Unknown Pleasures Review: The Sound of Post-Punk Gloom
9.5/10 — Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (1979)
Pros
- Hannett's spacious production
- Peter Hook's bass
- Haunting vocals
Cons
- Bleak throughout
Unknown Pleasures was produced by Martin Hannett, who gave Joy Division’s raw songs an eerie, echoing space. The sleeve, showing radio waves from a pulsar, is iconic.
What works
‘Disorder’, ‘She’s Lost Control’ and ‘Shadowplay’ are tense and gripping, and Peter Hook’s high bass lines carry the melodies. Ian Curtis’s baritone is haunting, and the production feels huge and cold.
Where it falters
Hannett’s production was disliked by the band, and the mood is unrelentingly bleak.
Verdict
A stark, influential debut.
