LogFAQs > #886610467

Depeche Mode - Delta Machine

Depeche Mode has always been one of those groups I claimed to like, without ever actually bothering to listen to any of their albums in full. I think I just held such a strong opinion of the hits on Violator (especially Enjoy The Silence) that I assumed I would love anything else they had to offer. While I can safely say that I don’t feel as strongly about anything on this album as I do those tracks on Violator, I’m somewhat impressed and somewhat bewildered by how similar their tone of music remained over the years. The overall darkness is something I expected, but the even the sonic palette used in their production seems dated... The sounds themselves feel reminiscent of early electronic music, yet the fidelity is so high that it simultaneously feels modern.

The issue with aiming for such a retro vibe is that the album feels very restricted in it’s use of different sounds, and while this definitely creates a good sense of cohesion, the album seems to lack range. This is especially true in the latter half where even higher energy songs like “Soothe My Soul” do little to differentiate themselves from what surrounds them. When examining the compositions themselves… there is nothing on this album I’m crazy about and only one I actively dislike. “Heaven” and “Secret to the End” were the only songs to stick out to me in a positive way, likely due to the interplay between real instruments (not trying to sound pretentious) and electronic production. On the other end, “Soft Touch/Raw Nerve” feels like the audio equivalent of Chinese water torture.

All in all, I guess I’m happy for this album. I mean, I’m happy Depeche Mode is still around, and still doing it. This might spur me to check out their most recent album as I was until now unaware they’d released something in 2017. Thanks for reminding me that they exist.

Final Rating: >Silence (which I often enjoy)
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http://soundcloud.com/thundersheep/these-beautiful-nightmares