Sounds of the Universe

Released in 2009 and spawning the huge Tour of the Universe that ended in 2010, this record was a worldwide smash hit for the band, breaking yet again into the lucrative North American market. Oddly, it wasn’t the singles that predicated this success. Although first single “Wrong” did well worldwide, “Peace,” “Fragile Tension” and “Hole To Feed” passed without a blip. And although it holds a 70 on Metacritic, not all outlets were kind. It went on to sell over 200,000 copies in the US alone, being nominated for a Grammy in 2010 for Best Alternative Music Album, although it lost to Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix.

It continues the huge electro sound they perfected on 2005’s Playing The Angel. It has a slightly darker tone, and none of the singles are as pop-friendly as “Precious,” but it’s a formula they’ve used successfully since their inception.

Gore and Gahan gave an interview to The Quietus in 2009 where they revealed extensive use of analogue equipment, and explained it was the first time they’d ever co-written a track on a DM album.