New Order have announced the definitive edition of their 1985 album Low-Life, coming in January. The collection features two CDs, two DVDs, one LP with rare and unreleased material, plus new sleeve designs by the album’s original graphic artist Peter Saville, and a 48-page hardbound book. The CDs feature unheard writing session recordings of “The Perfect Kiss” and “Sooner Than You Think,” plus instrumentals of “Love Vigilantes” and “Sub-Culture.” Today, you can hear that demo of “The Perfect Kiss.”

Elsewhere within the bundle: CD-2 holds previously unreleased mixes and alternative versions (including instrumentals) of “Love Vigilantes” and “Sub-Culture,” along with the Album Session Unedited Version of “Sooner Than You Think.”

As for the DVD, you’ll see unreleased footage from the band’s 1985 concerts in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Canada. There’s also little-seen recordings from a 1985 Tokyo show and a BBC-hosted Whistle Test performance at the Hacienda in Manchester. The vinyl, meanwhile, has Saville’s original heavyweight tracing paper, and the retrospective book contains rare photos and a new interviews with each band member.

Finally, special 12-inch vinyl singles of “The Perfect Kiss” and “Sub-Culture” will be available on the band’s website.

“The mirror finish for ‘The Perfect Kiss’ sleeve was the idea at the time (1985) that unfortunately was not realized,” Saville says. “I have wanted to see it ever since. The original concept was intended to evoke the reflective glamour of a lipstick (re Perfect Kiss) in a minimal / pop art style. ‘The Perfect Kiss’ in this form will be transformative and a must-have for fans and collectors alike.”

Saville adds of “Sub-Culture”: “LABEL ONLY was specified in 1985 due to time pressure around the original release, and as a consequence, a sleeve design for the re-release has no actual precedent. However, exploring the principle ‘the solution is in the problem’ has led to the subliminal evocation of a sleeve that is still LABEL ONLY.”

Listen to the demo recording of “The Perfect Kiss” below.

Low-Life (Definitive Edition) TRACKLIST:
CD 1: Low-Life
01 “Love Vigilantes”
02 “The Perfect Kiss”
03 “This Time of Night”
04 “Sunrise”
05 “Elegia”
06 “Sooner Than You Think”
07 “Sub-Culture”
08 “Face Up”

CD 2:
01 “Love Vigilantes” (TV Pitch instrumental edit) *
02 “The Perfect Kiss” (writing session recording) *
03 “Untitled no. 1” (writing session recording) *
04 “Sunrise” (instrumental rough mix)
05 “Elegia” (full length version)
06 “Sooner Than You Think” (album session unedited version) *
07 “Sub-Culture” (album session early instrumental version) *
08 “Face Up” (writing session recording) *
09 “Let’s Go” (album session instrumental) *
10 “Untitled no. 2” (writing session recording) *
11 “Sunrise” (writing session recording) *
12 “Love Vigilantes” – (writing session recording) *
13 “Sooner Than You Think” (writing session recording) *
14 “Skullcrusher” (demo) *

Low-Life (Definitive Edition) Vinyl LP
Side 1
01 “Love Vigilantes”
02 “The Perfect Kiss”
03 “This Time of Night”
04 “Sunrise”

Side 2
05 “Elegia”
06 “Sooner Than You Think”
07 “Sub-Culture”
08 “Face Up”

DVD 1
Live in Tokyo – The Koseinenkin Hall, Tokyo, Japan 1985
01 “Confusion”
02 “Love Vigilantes”
03 “We All Stand”
04 “As It Is When It Was”
05 “Sub-Culture”
06 “Face Up”
07 “Sunrise”
08 “This Time of Night”
09 “Blue Monday”

Live in Rotterdam – The Rotterdam Arena, Netherlands 1985
10 “As It Is When It Was”
11 “Everything’s Gone Green” *
12 “Sub-Culture” *
13 “Ceremony” *
14 “Let’s Go” *
15 “This Time of Night” *
16 “The Village”
17 “The Perfect Kiss” *
18 “Age of Consent” *
19 “Sunrise”
20 “Temptation” *
21 “Face Up” *

Live in Manchester – Whistle Test, The Hacienda 1985
22 As It Is When It Was
23 “Sunrise”
24 “Face Up” (restored version)

DVD 2
Live in Leuven – The Manhattan Club, Leuven, Belgium 1985
01 “Let’s Go” *
02 “The Perfect Kiss” *
03 “Age of Consent” *
04 “State of The Nation” *
05 “As It Is When It Was” *
06 “The Village” *
07 “Sub-Culture” *
08 “Atmosphere” *
09 “Blue Monday” *
10 “Thieves Like Us” *
11 “Temptation” *
12 “Confusion” (restored version) *

Live in Toronto – The International Centre, Toronto, Canada 1985
13 “Elegia” *
14 “Sub-Culture” *
15 “The Village” *
16 “Sunrise” *
17 “We All Stand”
18 “As It Is When It Was” *
19 “Love Vigilantes” *
20 “586” *
21 “Age of Consent”
22 “Temptation”
23 “Ceremony” *
24 “The Perfect Kiss” *

The Perfect Film – Rehearsal Room, Cheetham Hill, Manchester 1985
25 “The Perfect Kiss”

* = previously unreleased

Low-Life (Definitive Edition) and limited-edition 12-inch singles are out 1/27.

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