"Closer" is the second and final studio album by British post-punk band Joy Division. It was released on July 18, 1980, two months after the untimely suicide of the band's lead vocalist, Ian Curtis. The recordings for the album took place in March to April 1980 at Britannia Row Studios in Islington, London.
"Closer" continues on the synth-based and krautrock style introduced on their debut studio album "Unknown Pleasures". It demonstrates increased incorporation of synthesizers, drum machines, and other electronic instrumentation. However, it's much more somber, dark, and eerie compared to its predecessor.
The lyrics were mainly penned by Curtis, reflecting his psychological struggles and containing themes of despair, loneliness, and personal torment. Although the album was met with mixed reviews at the time of its release due to its dark themes and sound, it has retrospectively received critical acclaim and is now considered a seminal post-punk album.
The album cover was designed by Peter Saville and features an engraving of the Appiani family tomb in the Staglieno cemetery in Genoa, Italy.
Some of the notable tracks from "Closer" include "Atrocity Exhibition," "Isolation," and "Love Will Tear Us Apart," which was released as a single just a month prior to the album and became one of Joy Division's most famous songs.
"Closer" received a certificated Silver in the UK, and has been influential across many genres, inspiring a new generation of post-punk bands. Despite the tragic circumstances surrounding it, the album is a powerful testament to Joy Division's enduring talent and their profound impact on rock music.
