"Sub-culture" is the tenth single by English rock band New Order. It was released as the second and final single from their third studio album, Low-Life (1985) on 28 October 1985 by Factory Records.

Release

The single release, remixed by John Robie, is a drastic departure from the album version of the track. Robie's 12" and 7" single mixes feature more club-oriented, electronic instrumentation and prominent soulful female backing vocals. The B-side is an instrumental remix titled "Dub-vulture". An alternate seven-inch edit of the Robie remix taken from the Benelux version of the "Sub-culture" single appears on the group's 1987 compilation, Substance. This version also appears on the US 12" alongside the longer mixes. A collection of Razormaid remixes of the track were released in 1986, which include additional vocals by Deborah Iyall of Romeo Void.

Artwork

"Sub-culture" has only a regular black sleeve, as graphic designer Peter Saville reportedly deemed the mix of the song unworthy of his talents. Saville's input was present only in a P/S/A (Peter Saville Associates) credit for typography. However this rumour was debunked in 2017 when Saville stated, "I never had the authority to say that there shouldn't be a sleeve. No, all I can presume is that one was not asked for."

Track listing

UK 7" free with Record Mirror - RM2

Chart positions