True Faith

One of the most distinctive examples of the legendary New Order's patented synth-rock aesthetic is the mighty 1987 single 'True Faith', which was co-produced with studio wunderkind Stephen Hague. Boasting an immaculate, polished synth-pop sheen (it was one of the first ever all-digital recordings), infused with just the right amount of post-punk grittiness, this tale of lost innocence and the confusion of post-modern life had all the classic New Order artistic trademarks in place: Peter Hook's earth-rumbling, high-register bass lines, Stephen Morris's drum-machine genius, Gillian Gilbert's innovative synth wizardry, and snarling, jagged guitar motifs and an oddly sympathetic vocal from frontman Bernard Sumner. The accompanying promotional clip, done by French mime choreographer Philippe Decouflé, was an exercise in post-modern surrealism, featuring all manner of bizarre elements, from pugilists in colourful costumes running backwards in slow motion, and then beating the crap out of each other, to a sullen, bizarrely made-up girl stuck in an overturned boxer's punching bag, spelling out the song's lyrics in sign language.