Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe

With Depeche Mode returning to a scene so full of bands aping their sound, you could forgive them for dusting off their analogue synths in order to capture the retro zeitgeist, even if the results weren’t this promising. Upon first listen, it’s the hooks of Miles Away and first single Wrong that stand out, the latter a slow-burning stomper, complete with buzzing keyboards and bluesy vocals from Dave Gahan. But the other, initially salient moments are the clangers; the Jean Michel Jarre arpeggios of Peace are a little cringeworthy, and the lyrics emit the occasional cheddary whiff. Repeated listens, however, reveal successful experimentation: In Sympathy features Balearic beats, and Come Back incorporates some IDM sounds. For dynamics, there’s the rockier Fragile Tension and the decidedly trippy Little Soul. With bands like The Killers having colonised the alternative dancefloor, this album should see the old guns reclaiming some lost territory.