Delta Machine

The band's first album released under Columbia Records, marking the end of a trilogy with producer Ben Hillier.

Delta Machine is the thirteenth studio album by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 22 March 2013 by Columbia and Mute Records. Recorded in 2012 in Santa Barbara, California, and New York City, the album was produced by Ben Hillier and mixed by Flood, who had previously worked with the band on their albums Violator (1990) and Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993). A deluxe edition was also released, containing a bonus disc with four bonus tracks, as well as a 28-page hardcover book including photos by Anton Corbijn.

Quick Facts

Artist: Depeche Mode
Released: 22 March 2013
Recorded: March–October 2012
Studio: Sound Design (Santa Barbara, California); Jungle City (New York City)
Genre: Electropop; industrial
Label: Columbia; Mute
Producer: Ben Hillier

Lore & Background

Thematically, much of the album is written from a personal point of view. Martin Gore said that the opening track 'Welcome to My World' is 'written from a much more personal point of view. I feel more at peace with my life and much better physically'. Dave Gahan also explained how getting cancer affected his songwriting on the track 'Secret to the End', inspiring the line 'is this the end?'. Lyrically, the song 'Slow' is about 'the joy of sex' as Gore described in an interview with Steffen Rüth. Gahan wrote about his struggle with substance abuse on the track 'Should Be Higher' explaining that he won't even drink a glass of wine anymore because it could open a Pandora's box. Gore also felt that 'Goodbye' sounds like a Beatles song but was hesitant to make that comparison. According to Gahan, Delta Machine marks the end of the trilogy of records that Depeche Mode were recording with producer Ben Hillier, though the sound of this album differs from past albums. The album is Gore and Gahan's thematic continuation to a dark, gloomy and bluesy aesthetic that Depeche Mode had started to explore in the late 1980s. The Quietus writer Luke Turner viewed it as the band's 'most powerful, gothic, twisted, electronic album since Violator'. The sound of the album is also notable for its use of modular synthesisers. While 'Welcome to My World' was built around a synth loop, other tracks such as 'Heaven' were entirely written on the piano. The band debated leaving the song 'My Little Universe' off the album due to its more techno sound that made it stand out. The song was also massively changed from Gore's demo. The song 'Slow' was written during the Delta Machine sessions and is widely documented as such, with no reliable source confirming any earlier origin.

Reader's Guide

Delta Machine debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, selling 28,450 copies in its first week; it is Depeche Mode's 16th album to reach the UK top 10. It slipped to number 14 the following week, selling 7,146 copies. In the United States, the album entered the Billboard 200 at number six with 52,000 copies sold in its opening week, earning the band their seventh top 10 album on the chart. The album debuted at number one on the German Albums Chart with first-week sales of 142,000 units. In France, Delta Machine debuted on the French Albums Chart at number two, selling 52,000 copies. The album sold 8,200 copies to debut at number two on the Canadian Albums Chart. 'Heaven' was released as the album's lead single on 31 January 2013. The second single from the album, 'Soothe My Soul', was released on 10 May 2013, followed by 'Should Be Higher' on 11 October 2013. Following the album's release, Depeche Mode embarked on the Delta Machine Tour, which commenced in Nice, France, on 4 May 2013, and concluded in Moscow on 7 March 2014.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1	Welcome to My World		4:56
2	Angel		3:57
3	Heaven		4:03
4	Secret to the End	Dave Gahan, Kurt Uenala	5:12
5	My Little Universe		4:24
6	Slow		3:45
7	Broken	Gahan, Uenala	3:58
8	The Child Inside		4:16
9	Soft Touch/Raw Nerve		3:26
10	Should Be Higher	Gahan, Uenala	5:04
11	Alone		4:29
12	Soothe My Soul		5:22
13	Goodbye		5:03
Total length			57:55