you needed a clear illustration of how exactly Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris arrived at something like the hooligan sing-a-long "World In Motion" from their humble origins churning out dread-soaked postpunk icicles like “Shadowplay" and "I Remember Nothing,” this anthology spells it out clear as day, connecting the dots between their short time with Ian Curtis into a full-blown pop institution. Conceived as an alternative to a simple 'Best Of' collection, legendary Factory Records designer Peter Saville explains: “I realized this was a record that would be sold in supermarkets and advertised on television. So the cover has a 'pile it high, sell it cheap' aesthetic. As you open it out, it says Total, but folded up you just see the 'O's. It says, 'From Joy Division to New Order'. I couldn't bear the words 'Best of'. It's a long way from the independent record shop to Tesco, almost 33 years. At Factory, I had a freedom that was unprecedented in communications design. We lived out an ideal, without business calling the shots. It was a phenomenon.” The tracklisting was chosen by the band (uh, New Order, not Joy Division), who took the opportunity to include alternate mixes not commonly available, including the short edit of “The Perfect Kiss” and the Shep Pettibone mix of “Bizarre Love Triangle,” as well as non-album singles “Temptation” and “Thieves Like Us.” Then there’s classic Joy Division singles “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and “Atmosphere” plus a handful of essentials plucked from their two proper albums. Sandwiched in the middle is “Ceremony,” the band(s)’s most obvious turning point, written with Curtis before his untimely death but recorded as New Order with Sumner on vocals. Originally released in 2011, this is the first time the compilation has been available on vinyl, in a stunning gatefold 2LP set overseen by Saville understudy Howard Wakefield. All 18 tracks have been remastered from the original tapes; listen closely and you can almost hear the yellow paint drying on the Haçienda. Recommended.

• 2011 collection of singles by Joy Division + New Order
• remastered from the original tapes
• first time on vinyl
• black double vinyl pressing
• gatefold sleeve designed by Howard Wakefield
• art direction by Peter Saville
• printed inner sleeves
• music label: Warner Music 2018

reviewed by tom violence 01/2019