Depeche Mode bridged the gap between that incrediby experimental late '70s early '80s period of Post Punk / New Romanticism and the Acid House explosion of 1988.
They were avant guarde but maintained pop sensibilities, experimented with industrial noise but always kept it danceable and clothed it all in the imagery of Marxism, post industrialism and S&M. What's more they were brilliant live.

For most of their early career, when the UK music scene festered around the re-releasing of rock on CD and playing charity at Live Aid, they were constantly lampooned and derided by most of music press. Yet they produced an LP every year of some of the most excellent and at the time the only new cutting edge electronic music available.

In 1987 they were interviewed with Derrick May citing them as a major influence in the Face Magazine. Something in music had changed forever...

Depeche Mode truly are a versatile Group who have stood the test of time and continue to improve. A great number of their tunes lend themselves well to Re-mixes of the House, Tech House and more recently to the Trance genres of dance music with DJ's such as Danny Tenaglia and Underworld. You will no doubt have heard many a DM rift in dance beats. Ignore any preconceptions you may have that they are relegated to an 80's has-been Synth Pop/New Wave Band. They are very much alive and now. Go on give DM the listen that they deserve and re-discover Martin Gores excellent songwriting/melody abilities.

Interestingly enough (as a DJ) I thought "Music for The Masses" was DM's masterwork. "Never Let Me Down Again" is a track for eternity while the superknown "Strangelove" was the commercial hit that rose DM to international stardom. There are some other amazing songs in the album but then that could be said about virtually all their albums. Another interesting point is that "Songs Of Faith And Devotion" was (as I was told) "not all that DM!" I thought it was one of their very best. The songs were some of the least commercial work they have ever done and they were GREAT! I was very surprised and pleased at the same time due to the fact that great musical work is hard to come by in the commercial compromise that a lot of artists put out anymore. Well what else can I say about a band that can be recognized in about all the electronic groups there are these days. When "101" was released I played the whole thing in the club I was DJ'ing. I was expecting some complaints but that never happened. Everyone said it was one of the best nights they've had!...