Music Review: When Dreams Begin Again: A Reflection on New Order’s ‘Dreams Never End’

Abstract

It is essential before we begin this review to speak about New Order’s origins. Joy Division’s origins trace back to the post-punk era of late 1970s Manchester, England–a city immersed in industrial decline, unemployment, and social unrest. The band emerged as part of the punk rock movement but soon developed a distinct sound that fused punk’s raw energy with a darker, more atmospheric and introspective musical style. Originally formed in 1976 under the name Warsaw by schoolmates Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook, Joy Division took shape when they recruited drummer Stephen Morris and lyricist/vocalist Ian Curtis, solidifying their lineup in 1977. The name “Joy Division” itself is steeped in controversy, as it referred to the sexual slavery units depicted in The House of Dolls, a novel about Nazi concentration camps, signaling the band’s willingness to confront dark and taboo subjects in their work. The group quickly became known for their minimalist yet haunting sound, blending sparse guitar work, Hook’s melodic basslines, Morris’s robotic drumbeats, and Curtis’s distinctive baritone voice. Under the guidance of their producer Martin Hannett, Joy Division’s sound took on a more experimental and ambient tone, which was showcased in their seminal 1979 album Unknown Pleasures. Songs like “She’s Lost Control” and “Disorder” combined cold, detached instrumentals with Curtis’s deeply introspective and often bleak lyrics. His writing reflected themes of isolation, anxiety, and existential dread, resonating with a generation confronting the uncertainty and disillusionment of post-industrial Britain.