With “Memento Mori” Depeche Mode recently announced their 15th studio album. It is the first work that Dave Gahan and Martin Gore have completed as a duo. Founding member Andy Fletcher had died unexpectedly of an aortic dissection in May 2022.
Work on the new songs began as early as 2019, so it’s quite possible that recordings by Andy Fletcher could be included on the new album. In any case, his sudden death plays a supporting role in the concept of “Memento Mori”, even if the album title had probably been decided for some time. Martin Gore says: “We started working on this project in the early phase of the pandemic, so its contents were directly inspired by that time. After Fletch passed away we decided to continue because we were sure that’s what he would have wanted us to do. This has given the project an additional meaning.”
Already at the end of October 2022 Depeche Mode announced at a press conference in Berlin the release of a new album “approximately for the end of March 2023”. On 24.03. it is now officially so far and “Memento Mori” appears, one day after the associated world tour starts in the USA.
The album contains twelve songs and was produced by James Ford, who was already responsible for the sound of the last Depeche Mode album “Spirit”. Ford was supported by Marta Salogni, who has already recorded and produced artists such as Björn, Frank Ocean or The xx. On the band’s website, he says of the new album’s musical direction, ” The twelve album tracks bridge a variety of moods and musical textures – starting with the ominous opener and ending with the denouement at the end, the emotional spectrum spans from paranoia and obsession, to psychic release and joy, as well as countless emotional overtones.”
The first single, “Ghosts Again,” is also the first taste of “Memento Mori” to be heard. “For me, ‘Ghosts Again’ captures the perfect balance between melancholy and joy,” says Dave Gahan. “It’s not too often that we record a song that I can not only listen to over and over again – I’m also super excited to share it with the world,” adds Gore.

Tracks:
1 My Cosmos Is Mine
2 Wagging Tongue
3 Ghosts Again
4 Don’t Say You Love Me
5 My Favourite Stranger
6 Soul With Me
7 Caroline’s Monkey
8 Before We Drown
9 People Are Good
10 Always You
11 Never Let Me Go
12 Speak To Me