theBUZZ Features
Depeche Mode – a reflective new album and tour shines spotlight on 1980s new wave pioneers
Depeche Mode‘s eagerly anticipated new album, Memento Mori, was released March 24, 2023 via Columbia Records, and it marks a major comeback for these 80s synthwave creators.
Memento Mori’s arrival is heralded by the release of its first single “Ghosts Again” which is nothing short of classic Depeche Mode. Dave Gahan’s lyrics ring out “wasted feelings, broken meanings… a place to hide the tears we cry” with a hypnotic Martin Gore guitar figure atop an uplifting, optimistic groove. “To me, ‘Ghosts Again’ just captures this perfect balance of melancholy and joy,” commented Gahan. Gore added, “It’s not often that we record a song that I just don’t get sick of listening to – I’m excited to be able to share it.”
Memento Mori is Depeche Mode’s 15th studio album and its first as a two-piece lineup of Gahan and Gore, following co-founder Andrew “Fletch” Fletcher’s tragic passing in 2022. Produced by James Ford, with additional production work by Marta Salogni, Memento Mori’s gestation took place during the early stages of the Covid pandemic, resulting in themes inspired directly by that period. The album’s 12 tracks chart a vast expanse of moods and textures, from its ominous opening to its closing resolve—running the gamut from paranoia and obsession to catharsis and joy, and hitting myriad points between.
The complete track listing is:
My Cosmos Is Mine
Wagging Tongue
Ghosts Again
Don’t Say You Love Me
My Favourite Stranger
Soul With Me
Caroline’s Monkey
Before We Drown
People Are Good
Always You
Never Let Me Go
Speak To Me
They are currently in the midst of their first world tour in over five years and 19th overall, which featured stops in North America before heading over to Europe. Having sold more than 100 million records and played to more than 35 million fans worldwide, Depeche Mode remains an ever-evolving and singularly influential musical force. An indelible inspiration to fans, critics and artists alike, Depeche Mode continues to forge ahead, with the Memento Mori album and tour representing the opening of the newest chapter of a peerless and ongoing legacy.
About the Author
Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.