LogFAQs > #956147895

115. New Order Bizarre Love Triangle (1986)
from the album Brotherhood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKVbB_qZQcU

Key lyrics:
Every time I see you falling
I get down on my knees and pray
Im waiting for that final moment
You say the words that I cant say

I have previously remarked that Bernard Sumner might have the weakest voice among all my favorite bands. Bizarre Love Triangle makes perfect use of his minimal range. Here, he sounds completely out of his element, an ordinary man caught up in a situation he has little control over. Many synth-pop hits have difficulty with sincerity, but his mundane stylings mitigate any potential cheesiness. This is not a diss in the mechanical world of the synthesizer, Sumner brings a vulnerable human element. Bizarre Love Triangle achieves musical ecstasy without force.

Everything about this track jitters and bounces. With Sumner acting to restrain these elements, they are sweet without being sugary. To craft a perfect synth-pop hit requires a balancing act with the default state coming in too high, the best bands counteract this by infusing certain melancholy elements. New Order are experts at this, crafting delectable dance beats that go down easy. Tracks like Bizarre Love Triangle are almost ephemeral. This track consists of several dense layers, but they all work in tandem to the point you might not notice the odd tricks New Order pull off. Bizarre Love Triangle captures the high of letting yourself get carried away by emotions which you know can only end badly.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/