New Order – True Faith

New Order’s “True Faith” is one of the band’s most accomplished recordings, blending their post-punk roots with the increasingly sophisticated electronic dance music of the late 1980s. Released in 1987 as one of two new songs recorded for the compilation Substance, it was written by Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Gillian Gilbert and producer Stephen Hague.

The song was developed during an intense ten-day recording session with Hague at Advision Studios in London. New Order arrived with the beginnings of a groove, bass pattern and chord sequence, but much of the finished arrangement was constructed in the studio. A wide range of emerging technology, including sequencers, synthesizers and samplers, helped give the recording its precise, layered sound, while Peter Hook’s distinctive bass and Stephen Morris’s percussion kept a recognisably human element at its centre.

The lyrics explore the experience of drug dependency through a mixture of childhood memories, euphoria and emotional disorientation. Some of the original wording was softened during recording after Hague expressed concern that its references to drugs would prevent radio play.

Bernard Sumner’s detached vocal delivery contrasts effectively with the buoyant, almost euphoric arrangement, creating an intriguing tension between the music and its darker subject matter. The result is a song that sounds uplifting and melancholic at the same time, perfectly capturing New Order’s ability to turn emotional unease into compelling electronic pop.

The song peaked at No. 04 in the UK charts on 18th August 1987.