Visual Obsession: Crystal by New Order
There are certain visuals that get burned into your brain forever. For me, Crystal by New Order is one of them. It's my second favorite visual piece ever — right after 2001: A Space Odyssey.
New Order - "Crystal" (2001) Music Video
It’s wild how something can imprint on you so deeply that 24 years later, it still feels like a piece of your identity. That’s what New Order’s “Crystal” video is to me.
The first time I saw it, I was just starting my first year of college, away from home, overwhelmed by the speed at which the world was changing. One morning, I turned on my roommate’s modern late-90s boxy TV—the kind with built-in speakers at the bottom—MTV2 was on, and the video (having just come out) began playing. It was hypnotic. Mesmerizing. The energy, the style, the bold colors, the aesthetic—everything hit me like a lightning bolt. I was hooked.
Directed by Johan Renck (who would later direct episodes of Breaking Bad), the video features a fictional band performing in a gritty club setting. Behind them, a massive LED-style backdrop pulses with bright, shifting graphics moving from left to right, adding a surreal layer of energy to the performance. The visuals feel alive—like the walls are breathing in sync with the music. The real New Order members remain unseen. Instead, we get a group of impossibly cool young musicians who radiate intensity and confidence. They didn’t just perform; they existed. The whole thing felt urgent and electric. It was early-2000s indie sleaze before that was even a term.
I still watch “Crystal” weekly, sometimes daily. That might sound obsessive, but to me it’s as essential as breakfast. The fashion, the casting, the atmosphere—it’s still unmatched.
That same year, I was also introduced to Donnie Darko and Mulholland Dr., two other mind-bending visual experiences that shaped me. But “Crystal” came first. It lit the match.
It’s no coincidence that Brandon Flowers of The Killers named his band after the fake one in this video—he too was obsessed. There’s not nearly enough online about the making of it. No “behind-the-scenes” footage, no full interviews. But maybe that’s part of the magic. The mystery keeps it sacred.
I love nearly every New Order video, but Crystal is by far my favorite. It continues to influence everything I do, including the designs and direction of The SellOut.
“Crystal” is more than just a music video. It’s a mirror, a memory, a moodboard I’ve been drawing from for decades. If you haven’t watched it yet, do yourself a favor. And if you already know, then you know.
