Depeche Mode 'Sounds Of The Universe' 2009

"Songs in the key of space"

SONG LYRICS by ALBUM

DEPECHE MODE

ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF

SOUNDS OF THE UNIVERSE

APRIL 21, 2009

January 15, 2009- Groundbreaking, chart-topping electro legends Depeche Mode are proud to announce the release of their long-anticipated new studio album, Sounds Of The Universe on April 21, 2009 (Mute Records).

Eclectic and energized, the band's new release is their most dazzling and diverse album in decades. Recorded in Santa Barbara and New York, Depeche Mode returned to using a lot of vintage gear, from analogue synthesizers to drum machines, in order to conjure up the retro-futuristic arrangements featured on the album. Lyrically the release contains many of the group's enduring obsessions plus more overt black humor than any of their previous collections.

Like with their 2005 studio album, Playing The Angel, Sounds Of The Universe features writing credits for both Martin Gore, the group's primary songwriter, and Dave Gahan who after honing his talents on two solo albums, has earned his place as Depeche Mode's second writer. The release also marks a reunion between the band and producer Ben Hillier (Blur, Doves, Elbow), who worked with the band to help give their new album its timeless sound. The first single from the release, "Wrong," grabs the listener's attention from its first stack-heeled, staccato shriek. Over stomping beats, screeching synthesizers, and Dave's overlord chant, "Wrong" already feels like a Depeche Mode classic. Other standout tracks include Martin's velvet-lined Scott Walker croon on the sensual lounge-music ballad "Jezebel," to the sci-fi gospel-blues hymn "In Chains" and "Hole To Feed," which marries modern electronics to a floor-shaking, bone-rattling Bo Diddley beat.

As one of the most influential bands of the post-punk era, with global sales in excess of 100 million, Depeche Mode belongs to a select premiere league of super groups who have survived from the early 1980s with their ideals, creative vision and core members intact. Formed in 1981, Depeche Mode - Martin Gore, Dave Gahan and Andy 'Fletch' Fletcher - continue to win critical and commercial acclaim across the world both in the studio and on the road. All of the band's 11 studio albums have reached the Top Ten in not only the UK and USA but 20 plus countries around the world including Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, and Belgium. Additionally, since their inception Depeche Mode's live shows continue to be a must-see attraction, with the group playing to 2.8 million people across 31 countries on their last tour alone.

Sounds Of The Universe - The Album

Alongside a standard CD format, Sounds Of The Universe is available as a Special Edition CD+DVD set and a Deluxe Box Set featuring three CDs, a DVD and a host of exclusive extras. The album is also available as a double vinyl LP (including a Sounds Of The Universe CD) and as a download.

The CD+DVD set also includes the album mixed in 5.1 surround sound, the promo video for Wrong, Sounds Of The Universe - A Short Film and remixes of three new songs.

The Deluxe Box Set contains the Sounds Of The Universe album CD, a second disc including brand new bonus tracks and remixes of new songs and a third CD with an exclusive collection of demos, from both the new album and songs from throughout Depeche Mode's career.

The Box Set DVD includes three films, the promo video for first single Wrong (directed by Patrick Daughters), the album and five bonus tracks in 5.1 surround sound, plus four songs filmed live in the studio in December 2008.

The two-piece, custom made box also contains two 84-page hardback books, one featuring the lyrics to all the songs from the Sounds Of The Universe sessions, accompanied by exclusive photography by Anton Corbijn and the second contains exclusive and candid studio photography by Daniel Miller, Ben Hillier, Luke Smith and Ferg Peterkin.

Further extras include two enamel badges, a poster, artcards and a certificate of authenticity.

Depeche Mode about the album's songs

"In Chains"

Dave Gahan: "'In Chains' is another song off the album which I really like which I think is a classic soul song, its got that kind of feel about it, that it could have been something that Marvin Gaye performed, that kind of soul-y song, its got beautiful lyrics and it was great to sing, it was one of the most challenging songs for me to get where I wanted it to be vocally with my voice but we got there in the end."

Martin Gore: "I think it's in my warped head, there's something Stevie Wonder-like about 'Little Soul', like there's something Marvin Gaye-like about 'In Chains'. I had a dream about the tuning up of the synths, as an orchestra tunes up. It so happened that 'In Chains' starts in the key of A minor. So we were able to start the beginning of the album with the A440 tuning tone from the Minimoog, and just recorded, gradually tuning a load of synths to that A. We thought that only real keyboard aficionados would recognize that initial, little click of the Minimoog powering up, then the A440 going on." "I dreamt of starting the album with the sound of an orchestra of synthesizers tuning up, like a classical orchestra before a concert. We translated this idea with an old Mini Moog. But the rest of the song is more inspired by soul. It's as if Marvin Gaye was singing with an electro band."

"Hole To Feed"

Dave Gahan: "This is one of the songs I wrote on the album, a very cynical song about wanting to fill a gaping hole but not knowing what to fill it with. About sometimes the idea having a hole to feed all being a figment of my imagination when I'm actually fine." "It is about the fact that I am always thinking that there is something else out there - a person, a relationship, a drug, an adventure, whatever - that can finally fulfill my needs. Well, then you give into this stuff or person, with which you were so obsessed - and then you're disappointed. That's how it always goes. No matter what it is, no matter how great I am doing or how happy I am: I will never get into the state that I want to reach. My cynical self will appear in such moments. And I actually don't like this part of my character anymore. But it simply cannot be turned off easily. But I am pressing the pause button more frequently than ever anyway." "In the studio, when working on songs, there is a collective effort. The composition of 'Hole to Feed' has ended up becoming something more rhythmic and lyrically cynical than its original version. Once we had developed the rhythmic structure of this song, Martin played the guitar with some great parts, and the transition gave the song a completely different atmosphere. At the beginning of the recording, we worked on the arrangement of the song, and in a way we tore apart the demo version of the song, looking for its strengths. And sometimes the drive of a composition is hidden in the shadows, it's not necessarily the most obvious element. This song has become much more twisted and faster than the demo version. Originally, this track had a spatial atmosphere, but Ben Hillier decided to give it a rhythm and build the rest of the composition around it."

"Wrong"

Martin Gore: "I think it was probably more than a day. Laughs - I hope people don’t take it in a really depressing way, because I like to think that I’ve somehow made it into a bit of a comedy moment. There’s a bit of black humor in there. It makes me laugh when I say that “there’s something wrong with me chemically, something wrong with me inherently.”" "We decided to go with 'Wrong' because it's quite different from what we've done in the past. I heard the description 'future retro sound' which I liked a lot. A lot of the new songs have a Sixties-Space-Age-Pop-Sound. Not like Martin Denny or Juan Garcia Esquivel but close to it. I always say I'm a traditional songwriter, in the way that I use melodies, chords and lyrics. Only the instrumental part is a unanimous Depeche Mode decision. But for me, electro and emotions work together, there is no contradiction." "We unanimously - without even really talking about it I think - chose 'Wrong' as the first single just because we felt it was more of a statement, it was very different for us. We always like to do something different as a first single, just to announce that we're back."

Dave Gahan: "It's good that the people are surprised with 'Wrong' as a single. The rhythm was surprising for us as well in the beginning. It's very R&B, not rap, it's a rant. Very amusing. It is as if a thirteen year old boy is stomping with his feet on the floor trying to revolt against his parents. At that age everything seems to be wrong, that's what parents usually say." "It's sort of an unconventional pop song if you like. It's almost more of a rap or rant or something and its groove is a little different too in that way. And I think we chose it because, we didn't choose it because we felt it was the best song, we chose it because we felt that it was striking and that it was a good song to choose for the next chapter of what it is we're doing."

"Little Soul"

Martin Gore: "I wrote ['Little Soul' and 'Peace'] back to back, and the flow of the album started to make more sense. I really felt they had a spirituality to them. That somehow set a cornerstone for the rest of the writing."

"Peace"

Martin Gore: "I wrote 'Little Soul' and 'Peace' back to back, and the flow of the album started to make more sense. I really felt they had a spirituality to them. That somehow set a cornerstone for the rest of the writing." "'Peace' and 'Little Soul' are two of the most spiritual songs I've ever written. Peace will come to me. Inner peace. I don't want to come across as a born-again Christian or some New Age hippy. But maybe it is about feeling more connected to the universe." "'Peace' is my personal favourite. I think it could be one of the best songs I have ever written. It could be the next single." "Two of the songs I wrote back to back: 'Peace' followed by 'Little Soul.' They were, for me, quite spiritual sounding. Although they sound nothing like it, it almost felt a little bit like something from Stevie Wonder's Innervisions. There's something spiritual in that sense to them. It might seem really weird to be talking about Stevie Wonder. There's nothing that we ever do that really sounds like somebody else directly. I think it’s in my warped head, there’s something Stevie Wonder-like about 'Little Soul'."

Dave Gahan: "When Martin played it to me for the first time I turned around and said, 'I think that's one of the best songs you've ever written.' Even in the demo form it was apparent that it was so full of melody, I thought it was just beautiful. Sometimes I don't know where he comes up with this stuff to be honest."

"Come Back"

Dave Gahan: "I do have my favourite tracks on the album at the moment but they change all the time! I think my favourite is actually 'Come Back' which is a song that I wrote with Andrew and Christian which has really come a long way from the demo." "Martin helped a lot with my songs, he invested a lot of time, trying a lot. Sometimes I had to pressure him a little bit, but he had this idea with the backing vocals in 'Come Back', which is wonderful." "'Come Back' was originally in a gospel atmosphere, but eventually we decided on a big wall of sound."

"Miles Away / The Truth Is"

Dave Gahan: "This song is about someone whose thoughts are somewhere far away. About someone who hides behind a facade of a mask he has put on. And tries to hide it. This song about my friend. I knew that when I was with him and said something to him, he was actually mentally absent. Even though he tried to convince me that he was not. 'Miles Away / The Truth Is' is not entirely about drugs, but they are always present somewhere in the songs. All my life, I tried to escape from myself. Also with drugs. Until it finally became clear to me that it was not bad to be myself. This song was made quite quickly. When I wrote the lyrics of this song, the vocal part was circling in my head. This song is inspired by my friend. In the studio, Martin played a fantastic guitar part around it, with which we built the rest of the song, as was the case with 'Come Back'. We also recorded great vocal parts - Martin stepped in and sang in the background. 'Miles Away' is a dirty, nasty, grinding song. It reminds me a bit of a modern version of 'The Gimme Shelter' by The Rolling Stones. It has something of that in it." "Martin does change song titles. He's very particular about his song titles. At the last minute he'll change the title and he worries I think if there's another song with the same name. I imagine him Googling it. For instance Miles Away/The Truth Is on this album was just Miles Away. Then Martin said, 'You know there's a Madonna song called Miles Away?' So it was changed."

"Jezebel"

Martin Gore: "Betrayal, longing, suffering, religion, and sex, all in one song. What can I say? Maybe I've finally written the ultimate Depeche Mode lyric? Jokes aside though, you don't have to put too much weight on the biblical reference. The song is more about the importance of not believing everything you hear. To think for yourself."

"Oh Well"

Martin Gore: "There's actually one track that probably won't make the album, but maybe an extra track on the first single and will probably be on the full, extended boxset or whatever. That was originally an instrumental that I wrote. And Dave liked it so much that he put some lyrics to it."

Dave Gahan: "I took the risk. I got it, and I went back to my room after he had given it to me in Santa Barbara. And suddenly I was faring on these ideas, and this melody, and some words, actually, that were coming into my head. And when I came back to New York, I put loads of vocals on it, and vocal melodies. And then we back the next time to play each other stuff, and I was like, "Actually, I did this to your song". And Martin didn't really say anything! But we recorded it, and it might end up being the first collaboration between us, which was done in completely different places, in completely different parts of America, and completely different times. But nonetheless, it's a collaboration."

2 x 12" + CD (STUMM300) EU

CD

01   "In Chains" 06:53

02   "Hole To Feed" 03:59

03   "Wrong" 03:13

04   "Fragile Tension" 04:09

05   "Little Soul" 03:31

06   "In Sympathy" 04:54

07   "Peace" 04:29

08   "Come Back" 05:15

09   "Spacewalker" 01:53

10   "Perfect" 04:33

11   "Miles Away / The Truth Is" 04:14

12   "Jezebel" 04:41

13   "Corrupt" 05:04

● MATRIX: RUNOUT / BARCODE

Label Code:   LC05834

Barcode:   5099969605512

Other Side a and Side c:   Made in the EU

Runout etching side A:   B964367 - 01A2

Runout etching side B:   B964367 - 01B2 AIR STUDIOS MASTERING

Runout etching side C:   B964367 - 02C2

Runout etching side D:   B964367 - 02D2 AIR

Barcode LP1:   5099969807312

Barcode LP2:   5099969807329

Label Code:   LC05834

Rights Society:   SDRM biem

Barcode:   509969807411

Runout:   6960552 A963711-01 manufactured by optimal media production

Mastering SID Code:   ifpi L573

Mould SID Code:   IFPI 9707

Barcode CD:   5099969605529

Writers 2,8,11 : Dave Gahan, Christian Eigner, Andrew Phillpott. Writers 5 : Dave Gahan, Martin Gore. Cover: Printed in the EU. 12" Vinyl, Gatefold Sleeve. Sticker black: "DM 100% virgin vinyl 180 gram plus CD". CD-13's total duration is 54:49 and contains "Corrupt" (5:04) and an untitled hidden track (starting at 54:08; an instrumental version of "Wrong") that is not mentioned on the cover or in the booklet (this track also appears on the LP, listed as track D3.3). The 180 gram 100% virgin vinyl edition comes in a gatefold sleeve with inner bags, pressed on heavy vinyl. Also included is a CD of the album (as per the standard CD).

CD (CDSTUMM300) EU

01   "In Chains" 06:53

02   "Hole To Feed" 03:59

03   "Wrong" 03:13

04   "Fragile Tension" 04:09

05   "Little Soul" 03:31

06   "In Sympathy" 04:54

07   "Peace" 04:29

08   "Come Back" 05:15

09   "Spacewalker" 01:53

10   "Perfect" 04:33

11   "Miles Away / The Truth Is" 04:14

12   "Jezebel" 04:41

13   "Corrupt" 05:04

● MATRIX: RUNOUT / BARCODE

Label Code:   LC05834

Barcode:   5099969701122

Other Side a and Side c:   Made in the EU

Runout:   A 6960552 A963711-01 manufactured by optimal media production

Mastering SID Code:   ifpi L573

Mould SID Code:   IFPI 9705

Rights Society:   SDRM biem

Writers 2,8,11 : Dave Gahan, Christian Eigner, Andrew Phillpott. Writers 5 : Dave Gahan, Martin Gore. Cover: Printed in the EU. Track 13 (total length 54:49) contains a hidden track (track 13.c), an untitled instrumental version of Wrong.

CD + DVD (LCDSTUMM300) EU

● MATRIX: RUNOUT / BARCODE

Label Code:   LC05834

Barcode:   5099969891427

Other Side a and Side c:   Made in the EU

Runout CD:   6989152 A963669-01 manufactured by optimal media production

Mastering SID Code:   IFPI L573

Mould SID Code:   IFPI 9727

Rights Society:   SDRM biem

Barcode CD:   5099969891526

Runout DVD:   6967679 D963118-01 manufactured by optimal media production

Mastering SID Code:   IFPI L573

Mould SID Code:   IFPI 9749

Barcode DVD:   5099969891496

Writers 2,8,11 : Dave Gahan, Christian Eigner, Andrew Phillpott. Writers 5 : Dave Gahan, Martin Gore. Cover: Printed in the EU. Track 13 includes a Hidden Song, which sounds a bit like "wrong". Not mentioned in the cover or booklet.

VIDEO ABOUT THE MAKING OF THE ALBUM

DEPECHE MODE COMMERCIAL TV

PRODUCTION DETAILS ALBUM

"In Chains" 06:53  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

"Hole To Feed" 03:59  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.. Original programming by Christian Eigner & Andrew Phillpott. Drums by Christian Eigner.

"Wrong" 03:13  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

"Fragile Tension" 04:09  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.. Drums by Christian Eigner.

"Little Soul" 03:31  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

"In Sympathy" 04:54  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

"Peace" 04:29  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

"Come Back" 05:15  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.. Original programming by Christian Eigner & Andrew Phillpott.

"Spacewalker" 01:53  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

"Perfect" 04:33  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

"Miles Away / The Truth Is" 04:14  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.. Original programming by Christian Eigner & Andrew Phillpott.

"Jezebel" 04:41  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

"Corrupt" 05:04  •  Produced by Ben Hillier for 140dB. Mixed by Tony Hoffer. Engineered by Ferg Peterkin. Programming by Luke Smith. Assistant Engineer: Josh Garcia (Santa Barbara), Jesse Gladstone (New York) & Anthony Palazzole (New York, Mixing). Pre-production assistance by Sie Medway-Smith - Grabbing Hands. Mastered by Stephen Marcussen for Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

THE 12th STUDIO ALBUM

discussion album

2009