Exciter

On Exciter, Depeche Mode have created an autobiography in the lyrics that, for the first time, strikes a chord with sceptics and believers alike. Depeche Mode has exorcised the demons and produced an album that places them squarely back on track.

The opener, Dream On, is a close cousin to Personal Jesus, combining earthy guitar with electrified, pulsating synths. The track’s physical and metaphorical imagery poignantly relays the karmic revolution of living the fast life. The brilliant, mesmerising monster of a tune, The Dead of Night, swaggers with a giant, crushing industrial beat like a Nine Inch Nails song dressed in glamorous drag, while the ballads, Shine and Freelove, are as beautiful as the classic Somebody (but entirely unburdened by saccharine sentimentality).

Gore’s keen ear for shimmering sonics and bellowing rhythm reinvigorate the Depeche Mode-branded synth-pop that’s remained unique for the last 20 years. In all, Exciter is a stunning return to form, and a triumph by every definition.