In October of 2005, UK electronic group Depeche Mode released their 11th studio album in the form of Playing the Angel. Featuring 12 brand new tracks and coming four years after their previous release Exciter, Playing the Angel was the #1 album in several countries, including France, Germany, Italy, and Sweden, peaking at #7 in the United States.
I love Depeche Mode and while I knew of many of their songs before I listened to this album, Playing the Angel was my gateway into their discography. Furthermore, I have absolutely no qualms or hesitations in saying that it lands high up on my personal Top 10 Albums of All Time list. So, for no reason other than the fact that I love this album, let’s dive headfirst into Playing the Angel.
The first track I heard from the album was the single “Suffer Well”, which hooked me through its infectious beat and strangely disjointed synths. Dave Gahan swoons and careens his vocals, hypnotizing and entrancing with every syllable. From there, I somehow stumbled across a stream of “Macro”, which I have to admit made me feel uneasy and almost afraid. It was this track that made me realize Playing the Angel was a different kind of beast, something I wasn’t used to hearing from Depeche Mode. So, in the spirit of it being 2005, I went and bought the CD. Being able to hear the album from beginning to end is what ensured that this album would remain a favorite of mine.
From start to end, the album has no filler tracks. It’s one of those albums that you put in, hit ‘Play’, and let it play from beginning to end. For me, it’s a journey of beautiful tones, unsettling melodies, and flat out excellent music. It’s one amazing song after another, from the shocking, almost abrasive opening of “A Pain That I’m Used To” to the pulsating “Precious”, the ethereal instrumental “Introspectre” to the haunting “The Darkest Star”, which, side note, was featured in the Alan Wake DLC “The Writer”.
Speaking of creepy games, one of the things I notice every time I listen to Playing the Angel is how much “horror” is in each track. There are these subtle tones and sounds in the background of every song that creates an air of unease, permeating the track from within. It takes multiple listens to begin peeling back these layers and exposing the darkness contained inside but the trek is a magnificent one. There are few albums where I feel that I hear something new every time I pop it on but Playing the Angel is certainly one of those.
The album is known by many for seeing the band utilize a more organic, analog sound, which I can agree with. There is a depth and texture to the music that feels warm and safe. Many electronic albums have a very harsh air about them, making them difficult to listen to for long periods at a time. I don’t feel this is present at all with Playing the Angel. Rather, once I put it on, I find that I have issues shutting it off. I put the album on repeat and let it go, sometimes for hours at a time.
Depeche Mode have a long and storied career. When this album came out, it was nearly 25 years since the release of their first album Speak & Spell and a dozen years after their wildly successful Songs of Faith & Devotion. For many bands with that amount of time behind them, it’s easy for fans to question if anything new is going to actually be interesting or if it will be rote and predictable.
For me, I say that Depeche Mode released an album that will become the dark horse of their career, one that people will look back upon and recognize its genius. Until that day, I’ll sit back and enjoy it in my own way, darkly and fully.