Low‐Life

Low-Life is the third studio album by English rock band New Order. Released in May 1985 by Qwest Records, Low-Life is considered to be among New Order's strongest work, displaying the moment in which the band completed its transformation from post-punk hold-overs to dance rock pioneers. The album shows New Order's increased incorporation of synthesizers and samplers, while still preserving the rock aspects of their earlier work.
The album's artwork is the only New Order release to feature photographs of the band members on its cover. By default, drummer/keyboardist Stephen Morris is on the front cover, but it actually features four photographs inside the case and a semi-transparent piece of paper with the band's name on. Owners can choose which band member is seen through the sleeve.
The original Factory release (Japan and UK) CD versions of this album are mastered with pre-emphasis.
The album was preceded by the release of the full-length version of "The Perfect Kiss" as a single (only an edited version appears on the album). John Robie's remix of "Sub-culture" was also released as a 12" single. Both of these extended versions eventually were included on 1987's Substance.
The songs on this album formed the basis of New Order's live concert video, Pumped Full of Drugs, filmed in Tokyo shortly before the album's release.
The music video for "The Perfect Kiss" was directed by Jonathan Demme. The song "Elegia" was featured in the Academy Award-nominated short film More by Mark Osborne.
In 2000 Q magazine placed Low-Life at number 97 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. Low-Life (alongside New Order's 1989 album Technique) was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
In 2008 the album was re-released in a Collector's Edition with a bonus disc, including the rare 17-minute version of "Elegia" and, for the first time in digital format, the unedited 12" mix of "The Perfect Kiss".