This track lives or dies by the low-end. The 24-bit FLAC does not boost the bass; it clarifies it. You can feel the difference between the electronic thud of the drum machine and the acoustic slap of the snare. Listen closely at 0:48 when the synth sweeps in. In standard resolution, this is a "wash." In high-res, it’s a physical wave pressing against the speakers. Ian Curtis’s vocals—recorded with a cheap microphone in the live room to give it distance—now reveal the saliva and strain in his throat. It is uncomfortably intimate.
Random blogspot downloads. Often these are 128kbps MP3s transcoded (faked) into FLAC. A fake FLAC retains the frequency cutoff of lossy files. You can verify authenticity using software like Spek or Fakin’ The Funk . Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures -24 bit FLAC- ...
Stephen Morris’s drums were often recorded one drum at a time to ensure total isolation. This track lives or dies by the low-end