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Depeche Mode speak of evolution, loss of control, of revolution. From the title they try to capture the "spirit" of the time, what in philosophy is called "Zeitgeist". "Spirit" is, in many ways, the most political of the disk group. But the personal is political, it was said years ago: the band did very clear choice not only in words but also in its construction and in the production and album. For themes, there is not only "Where's the revolution", you have already heard.
We listened to the whole album, preview (due out March 17): songs with strong social connotations are different. The album opens with "Goin 'backwards": "We have not evolved, we've lost control, we're goin' backwards, ignoring the reality," Gahan sings. in "The worst crime" Depeche speak of "Misguided leaders" and they say, "We're all charged with treason." We are all coplevoli, in this situation no one is innocent. It is no coincidence that in the only interview granted to date on the disc (a Rolling Stone USA), Gahan has said that "it is a hard on humanity, our place in the world. If we want things to change, we have to take care of what happens. But it looks like we're going in a different direction. "
The other (small) revolution is the production of the disc. Depeche told that the disc was recorded fairly quickly, in the States, (home to Gahan and Gore, who have obviously absorbed the social climate of recent times). But, after years, there is a new producer. Via Ben Hiller, who had worked with the group for the past 10 years, and closed the trilogy of "Playing the Angel" in 2005, "Sounds of the Universe" in 2009 and "Delta Machine" 2013 ". Inside James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco and already working with Florence & The Machine and Arctic Monkeys.
Hiller, for the record, was also "the most talked manufacturer DM entire discography, and are among the many fans not forgive excessive speed and lack of attention to detail", as they explain on their special Depeche Mode in Italy. The same can not be said of Ford: "Spirit" is an album that does not betray the identity of Depeche, but breathes new life into the sound, with meticulous care of sound nuances. "Spirit" is an album to listen to with a good pair of headphones or a stereo with good sound, to seize all the work done by the group with the producer.
The beginning is a statement: in "Goin 'backwards" immediately put the record straight, mixing a plan with electronics. A powerful sound, yet recognizable. The same logic of mixing power / retail / recognition applies to all of the songs: "The worst crime" opens on an almost ethereal guitar, on little mountain which time the drums and keyboards. The bass buttons of "Scum" are disturbed by small sound explosions, for years synth 80s, while the filtered Gahan's voice says "Pull the trigger!". Those low returns in "You Move", as if to merge the two songs, although the song evolves into another direction, where a keyboard Gahan says that for the first time in the disk moves away from more overtly political issues ( "I like the way you move for me tonight ").
"Cover Me" starts slow, hieratic, vocals and keyboards, and continues to the beautiful instrumental coda, only keyboards and beats. "Eternal", sung by Martin, is just as hieratic, a short fresco vocals and keyboards 2 'and 13 "that ends in an almost dissonant and rumoristica. "Poison Heart", one of the most beautiful songs of the disc and directed, has the structure of a soulful ballad, but it made less reassuring from the coin-cell battery and "soiled" by keyboards and effects.
"So much love" is the song more classically Depeche Mode: starting with an electronic percussion old style, Gahan and Gore voices that intertwine on the opening speech "There is so much love in me", and four notes of a guitar effettata that seems to come straight from a new wave disco. A wonderful next single, and one of the strongest disk political statements: "You can despise me, demonize me, but there is so much love in me."
The sound barrier built by the song immediately comes disassembled in "Poor man," which begins almost distant, with a keyboard sound that bounces from one box: it is one of the best examples of Ford's production, with clear sound that they accumulate, while remaining clearly distinct and identifiable, building a crescendo at the end of the song he pulled up another wall of sound. "No more (The last time)" is another potential single, another straight track, from the straight melody, backed by bass buttons. "Fail" is closing, entrusted to Martin's voice, dark and melodic, in which opposites attract and unite, as in the entire album. "People, how are we coping? It's futile to even start hoping. If justice will prevail, the truth will tear the scales. Our dignity has sailed, we failed ".
"Spirit" is an album that manages to be simultaneously hard and enveloping. Sounds and words like sharp knives, and yet you never get a feeling of detachment, to be placed at a distance. Depeche Mode instead hypnotize the listener with those synthetic sounds that are part of their history, rethought and dusted for 2017. The melodies often mitigate the harshness of the words, giving a sense of familiarity to sounds often deliberately disturbing.
In short: a disc to listen and listen again, a band with 40 years of career does not betray his identity, but it goes on and refuses to withdraw into an ivory tower, looking around, trying new ways of telling what he sees and pushing the ascoltaltore to do the same.
