Depeche Mode
Sounds Of The Universe

THE REVIEW

IMMORTAL!!!

Nothing better captures what I think about these three "guys"... A lot has happened since 1981, their style has changed, it has transformed, it has refined, only one thing has always remained the same: class. Oh yes, because I challenge anyone, after nearly 30 years of music and at the brink of turning 50, to produce a work of such elegance and quality. I don't know if this album can be considered on the level of the absolute masterpieces that they have given us in the past, but I am sure that this is a great album where we can find all the essence of Depeche Mode made of compelling rhythms, engaging melodies, warm and enveloping sounds, electronics at its finest, and a mix between songwriting and arrangements really well crafted that makes you fly into the universe from which the album seems to come. Martin stated in several interviews that he was very inspired for this album, and who can blame him given the immense material produced for this record, which beyond the 13 tracks of the official lineup (I believe it’s their record) offers for die-hard fans (like me :-) an exclusive box set with 5 more unreleased songs (which are also beautiful) and various demos, DVDs, photo albums, pins, and many extras...a real gem.

I've read many praises and many criticisms about this album, but I believe these three gentlemen will never cease to amaze me, considering them one of the groups with the highest quality discography among all active and inactive bands, always ready to surprise us every time. And it is with this awareness that I approached the first listening of this album, like a child unwrapping a Christmas gift, with that curiosity, and from the first track, in an almost sacred silence, all the sounds of the universe aligned in the intro leading us towards "In Chains" and it was immediately emotional. What I noticed is that, as far as I'm concerned, there are no weak tracks (those to skip, so to speak), no dips in tension understood as emotion, no songs not worth listening to; each piece has a very precise, well-searched identity in terms of sound and melody, that conveys different sensations.

The beginning, as I mentioned before, is explosive with "In Chains", which I imagine being performed from behind the curtain of a famous tour they did in 1993, "Hole to Feed", written by Dave, an acid and disorienting piece, "Wrong", a simply splendid driving single, and then the masterpiece... "Fragile Tension", complicated to listen to with Dave's voice and Martin's guitar riff that seems not to fit the song's pace but manages to create a unique atmosphere... Fantastic. But all the other tracks are beautiful, like the big ballad "Jezebel" (Martin's trembling voice is heartbreaking when he sings "...but I need you"), "Perfect", "Miles Away/The Truth Is" & "Come Back" (the other 2 tracks written entirely by Dave), "Corrupt" (another typically DM early '90s track), while slightly less but still very good "In Sympathy" which I find slightly banal and commercial, the prayer "Peace" which perhaps has a slightly weak chorus, and "Little Soul" sung by Dave & Martin together, perhaps a bit too repetitive.

In conclusion, I can certainly say that I consider this "Sounds Of The Universe" another great work by Depeche Mode, especially when I consider the fact that it is the 12th album of their immense career. I don’t want to give it five stars because I don’t believe it will become a milestone in music, but I want to tell everyone who considers this album a flop not to rush in judging it because it is not an easy work; I understand it might be hard to digest, but its depth is its strength, and I am sure its value will emerge even for those who are now struggling to digest it, and if that shouldn't happen, well... I like it... And so do my fellow friends!!

See ya in the Universe!!