If you've ever wondered what the elegy for the 21st century sounds like, Spirit comes pretty close. Following 2013's Delta Machine, Depeche Mode (Dave Gahan, Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher) return with their 14th studio album, and most politically charged material to date. Spirit, the band's second…

They are the world's biggest electronic rock'n'roll band. Pioneers of British new wave, Depeche Mode didn't just break through in the '80s, they helped define them: synths and samplers and sexual politics — and well coiffed to boot. They've never scored a No. 1 hit, but they've sold more than 100…

The loose concept behind Delta Machine (the British synth-pop pioneers' 13th studio album) is a merging of a blues feel with electronics, hence the title. The guiding concept can be heard clearly at work on tracks such as "Slow" and "Goodbye," with their bluesy guitar riffs. Other numbers, such as…