JOY DIVISION / Unknown Pleasures (1979)

Joy Division are as important to music as Moses is to the bible. Their first album is a perfect fusion of post-punk and early experimental electronica. It's a testament of pure brooding energy that gives a voice to nihilism. Vocalist Ian Curtis isn't singing to us, isn't seeking our approval or love, he's singing for himself in a deep cathartic haze that envelops the listener like a wave.
The music is carried by the drums, which have an ethereal echo, as if existing in a hollow cavernous place, and by guitars that ooze ambience and pain. Listening to Joy Division is a deeply personal and oft-times spiritual experience. They are without a doubt one of the most important bands to have ever existed.

Songs of Note: Shadowplay; She's Lost Control

5 shadowy ocean depths out of 5