British electronic veterans Depeche Mode are set to unveil their twelfth studio album. On the eve of the US release of Sounds of the Universe, the time has come to reflect on a career in music spanning nearly 30 years and select the ultimate playlist from the band's extensive body of work.
Choosing the best tracks from such diverse, influential, beloved material is a bit like choosing which children to carry out of a burning building: emotionally complex, bound to be controversial. But with an apocalypse looming in 2012, whether by great flood or hyperspatial express route, decisions must be made. Which Depeche Mode songs would make the strongest gene pool from which to repopulate the species on another planet?

And so begins the making of a brave new world...

Just Can't Get Enough
"Just Can't Get Enough" is the unapologetic optimist of the bunch. From their 1981 debut, Speak & Spell, it was Depeche Mode's first US single (third in the UK). From the early days when the songs were written by founding member and keyboardist Vince Clarke (who later went on to form Erasure), this cute, upbeat gem of early 80s synth pop is a must-have. The snappy beat, playful keyboard riff, and lovestruck lyrics make this pure bubblegum joy. It stands on its own merits, and is enhanced by its innocence-lost contrast to the darkness that characterizes their later work.

Everything Counts
The first single from 1983 album, Construction Time Again, "Everything Counts" represents the beginning of Depeche Mode's transition toward weightier subject matter and a more industrial sound. With the departure of Vince Clarke, songwriting duties fell to Martin Gore. Inspired by acts such as German pioneers Einstuerzende Neubauten, and with the addition of sampling, the band introduced the harsh metallic textures of the genre to an English-speaking audience, paving the way for the likes of countrymen, Nitzer Ebb.

Lie To Me
Some Great Reward, released in 1984, is an album packed with big singles. "People Are People," the first big hit for DM in the US, is blunt social commentary over an aggressive industrial rhythm. "Master And Servant" introduces deviant sexual overtones to the band's set of go-to themes, building equity with the alternative crowd. "Blasphemous Rumours" uses provocative religious language and "Somebody" is an enduring (though not the best) example of a Gore-sung ballad. While musically solid, these songs feel like persona pieces, less moving than the rising personal vulnerability found in other album tracks. "Lie To Me" sounds sneaky, feels sinister, is sad, beautiful.

Stripped
Depeche Mode's fifth studio album, Black Celebration, sounds like it was made under moonlight in an abandoned gothic warehouse complex, the machinery of their industrial sampling gathering dust somewhere in the shadows. The album saw a decline in commercial success, but marks an important textural shift to atmospheric soundscapes. A period ignored in the band's most recent compilation, The Best Of, Volume 1, "Stripped" serves as an excellent example of this dark, passionate, expansive sound.

Never Let Me Down Again
"Never Let Me Down Again," the lead-off track from 1987 release, Music For The Masses, integrates the best qualities of the musical journey that led to it. A spacious sound filled with expertly chosen electronic textures, a subtle post-industrial edge, wide-open vocal performances, layered personal lyrics. The song starts with a great guitar riff, adds driving cavernous drums, then continues to fill itself with drama until it dissolves into space.

Policy Of Truth
Depeche Mode found their greatest commercial success in 1990 with their seventh studio album, Violator. Up to this point, the band displayed passion and clear sexuality, but with Violator the music itself transcended its somewhat alternative appeal and became undeniably sexy. "Policy Of Truth" is intense, with its sensual main hook and synth sax embellishments over an electronic heartbeat. The song builds until the words trail off into a dark afterglow of distant guitar feedback.

Walking In My Shoes
Songs Of Faith And Devotion in 1993 added more guitars and traditional instrument sounds to their world. The band's sonic berry bulged with sensuality. Singer Dave Gahan's romance with drugs was beginning to devour him. Lead-off single "I Feel You" is aggressive and edgy; "Condemnation" showcases Gahan's aching voice. But "Walking In My Shoes" puts it all together, with a dark synth piano, relentless drums and sinister bass, swirling keyboards and guitar, and a pained vocal performance.

It's No Good
"It's No Good" from Ultra seems to return to the musical territory of Violator, but the vibe has darkened considerably, feeling a bit jaded and exhausted. Underpinned by a fat electronic beat and an industrial keyboard rhythm. Layers of sustained tones in various distorted flavors play in and out, and Gahan sounds weakened and almost sarcastic. Despite his mounting personal problems, Gahan continued to let himself be vulnerable.

I Feel Loved
"I Feel Loved," from Exciter, marked a further return to a dominantly electronic sound. The pace picks up, the heartbeat quickens, and the darkness is carried by synthesizer noises and through Gahan's almost ironic vocal performance. The album met with mixed reviews, reflecting the band's slip from the pinnacle of its relevance. The music from this period shows Depeche Mode retain their ability to build satisfying electronic sounds and beats, and it's worth preserving at least one track from their current, faltering phase.

Enjoy The Silence
The near-perfect song from Depeche Mode's near-perfect album is the greatest of the group, the great bright hope. An ethereal guitar riff, a driving dance club beat, electronic textures building to a transcendent dramatic experience, and resonant and tender lyrics. It's hard to leave any tracks from Violator behind, but "Enjoy The Silence," remixed and deconstructed in endless variation always with success, is the perfect champion to represent the seductive energy of songs like "World In My Eyes" and "Halo," as well as suggesting the hypnotic expanses of "Waiting For The Night" and "Blue Dress."

What will Sounds Of The Universe contribute to the legacy of Depeche Mode? Will there be more songs with saving for future generations? All will be revealed tomorrow.

What is your opinion, dear reader? Which Depeche Mode songs should be brought aboard the ark (or rescued by Ford Prefect if you prefer)? Your opinion counts in large amounts.

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